Stay Connected by Volunteering

Last week, I was running errands with my wife and son in Manhattan, proudly wearing my commemorative 150th Lafayette-Lehigh T-shirt when a gentleman stopped me on Second Avenue. He asked if I went to Lafayette or Lehigh, and hinted that I “give the right answer.” I said, “Lafayette, of course!”

Although I was nervous about how this could have gone, he smiled and shook my hand. We shared stories of our years as undergraduates, life after Lafayette, and our involvement with our alma mater. A member of the class of ’71, he said he had not been back in over 20 years. I asked him to “come back home” and to stay connected with Lafayette by being an active volunteer. He was more
than happy to re-engage and volunteer his time to the place that helped change his life and was re-energized to hear how well the College is doing.

During Reunion, I connected and re-connected with students and alumni ranging from the class of ’49 to ’18. Although the gap is almost 70 years, the affinity and pride they feel toward Lafayette is identical. We are all part of something greater than ourselves, yet we add to the legacy of Lafayette in unique and special ways. That’s why we feel a flush of pride when we hear about fellow alumni who are changing the world through innovation, compassion, and creativity.

I hope you will continue to volunteer and connect. Be an Alumni Admissions Representative, host an externship or internship for our aspiring future leaders, or attend a regional event. You can be active in many ways. Now the Alumni Association has made it even easier to connect through the new LeopardLink.

Our vibrant alumni community is the backbone of Lafayette. We may be different from one another in our interests and our professions…we may live miles or even oceans apart, but our shared experience as students and the lifelong friendships we formed on this beautiful campus will always bring us together.

We are proud of the foundation that we share and are excited about building a stronger future for the next generation at one of America’s truly great undergraduate institutions.

We celebrate Lafayette where we live connected. And because we live connected, we will lead change!

Alex Karapetian ’04
President