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The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

GW won’t merge with Alumni Association, will create new advocacy group

Matt+Manfra%2C+the+senior+associate+vice+president+for+alumni+relations+and+annual+giving%2C+said+the+Division+of+Development+and+Alumni+Relations+hopes+to+hire+a+legacy+alumni+engagement+director+this+fall.+
Hatchet File Photo
Matt Manfra, the senior associate vice president for alumni relations and annual giving, said the Division of Development and Alumni Relations hopes to hire a legacy alumni engagement director this fall.

The University’s alumni office will not merge with the GW Alumni Association and will instead establish a new alumni organization Monday that is fully integrated with GW, officials said Thursday.

After months of negotiations with the GWAA about creating a centralized alumni advocacy group within the University, officials decided to launch their own organization run by alumni volunteers, Matt Manfra, the senior associate vice president for alumni relations, said.

“Our alumni are looking for meaningful programming, networking events and professional development opportunities,” Manfra said in an email Thursday. “We believe this can best be delivered through an alumni association that is fully integrated with the university’s Office of Alumni Relations.”

Manfra said the new organization will create new programming and services for alumni.

GWAA President Martin Baum said his organization, which operates independently of the University, will continue its work and programming as a nonprofit group “until further notice.”

The new association comes months after GWAA first announced it would merge with the University – a move that was scheduled to take place over the summer. Internal discord about whether integration was the right path for the association led to multiple resignations over the summer and the removal of the association’s former president, Venessa Marie Perry, in July.

Baum announced last month that the organization would move forward with integration and would begin negotiations this fall. He said at the time that the merger would allow the association to have more of a say in University decisions.

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