Hello GW Band Alumni,

First and foremost, welcome recent graduates! We’re so proud of your accomplishments and hope you keep in touch whether you’re in DC or across the globe.

Our second piece of exciting news is that our application for 501(c)3 status was approved by the IRS, which means that we are officially a tax-exempt nonprofit. We are in the process of setting up our bank account, and donations to that account will be legally tax-deductible. We will send information regarding donation options and dues once our account is established.
2015-2016 was a busy year for GWUBAF as the organization has continued to grow. We successfully supported winter break games, provided alumni to augment Colonial Brass for A-10, NCAA, and NIT games, and held two pizza nights. Losing Dr. Fritz in February was difficult for current students and alumni alike, but we came together for the largest alumni game in GW history, sharing stories and laughing together. Over 20 alumni joined current students at the spring concert to perform a piece dedicated to Dr. Fritz, and many more alumni were in the audience. We didn’t stop the music and we kept smiling.

We have an open call for participants to assist students on an undergraduate summer project as they work to record some of the band’s history in the coming months. Please see their request below:

“Similar to the band history book currently in the office, we would like to get a record of things like the history of officers, almost like a yearbook; as well as personal interviews (conducted by journalism majors). We want to get as much down as we can to record the “Doc” years, before people might start to forget stories or things, and before we really start to move on with someone new in the fall.”

If you are interested in participating, please provide us with your contact information. Keep in mind these interviews can be conducted remotely. If you ever held an officer position, please respond to this e-mail with your name, title, and the years for which you held this position.

Now that our organization is more established, we would like to set up the committees outlined in our bylaws and requested by our members, which include finance, outreach, and tech/communications.

Finance: Help GWUBAF manage accounting documents and ensure transparency in annual reporting. Those with legal and tax experience in the nonprofit sector encouraged to join.
Membership/Recruitment: Help GWUBAF get in touch with alumni. Recent gradautes and alumni from the “pre-Facebook” era encouraged to join.
Special Events: Help GWUBAF manage RSVPs, space rentals, and ticket payments for events like the alumni game, quarterly happy hours, and winter break game get-togethers.

Please let us know if you are interested in serving on one of these committees. We can’t wait to hear your ideas!

The GWUBAF board will keep working through the summer, so please don’t hesitate to contact us with your comments and questions.

That’s all for now. Keep in touch and

Raise High,
Your GWUBAF Board