On Feb. 3 a small crowd of students, faculty and Alumni Foundation administration gathered in Keating Center to meet and greet the year’s new Alum Fellows, graduates who have returned to lead Independent Study Project (ISP) groups or teach a course in the upcoming 2011 spring semester. XX fellows were a part of the program this year, specializing in a wide variety of subjects.

After a short introductory monologue from administrators of the Alumni Foundation, each fellow’s background was outlined for the crowd. Small gift bags were passed out at this time. Then, it was announced that the time to “mingle” had begun, and the fellows and audience began to circulate — Vice President of Alumnae/i Affairs Jessica Rogers struck a small gong as the final signal that the time to snack and chat had begun. Finger food, such as pita triangles with hummus and chocolate chip cookies were available along with two varieties of iced tea, all catered by the Four Winds. Within hours, those in attendance had all trickled out and all that was left was to throw out the last of the plastic cups.

Rogers, who helped orchestrate the event, said that the event was a success. “The purpose of our 3rd annual alumni fellows reception was to give the alumni fellows and the campus alum community the opportunity to meet our current stars who are coming back to campus,” she said, adding that this is the 21st year the program has been in operation.

Roger’s only complaint with the way fellows are treated at New College is that the way the program is currently funded, alums are only eligible to come back to teach during the ISP period or in the spring semester of the year. “We’re currently trying to raise about $450,000 to increase our endowment so that we can offer it year round, so that we can also offer a fall cycle.”

For students that want to be involved, Rogers recommends that they consider talk to their professors about what alums should be brought back as fellows.