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In January the Hamilton Alumni Association gathered in 21 regions to celebrate the 249th birthday of Alexander Hamilton.  From 12 regional parties in 2004 and 10 in 2005, these celebrations have grown in scope, scale and content to the point where they can safely claim to be the College's "signature" Alumni Association social event.  Several components were added to the program mix in many cities this year, including showings of the video for Excelsior: The Campaign for Hamilton, interaction with current students, Al Ham birthday cakes, trivia contests and prizes. 

For the first time, alumni celebrated Alexander Hamilton's birthday at international alumni gatherings in London and Hong Kong.  Jay Newmark '98, the new president of the London Alumni Association, gathered 20 alumni at The Porterhouse in Covent Garden for an evening of new and renewed Hamilton connections over micro-brewed Irish stouts, porters and ales.  Tommy Liem '98, co-chair of the Boston GOLD group, organized a party at Grappa's Cellar in Hong Kong.  Tommy, who also helped to organize the Boston Al Ham party, was in China to visit with family and took advantage of the timing of his visit with the multi-city celebration to host an event which was attended by 16 members of the Hamilton family (of 25 alumni in the area).

2006 Alexander Hamilton birthday party in Rochester
Doug Ambrose spoke about Alexander Hamilton's life and legacy at the Rochester party.

In typical Hamilton fashion, several Alumni Association leaders chose to take the event to a more scholarly level and incorporated an Alumni College element into the typically social occasion.  The Rochester and Westchester chapters, under the leadership of Meg Love McGuckin '83 and Dan Murdock '59 respectively, invited current faculty members to speak to their gatherings.  Meg, with the assistance of Alumni Association President Melissa Joyce-Rosen '86, hosted Doug Ambrose, the Sidney Wertimer Associate Professor of History, who spoke about Alexander Hamilton's life and legacy. Dan Murdock contacted Rick Werner, the John Stewart Kennedy Professor of Philosophy and current advisor to the Hamilton New York City Program. Werner presented an overview of the program planned for the spring semester, elaborating on the academic framework that will examine "The Ethics of Globalization."  The presentations by these professors were much appreciated and made many attendees feel as though they had briefly stepped back into a classroom on the Hill.  The addition of an academic element, which has been a primary objective of the Alumni Council's Regional Affairs committee led by Mark Rice '73, was well received and didn't preclude generous time for socialization and connection.

Additional Al Ham parties were held in private homes and public venues in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington D.C.,  Buffalo, N.Y., Charleston, S.C.,  Hartford, Conn., Albany, N.Y.,  Fairfield, Conn., Mohawk Valley, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., Charlotte, N.C. and Richmond, Va.  A special thanks goes out from the Alumni Office to all those involved with the planning and execution of these fabulous events. 

Since 2007 will be the 250th anniversary of Alexander Hamilton's birth, plans are developing to make next year's celebrations even grander than those held this year.  Mark your calendars now: Thursday, January 11, 2007.  If you're interested in hosting, planning, or taking part in future Al Ham birthday events, please contact Dave Steadman '03, assistant director of alumni relations, regional events, at dsteadma@hamilton.edu or 866-729-0314.

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