ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS The CEE Alumni Council enjoyed a full virtual calendar this year with regular meetings and special events designed for and open to the alumni community. Several alumni and alumni parents led various virtual events throughout the year, including speaking at the Community Engagement and Education series, teaching classes for faculty and staff, and leading sessions on mental health. The Council and its four committees (Events, Networking, Community Service, and Fundraising) worked together to foster Center ties even while remote due to the pandemic. Social events for alumni included a virtual mixology class and a Zoom reunion for the class of 2015. With more events taking place on virtual platforms, including the Community Engagement and Education series and CNL80 Gala, alumni from different parts of the country were able to attend CEE community events in greater numbers.
ALUMNI COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD The Alumni Council grants its Annual CEE Alumni Community Service Award (a $1,000 stipend) to support a young CEE alum’s summer community service project. Landon Lewis ‘16, the 2020 Alumni Community Service Award recipient, developed the SmartPacks Backpack Drive to support low-income students preparing for back-to-school at Ninety-Ninth Street Elementary. Landon put together hundreds of backpacks full of supplies like pencils, glue sticks, paper, and more. Landon shared, “I feel that it is important that all students feel confident and prepared to start the year with the necessary tools to succeed. With high unemployment rates during the Covid-19 pandemic, many parents are unable to provide adequate supplies for their children. Studies have shown that students often disconnect in class when they don’t have adequate supplies for school. My goal was to play a pivotal role in supporting students on their journey towards building strong educational foundations; I also hoped to help teachers with limited classroom budgets. This project relates to two of the Center’s core values of responsibility and caring: I feel a responsibility to help other students who may not have the same resources that I have, and it is with a caring spirit that I have the potential to help send children back to school with backpacks, supplies, and smiles!”
