Alumni News & Notes
Local Associations Update
The Association President Joe Seeber received the Southwestern University Medal in November for his work in building the association.
The Association of Southwestern University Alumni envisions that the Southwestern Experience can continue for alumni no matter where they live. Therefore, The Association supports alumni who want to organize local associations for the purpose of connecting Southwestern alumni with one another and the University. Each local association sponsors between two and four events a year. Keep up to date on the upcoming events that these groups are planning, view photos from past events and find officer contact information by visiting www.sugrads.org and clicking on “Local Associations.” If you are interested in bringing a local association to your area, please contact alumni@southwestern.edu.
Find out what is happening in your city! Over the summer, three new local associations formed! The Association of Southwestern University Alumni welcomes The Fort Worth Area Association, The Los Angeles Area Association and The Metropolitan Phoenix Association.
Learn more about all local associations by visiting www.sugrads.org. Find out what’s happening in your city!
- The Bay Area Association
- The Big Apple Association
- The Dallas Association
- The Fort Worth Area Association
- The Greater Austin Association
- The Greater Georgetown Association
- The Houston Association
- The Los Angeles Area Association
- The Metropolitan Phoenix Association
- The San Antonio Area Association
- The Washington, D.C. Association
An International View: Alumni Around the World
Southwestern alumni in London, counterclockwise from the front left: Nick de la Rosa ‘90, Linda Bednar Paterson ‘95, Brittany Mason ‘05, Samia Khoury ‘54, Rosalinda Rodriguez Grist ‘98, Maralee Buttery Vezie ‘80, Pia Karlsson ‘08, Joe Seeber ‘63 and Appletree Rodden ‘64.
Did you know?
- 111 alumni live in 47 countries other than the United States.
- Fifty percent of Southwestern students study abroad as part of their undergraduate education.
The Association of Southwestern University Alumni recognizes that alumni and student interests span the globe. In May, Sandra Romero de Thompson ’90 organized an Alumni Connection Group to establish connections among Southwestern’s alumni living throughout the world. Since its conception, the SU International Group has welcomed 37 members. On Oct. 13, 2007, The Association President Joe Seeber ’63 hosted the first-ever international alumni event at the home of Eric and Maralee Buttery Vezie ’80. Nine alumni and three guests representing five countries gathered for the event. Joe donned a “Taste of Southwestern” apron and prepared fajitas and fixins’ for everyone. To read a full report on the event, visit www.sugrads.org and click on “Connection Groups.”
For information on the SU International Alumni Connection Group, contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at alumni@southwestern.edu.
Southwestern alumni can be found the world over
Maralee Buttery Vezie ’80
City and Country: London, England
Academic Majors at Southwestern: History and Political Science
Occupation: Parent, Former attorney
“Part of what I love about England and Europe is the sense of history and continuation… This sense, and the close proximity of other countries, languages and cultures, fosters a much broader, more nuanced understanding of current events that Americans, bluntly, usually lack. It also exposes me to different ideas and solutions that often do not get expressed in the United States… Time abroad can help to counter that parochial tendency that all of us have.”
Samia Nasir Khoury ’54
City and Country: East Jerusalem, Occupied Palestinian Territories
Academic Major at Southwestern: Business Administration
Occupation: Volunteer treasurer at Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre
“The world has become too small and what happens in one area affects the other… I would like Southwestern students to know about the political situation in East Jerusalem, with the hope that they can play a role in influencing the U.S. administration to be even-handed and pursue justice and peace in my land.”
Jared ’96 and Natalie Davis Dowling ’97
City and Country: Singapore, Republic of Singapore
Academic Major at Southwestern: International Studies with History and Spanish; International Studies with Political Science and German
Occupation: (Jared) Senior Manager, Compensation/Benefits, Dell Inc.
“The growth in Southeast Asia is dramatic. As globalization continues, governments are challenged to balance development with cultural traditions. The gap between the wealthy and the poor continues to widen at an alarming rate. Affluence is outwardly visible as governments try to hide the impoverished side of their nations. As countries develop, the positives of the development are highlighted, but there are many problems at a root level that need to be addressed in the years to come.”
Countries include:
- Australia
- Austria
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Canada
- Costa Rica
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- England
- Federal Republic of Germany
- France
- Guatemala
- Hong Kong
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Mongolia
- Mozambique
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Occupied Palestinian Territories
- Pakistan
- Panama
- People’s Republic of China
- Peru
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Singapore
- Romania
- Scotland
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sultanate of Oman
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United States of America
- Zimbabwe