Embassy Events 2007

Consul General Anne Hall Honors Alumni Association in Krakow

1 October 2007 

Consul General Anne Hall with members of Alumni Association in Poland.

Krakow Consul General Anne Hall hosted a reception for former U.S. government exchange participants from the southern region of Poland to encourage them to join the new Alumni Association on September 28 in Krakow.  Launched in May 2006, the Alumni Association has 130 members and a board of directors, and is now in the midst of developing future alumni conferences and social activities.  The Consul General welcomed the group of about fifty exchange alumni and encouraged them to become members of the association.

Earlier that afternoon, the Alumni Association Board of Directors held a quarterly meeting during which upcoming conferences were discussed, including the October conference in Lodz entitled ”American Experiences on Polish Soil,” the November Krakow “Kosciuszko Conference,” and an early spring conference on park management.  The Board also discussed major issues connected with running the association and the membership fee, which will be obligatory in January 2008 as required by Polish law.

At the event, Public Affairs Officer Susan Parker-Burns spoke about the importance of exchanges and alumni and how to become a member of the association.  President of the Board of Directors Jacek Nieckula made a presentation on the alumni association in which he described upcoming events, and Embassy support and benefits of the association.  Each guest received a folder that contained alumni gadgets, the www.alumni.state.gov bookmark, membership declaration, alumni brochure and newsletter.  The embassy is excited to see the smooth development of the Alumni Association in Poland.