New York Alumni will celebrate with a reception in the ballroom of the Loews Regency Hotel in New York City, with a focus on local public education.
The New York-Tufts Alliance hosts a gathering in conjunction with Tufts Active Citizenship in New York (TACNY) every year, but this year's will correspond with the first-ever World Day. Last year's reception benefited Katrina victims.
"The annual kickoff is a good opportunity for alumni to get together and socialize, but we thought it was a good idea to do something socially productive," TACNY co-founder Greg Propper (LA' 01) said.
This year, the two organizations will be working with Tufts alumni from Teach for America (TFA) to collect school supplies and books to provide to New York public schools that have been experiencing a severe shortage in supplies.
"We try to work with groups that have a connection with Tufts and TFA has a longstanding connection with Tufts, Propper said. "We want to keep the relationship going so its not just a one-night collection."
"One of the main setbacks we have is that the schools don't have enough money to get supplies," Rebecca Ades (LA' 06), said, who now teaches in New York.
She is happy, therefore, that the annual event is extending some help to TFA. "It's really incredible that they're doing this," she said.
Ades began working as an English as a Second Language teacher in Brooklyn after five-week course at the TFA institute.
"There are more Tufts people in Teach for America than ever before," said Dave Cavell (LA' 06), a graduate working for TFA in New York City. According to Cavell, Tufts has a large representation in New York City's TFA, with about nine alumni currently working there.
Cavell, a former managing editor of the Daily, will be attending the reception along with other alumni to help collect funds and discuss the function of TFA with the other guests.
According to Propper, "[TACNY is] really excited about the event. We appreciate the work TFA is doing and it will be a great collaboration."
President Bacow will also be at the reception, which will run from 6:00-9:00.
"I believe around 250 people have RSVP'd," said Eric Stern (LA' 03), the New York-Tufts Alliance President.
"We're looking forward to people bringing all kinds of things, including pencils, pens, books and other supplies," he said.
Stern was full of praise for TACNY. "I think it's going to provide a lot of opportunities for alumni in New York to get involved," he said. "That's part of the goal of the Alliance: to get alumni involved."
- Pranai Cheroo
