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Post President's Message Archive - Summer 2004 Making a DifferenceScholarship Program ExpansionIn July 2004, your Board of Directors approved a strategic plan to grow the Washington DC Post Scholarship Program to award $12,000 in Scholarship awards in 2005, with an incremental growth in Scholarships each year thereafter to reach $30,000 in scholarships to be awarded in 2009. This is an ambitious yet very achievable plan, that will make a significant difference in the lives of many engineering and architecture students studying at local area universities. It is also a fantastic commitment to our industry and profession one that is essential to ensure that there will be appropriate capability to provide necessary engineering support for national security in the future. These students are the next generation of professionals. By awarding these deserving students with scholarships, we remind them that their hard work does make a difference. The growth in our Scholarship Program is part of the Washington DC Post's Education Outreach Initiative. Kudos to Al O'Konski, Julian Sabbatinni, and Mike McDonald - the architects of our new Scholarship Strategic Plan! YM Program Development The Washington DC Post Young Members (YM) are busy planning programs for the rest of the year. Young Member programs at the Washington DC Post provide networking opportunities, venues for professional development, and a chance to contribute to the vitality of our community. The August 2004 program is no exception to this outstanding commitment! This program featured an outing to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The evening included a networking session, a construction tour of The Kennedy Center, and the Mel Brook's musical, The Producers! Joint Seminars and Programs Initiative We had a tremendous turnout for our Commissioning Seminar and Construction Management Program and panel! These two outstanding programs were jointly co-hosted by the SAME Washington DC Post, the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and the National Capital Healthcare Engineering Society (NCHES). With over 100 attending the Commissioning Seminar and over 140 attending the Construction Management program and luncheon, this was an outstanding day of programs for professional development, building relationships, and reaching out to our community! In light of this terrific response and participation by both our SAME members and our guests, we will continue to look to provide training opportunities in the months to come. Please contact me or one of our Committee Chairs if you have a recommendation for an upcoming training seminar or program. We'd love to hear from you! Membership Outreach Initiative The Washington DC Post is growing! That's a familiar phrase that we've mentioned before. Now, we are in an exponential growth mode! This is remarkable achievement! Our success is due in no small measure to our Membership Outreach Initiative! This initiative aims to introduce those in our community to SAME, and showcase the many professional development, networking, and educational opportunities available to all at the Washington DC Post. Furthermore, our Membership Outreach Initiative extends the SAME network into new organizations and supports the SAME mission to build relationships in the engineering community. Just recently, over 40 nonmembers attended our Commissioning Seminar and Construction Management program! Please encourage any nonmembers you met to come again. We welcome everyone from our community to the Washington DC Post! In addition, the Washington DC Post Membership Committee keeps in touch with our current members and has aligned an excellent Membership Drive with a number of incentives, discount rates, and fabulous prizes! Contact Theresa Pohlman or Dan Aide to find out more! National Security and Readiness Initiative As the nation continues to defend and fight in the war on terror, the Washington DC Post continues to support the SAME mission - Support To National Defense. The Post's National Security Initiative is fully underway! The August program provided an update on the readiness and emergency management preparations in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The program featured a distinguished member of our community - Calvin Smith. Calvin is the Director of Human Services, Planning and Public Safety for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). He gave a presentation and explained how coordination is playing a significant role in making the Washington DC metropolitan region better prepared. Founded in 1957, the Council of Governments is an association of 19 local governments in the Washington area, and provides a focus for action that develops sound regional response to such issues as the environment, affordable housing, economic development, health and family concerns, population growth, public safety and transportation. I look forward to seeing you at future seminars and programs of the Washington DC Post. James Peck, PE, CCM |
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