Dear 2006 RPI Reunion Participant:

Our 2006 RPI Alumni Reunion was a great success.  Thank you for being an important part of the 1^st  REUNION of all the classes of the Richmond Professional Institute held since the ‘60’s.  Considering that many of you had not heard from what is now VCU since you graduated, ours was a VERY SUCCESSFUL REUNION!  The attendance exceeded 200 enthusiastic and satisfied alumni and guests.

We have had a follow-up meeting to review the feedback from our evaluation forms and we want to share the results.  Attendees were delighted to renew old acquaintances and make new ones.  They were glad to learn of the successes of fellow alumni.  Most attendees were pleasantly surprised at the progress of VCU and inspired by the vision for the future.  The overall friendly atmosphere made everyone feel welcome.

We also made substantial progress on our highest priority project—to erect a memorial sculpture in front of the old Ad Building to honor the contributions of RPI, its faculty, staff, and students, to the founding of VCU.  We have raised more than $10,000 toward our goal of $35,000 and we continue to receive proposals from sculptors in our design competition.

The comments we received have re-energized us.  WE PLAN TO HAVE OUR NEXT RPI REUNION APRIL 27-30, 2007, LESS THAN 10 MONTHS FROM NOW.   Please circle this date on your calendar NOW, and alert those who you know missed THIS Reunion, asking them to do likewise.

Next year’s format will be much the same.  We will keep the popular Friday Reception, but at a different, equally interesting location.  We will honor the class of 1957 and the class of 1947 at the Saturday morning breakfast, inviting all alumni to attend.  Saturday’s daytime program will be different and even better, capped off with an elegant reception and dinner at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.  The weekend will conclude with a farewell event on Sunday, April 30^th. 

The feedback we received on the evaluation forms has prompted us to ask you for your input.  What can we do to make your attendance next year appealing?  Would you like us to help organize an event for alumni from your particular undergraduate department?  Is there a better way for us to communicate our plans so you can make your plans?  Can we help you get together a group of your friends?  What on-campus events would you most want to attend?  Please give some thought to the questionnaire we are enclosing.  Our goal is to encourage your attendance.

WE NEED YOU TO HELP US AT LEAST DOUBLE OR TRIPLE ATTENDENCE FOR THE APRIL 2007REUNION, BY:

 Passing the word to those you know who didn’t attend in April

·        Helping to correct mailing list addresses or adding new names to our active list.

·        Volunteering to serve on the 2007 RPI Reunion Committee.  We need new ideas and a way to kindle an interest in RPI on the part of local newspapers and other media.

·        Volunteering to edit an ongoing RPI newsletter to be sent to those on our mailing list of more than 4,000 RPI Alumni.  

·        Volunteering to help during Reunion weekend for registration and other duties.

We also need help in raising money for our Commemorative Sculpture, to be officially dedicated during Reunion 2007 weekend.

• Who do you personally know, or know of, that went to RPI or has a fondness for RPI, that could make a substantial personal or corporate, tax deductible, contribution to our fund?
•  Do you have any other ideas that could help us raise money?  As you know, anything over and above what is needed for the sculpture will go toward an annual RPI scholarship to be awarded. And beyond that, monies to establish an RPI Archives and Exhibition Room or rooms, on the campus somewhere.  Perhaps in the old Ad Building, when administrative offices move to the new VCU Administration Building   being contemplated.

If you haven’t contributed yet, perhaps you would like to do so, using the pledge card enclosed. Your contribution is fully tax deductible.  This is a wonderful way to be a part of a permanent legacy to RPI while honoring someone important.  Contributions are being accepted on a continual basis and may be paid over a 3 year period.   Feel free to return your contribution and/or your questionnaire using the enclosed business reply envelope.

We look forward to hearing from you.  Our future Reunions will be vibrant for as long as we care to have them.  Most importantly, our legacy should be to ensure that RPI will be remembered long after we are gone, by future generations, through archives, exhibitions, scholarships, and the RPI commemorative sculpture.

 Sincerely,

Bob Lindholm, ‘50

Tom Monahan, ‘56

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