Alumni clubs benefit from UDAA support
ALUMNI | A Richmond Homecoming watch party, a Miami Marlins baseball game, a day at a Philadelphia museum, a picnic for new students in Washington, D.C., and a networking event in New York City all have at least one thing in common.
The UD Alumni Association (UDAA) has provided funding for all these alumni events and dozens more through its Satellite Assistance Program (SAP).
Alumni clubs across the country and affinity groups such as the Black Alumni Organization and Men's Crew Alumni Association can apply for SAP funds to help defray the costs of their events and make it more affordable for alumni and their families to attend.
The program is funded through a variety of channels, particularly the partnerships the UDAA has with such organizations as Liberty Mutual, Bank of America and Lazybones Laundry and Storage, among others. When an alumnus signs up for discounted auto insurance through Liberty Mutual, for example, a portion of those funds is donated back to the UDAA to fund SAP and other programs.
"Coming up with events to appeal to the thousands of Blue Hen alumni in the Philadelphia region is no easy feat," says Allie Williams, AS10, special events co-chair of the Philadelphia Alumni Club. "Thanks to the SAP funding, we've been able to appeal to a wide audience, hold a variety of events and host an event at a Phillies game every spring."
Carle Foster, BE86, the association's outreach chair, says SAP funding is an integral part of its strategic initiatives to encourage attendance at alumni events.