Afro-Latino Alumni and Alumnae Association (ALAA)

ALAA

The Afro-Latino Alumni and Alumnae Association (ALAA) is proud to look back at all of the accomplishments since our inception. We are excited to plan more activities that will further assist Hobart and William Smith students of color and the Geneva community.

We have a lot of exciting news to share, starting with our accomplishments over the past few years.

Since our inception, ALAA:

  • Was Officially Recognized as a Hobart and William Smith Alumni/Alumnae Club
  • Established a Web Presence Within the www.HWS.edu Portal
  • Established ALAA 100 to Recognize Major Financial Contributors of $1000 or More
  • Hosted a Black Poetry Recital by a William Smith Alumna Author
  • Provided Financial Support for a Student of Color Summer Chemistry Research
  • Hosted a Community Soul Food Festival
  • Hosted a Performance by the Dance Theatre of Harlem at the Smith Opera House
  • Established and Recruited Alums of Color for the Alum-Student Mentor Program
  • Recruited Alums of Color and Facilitated the ALAA Career Symposium
  • Recruited Alums of Color and Facilitated the ALAA Alum-Student Education and Career Connection
  • Presented a Black Greek Step Show Featuring Teams from Cornell and Syracuse University
  • Sponsored the HWS Summer Academy for Students of Color from Geneva High School
  • Successfully Completed the 3rd Year of the Men of Color "Experienceship" (and have plans under way for Women of Color "Experienceship" in 2006)
  • Provided Influential Leadership to the Hobart and William Smith Administration to Increase the Number of Professors of Color by Joining the Consortium for a Strong Minority Presence (http://www.grinnell.edu/offices/dean/csmp/)

How Can You Support the Mission of ALAA?

As you can see from our list of proposed activities, ALAA is hoping to sponsor numerous career, educational, and supportive events for students of color. All these events are made possible thanks to generous HWS alums of color. We hope you will consider a gift to ALAA so we can continue to do as much as possible to support HWS students of color.

  • Did you know you could designate your contribution to Hobart and William Smith directly to ALAA? The only thing you have to do is indicate "ALAA" next to for on your check. It's that easy to help ALAA!
  • All gifts are important to ALAA. We want to thank the 104 alums who gave to ALAA during the last academic year. This academic year, we are asking more alums of color to participate to increase our good work. Our goal is to have 250 alums of color support ALAA's efforts. Please consider ALAA in your contributions during this academic year (August 2005 to June 2006).
  • Everyone who gives $1,000 or more will be recognized in ALAA 100.
  • When you give to ALAA, please make your check payable to "Hobart and William Smith", notate ALAA on the for line and mail it to:

Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Alumni House
615 S. Main Street
Geneva, NY 14456

How Else Can You Support ALAA?

  • Participate in the career and education programs held during ALAA Spring Weekends.
  • Become a mentor. ALAA is always in need of mentors to give students the positive guidance and insight from the perspective of an alum of color.
  • Host a Men/Women of Color "Experienceship." Horace Allen '85 has provided students with invaluable experienceships for the past three years. As he noted, "I'd like the students to see the things that are possible through academic excellence and hard ethic". If nothing else, maybe we can help a student to dream bigger.

Who We Are

Welcome to the Afro-Latino Alumni and Alumnae Association Web site! ALAA was formed in the winter of 1999, and is diligently working towards promoting a greater awareness of the association among the alumni and alumnae of color of Hobart and William Smith. By doing so we hope to encourage our alumni and alumnae not only to return to the Colleges, but to get involved in the Colleges through other activities and events. Therefore, this site is designed as a means of communication and information for you. We hope that you will join us in accomplishing our mission and goals by sending us your input and ideas as we move forward.

If you are interested in learning more about ALAA and how to become a part of this exciting network, please contact one of the board members.

Men and Women of Color Experienceship

Road Trip for Men of Color

Hobart alum Horace Allen gives what he never had-an African-American mentor.

During spring break, five Hobart students traveled to Minneapolis to stay with Allen. They experienced Allen's lifestyle and also attended seminars and meetings with top leaders from IBM and other businesses in the Twin Cities area. In April, 50-plus Hobart students of color did thesame, on a grander scale.

Allen '85 was elected by the Board of Trustees to serve a four-year term. Allen graduated from Hobart with a degree in economics. In 1993, after working nearly 10 years for the IBM Corporation, he and two partners founded Total Solutions Group. The Total Solutions Group was sold in 2000, when he founded TSG Server & Storage, where he is currently the chief operations officer. Allen is civically active, associated with, among other causes and organizations, the Greater Minneapolis YMCA, Catholic Charities, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Minnesota Community Foundation. On campus, Allen has participated in Black History Month symposiums and Career Day at HWS, and was the Charter Day speaker in 2001. Additionally, he is a board member of the Colleges' Afro-Latino Alumni Association and an alumni club volunteer. Allen was also the Colleges' first Executive in Residence. Allen lives in Prior Lake, Minn.