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Changing Faces

"It's going to be pitched to a lot of companies--they'll see how well the GS model works," Park says.

While Wall Street is doing its part for the annual budget, University President Neil L. Rudenstine spent some time this spring helping PBHA meet the long-term Centennial Campaign funding goals.

Rudenstine accompanied PBHA student volunteers to an April development event with alumni at the Harvard Club of Manhattan, and Michelle Soohi Lee `03, student chair of the Centennial Campaign, is confident that the $7.25 million goal is in reach. The campaign is on track to meet its goal by January 2003, Cox says.

Reaching Out To Alums

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The optimism that Lee and others have for the campaign is bolstered in part by increased PBHA alumni involvement. Earlier this year, PBHA hosted an alumni reunion, centennial campaign kick off event and retirement party for longtime PBHA staff member Lee Smith.

"The Nov. 10 and 11 event was definitely a highlight of even the past few years. It was the first time PBHA really worked to bring its alums to campus," Guerrier says.

In addition to financial support trickling in from PBHA alumni, the campaign has also helped Nick Beilenson `58 launch the PBHA Alumni Association (PBHAAA). Beilenson and a group of about a dozen alumni created a network of public service internship and fellowship opportunities to connect PBHA students with alumni who have connections in the public service world.

"The Alumni Association is definitely really exciting," says Guerrier, who will spend next year on a Stride Rite public service fellowship working in Dorchester for Urban Dreams. "The [AA] was so helpful--there are 18,000 PBHA alums, many of whom are involved in public service. OCS doesn't offer that much to people who are interested in it."

It may have a clunky acronym, but PBHAAA is another example of long term planning that Cox is proud PBHA has done this year.

With a network of alumni contact in place, fundraising and internship opportunities will be readily available even after the initial student coordinators have graduated.

"A lot of what officers do is take what they're given and try to make it run better. We take a longer view of the organization than in past years," Cox says.

He says he is happy with the progress PBHA has made in increasing advocacy programs, utilizing the board of trustees and streamlining the budget, but there is still a lot on his plate for next fall.

"I'm very ambitious for PBHA, and I think you have to be for any large organization where you see a lot of potential," Cox says. There's still enormous potential and there always will be because there's still a lot of need. So I'm not sure that we got everything done that we wanted. But you're never going to get everything done, especially the projects we're thinking about.

"You just have to trust that the best way to get anything done is to begin and I think we've had a lot of beginnings this semester," he adds.

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