Alumni Reconnect at Summer Reunion

More than 85 RAND alumni gathered on July 14 for the RAND Alumni Association’s (RAA’s) third summer reunion event. Colleagues reconnected and socialized with new friends in the courtyard of RAND’s Santa Monica headquarters campus. Peg Schumacher, associate director of the Office of External Affairs and a longtime RAND employee, welcomed everyone, including RAND’s 2016 summer associates who are participating in a program she said has been introducing graduate students to RAND for nearly 60 years. She thanked the alumni for engaging with their colleagues through RAA programs and for providing philanthropic support to RAND through the Alumni Impact Fund (AIF). She then introduced Natalie Crawford, president of the RAA, calling her the “heart and soul of RAND.”

In a heartfelt speech, Natalie described RAND as a “unique community” of “really fabulous people” and echoed Peg’s remarks on the importance of the AIF—to support strategic outreach for RAND projects that alumni feel are of critical importance. During the past two AIF campaigns, more than $225,000 was raised to fund projects voted on and selected by contributing alumni. The most recent campaign was launched in June.