ACS_Giving_Report_2020 | Page 13

ACS ALUMNI GATHERINGS IN USA
We always want to connect more with alumni , particularly those who live outside of Sofia . An initiative we have been discussing for quite a while came to pass in the beginning of 2020 .
In January , ACS President Richard Ewing traveled to the US for a meeting of the Board of Trustees and to recruit new international faculty and staff . We decided that it was the right time to plan an alumni get-together .
The Board meeting took place in Washington , D . C ., and faculty recruiting was happening in Boston . We thought , New York City is right in the middle and there is a sizable ACS alumni population there .
As we started planning , we got a call from alumna and trustee Theodora Konetsovska ’ 97 who proposed to have another meeting in Cambridge , Mass . So we had two events .
The event in New York City took place at the Bulgarian Consulate . We are thankful for the gracious support of Consul General Maya Hristova , herself the parent of an ACS alum .
About 30 alumni attended , ranging from early classes to recent graduates . There was quite a variety in the mix : professionals working in finance , consulting and engineering , as well as recent graduates who were still in school .
At both events , President Ewing shared news from ACS , both recent developments regarding electronic learning and SCIFI , and our continuing commitment to emphasizing English-language fluency and high academic achievement which have been so important throughout the history of the school . He also appraised the participants of developing plans to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the school , and that the Board was initiating a strategic planning process where we would love to actively involve alumni .
The atmosphere at both events was great and we definitely want to continue these meetings in the years ahead , circumstances permitting .
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