Engineering Alumni SocietyBoard of Directors

Planning Meeting

July 27, 2009

Agenda

• Incoming Board

• President’s Initiatives

• New Ideas

• Annual Events

• Board Awards

• Service Activities

• Internal Activities

Incoming Board

2009-2010 Board:

Harris Romanoff (President)Jim Brennan (Vice President)Nancy Harris (Vice President)Russ Miller (Vice President)Farnia Fresnel (Secretary)

Stan Warchaizer (Treasurer) 

DirectorsRobert BerkovitsDane Carswell

Ernest ChurchvilleCarl Clyde

Hank GuckesMatt Quale

Eileen McCarthy Feldman Jocelyn Nelson

Alan SchultzHarry Vartanian

 Associates

Jason BethalaAlison CapponiJeannine CarrRichard Cisek

Bill KaneSevile Mannickarottu

Wayne RobbinsCraig Schorr

Jane Fried Sheinfeld

President’s Initiatives

Initiative: Email Graduating Seniors

Motivation:

Reach out to engineering undergraduates the summer after their graduation. Welcome letter from EAS about our group and how to stay connected.

Status:

Sent letter last year to graduates

Will send letter to this year’s graduates

Recommend future EAS presidents continue in tradition

Initiative: Establish Penn Alumni School Committee

Motivation:

School alumni societies (like the EAS) have a different set of challenges relative to that of regional alumni groups. As such an ongoing exchange of ideas and best practices between Penn’s School Alumni Societies would be beneficial to such groups.

In the past year, several meetings have taken place among leaders of Penn’s School Alumni Societies and those in attendance found the meetings to be productive and educational. A proposal has been made to establish a more formal standing committee for School Alumni Societies under the umbrella of Penn Alumni.

Status:

Obtained verbal approval for the proposal from Hoopes Wampler, Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations

Writing up formal proposal for review by Hoopes in August

If approved, will be presented to Penn Alumni for consideration at the Fall Planning Meeting

New Ideas Proposed

New Idea: Improve Social Networking Presence

Champion: Russ MillerCommittee:

What are you proposing?

I am proposing an improvement to the 2008-2009 initiative that established an EAS presence on LinkedIn and Facebook. While this establishment initiative was successfully completed, both the LinkedIn and Facebook groups are largely inactive. There is a need to improve the quality and quantity of the content of both of these websites. The Board should appoint members to a committee that is focused on making recommendations to the Board that improves the content at these two websites. Why should we do this? There are more that 380 Penn Engineering alums on LinkedIn and 38 Penn Engineering Alums on Facebook who have indicated their interest in Penn Engineering by joining these groups. The EAS can directly reach these alums and push Penn Engineering information to these interested alums by providing additional content to these groups. Doing so has the potential of increasing alumni involvement in Penn Engineering and the EAS.  When (time of year) should we do it? This should be a continuing effort with an immediate start date.

New Idea: Day in Life Biotechnology Presentation

Champion: Jason RifkinCommittee:

What are you proposing?

My proposal is a “Day in the Life of a Biotechnology Company” presentation. It seems that there is not enough focus on the biotech/bioengineering component of SEAS in terms of career opportunities, and this would be a way for students and members of the board to get a feel for what goes on in a biotech company, particularly a developmental stage company. I envision a panel made up of people filling the regulatory role, clinical operations role, business development role, intellectual property role, and finance role. Each would give a presentation on what they do on a day-to-day basis, and how it is unique in the current economic/medical/political atmosphere. My goal is to make this question/answer heavy.  Why should we do this? I experienced a lack of biotech company presence while doing my masters program, and students need to at least know that great opportunities in industry are out there for science savvy people. There are a number of different roles within a biotech company that need to be filled, and much of what is required to perform these tasks is not taught or discussed in class. I’d rather not have people miss out on the opportunity to meet with hiring biotech companies at career fairs because they don’t know what their day-to-day duties would be.   When (time of year) should we do it? This should be done in the fall so that students can incorporate what they hear into their current job hunt.  

New Idea:

Champion:Committee:

What are you proposing? 

Why should we do this?  When (time of year) should we do it?  

Annual Events

Bi-Annual Events

Event: Patent Presentation (2007, 2009)

Suggested Tasks: 1) Collaborate with Career services on planning the date2) Format: Presentations by a small panel comprised of at least 1Patent Attorney and a representative from Penn’s Technology Transfer dept.

Co-Chair Person: ______________ Co-Chair Person: __________________Committee Members: _________________, ___________________, __________________

Event: PE Presentation

Suggested Tasks: 1) Schedule a panel presentation for students of at least 3 engineers who have a PE2) Collaborate with Career services on planning the date

Co-Chair Person: Co-Chair Person:Committee Members:

Fall Annual Event

Event: Homecoming Weekend

Requirements: 1) Collaborate with Development office on planning events for homecoming2) Promote event to EAS

Chair Person:

Spring Annual Events

Event: Senior Design Competition

Suggested Tasks: 1) Review rules & edit materials for design competition2) Facilitate event day of3) Serve as judge and/or score enterer

Co-Chair Person: Walter Korn Co-Chair Person:

Committee Members:

Spring Annual Events

Event: Alumni Weekend

Suggested Tasks: 1) Collaborate with Development office on planning events for alumni weekend2) Promote event to EAS

Chair Person:

Summer Annual Event

Event: Graduate Student BBQ

Suggested Tasks: 1) Collaborate with Development office on planning Graduate Student BBQ2) Sit at sign-in table, check IDs, welcome crowd

Co-Chair Person: Co-Chair Person:

Board Awards

Board Awards

Award: D. Robert Yarnall Award

Suggested Tasks: 1) Collaborate with Development office on obtaining recommendations2) Tele-conference to review candidate bios3) Make recommendation to board4) Reach out to nominees

Co-Chair Person: Co-Chair Person:

Committee Members:

Outreach Activities

Outreach Activities

Activity: Student Mentoring

Suggested Tasks: 1) Collaborate with Career Planning on facilitating freshman mentoring program 2) Help Career Planning in finding needed alumni 3) Promote mentoring program to students and alumni

Co-Chair Person: Co-Chair Person:

Committee Members:

Outreach Activities

Activity: Increasing Participation in Alumni Activities

Suggested Tasks: 1) In January, identify board members who are members of undergraduate classes with reunions the following year.2) Find out who the assigned staff person is at Penn Alumni Relations for that class. 3) Encourage the board members to contact these staff people 4) Check on status in April or May.

Co-Chair Person: Co-Chair Person:

Committee Members:

Internal Activities

Internal Activities

Activity: Maintain EAS Website

Suggested Tasks: 1) Continually review website content to ensure it’s up to date2) Post pictures, board meeting dates, etc

Chair Person:

Internal Activities

Activity: Schedule Guest Speakers for Board Meetings

Suggested Tasks: 1) Shake engineering alumni tree for potential speakers2) Contact potential speakers3) Present Bio to board4) Coordinate times that work for EAS & Speaker

Co-Chair Person: Co-Chair Person:

Speaker Suggestions 2009-2010

• Penn Museum•

Internal Activities

Activity: Update SEAS Wiki Updates

Suggested Tasks: 1) Continually review SEAS Wiki content to ensure it’s up to date2) Post new content

Chair Person: