Endnotes

Incarnate Word Ring Blessing
Time to bring back an old tradition? We can try. Years ago Incarnate Word students, mostly juniors, took part in a college ring blessing ceremony to make the role of alumni-to-be more official. For local alumni at least, the annual Light the Way ceremony on Saturday, November 22, 2003 has become something of a Homecoming event. In an attempt to revive an old tradition we are inviting alumni of all years with IWC or UIW rings to come to the Light the Way Mass in the University Chapel at 5:30 and have their rings blessed. There will be a reception after Mass and we ask $5 to help defray the costs, and then you can be off to special alumni seating for the Light the Way ceremony. Contact dickm@universe.uiwtx.edu if interested.

Alumni Giving Back Network Proposed
Alumnus Michael T. Berger, MBA '97, and two other alumni have proposed an idea which is, at the core, ‘what is good for our business can be good for UIW.' Michael is in real estate with King Realtors; Ray Chacon, BA '99, MBA '00, is a financial planner; and Edward Leos, BA '93, is the CEO of Destination Marketing Group [public relations, web design, etc.] What they propose is that if alumni and friends use the services of the alumni in the network they will donate a percentage of their commission to the university for operations, capital or endowment needs. Eventually the network would have a directory of participating alumni.

Alumni interested in joining the network to provide services within this framework should contact the Alumni Office or email dickm@universe.uiwtx.edu.

Improve Our Communication
Send us your email address and keep up with the UIW website www.uiw.edu regularly. There is a new Alumni Calendar and many new folks on the Alumni Networking Network, plus a monthly emailed newsletter. Also, all of the details on Homecoming and the annual Scholarship Sweepstakes are available on the website or by contacting dickm@universe.uiwtx.edu or calling 1-800-584-5322. If you have an email address send it to the alumni office as many alumni mailings are now done by email to save on paper and postage.

Credit Card $: Thanks to all who regularly use their MBNA UIW affinity credit card. As you know, UIW receives a percentage quarterly on all credit card use and it does not cost the alumnus/a or the university anything extra. We now receive an annual revenue of $4,000 from MBNA, which goes directly to the Faculty Development Endowment to continue to improve the quality of classroom teaching. And, we can use that revenue for matching Federal dollars. A win-win all the way.

M.A.R.S.
The Executive Council of the University, in conjunction with the offices of Admissions, Public Relations, Alumni, and Financial Assistance has established a new student scholarship program to be named the McCracken Alumni Referral Scholarship Program. The University of the Incarnate Word McCracken Alumni Referral Scholarship (MARS) was established with the goal of recognizing UIW alumni as an effective vehicle in the recruitment of new students, passing on the “legacy” while strengthening the connection of our graduates to the university.

UIW alumni will be involved in identifying prospective students who will benefit from an Incarnate Word education and uphold the mission of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. This scholarship is named in honor of Mr. Richard McCracken, long-time and beloved Dean of Alumni, in recognition of his many years of service and loyalty to UIW and its' graduates. The Guidelines are as follows:

• Any UIW alumnae may nominate one (only) student per academic year to receive the $1000 voucher.
• Student must be a first-time, full-time undergraduate student.
• Voucher is good for first year only and is non-renewable.
• Nominated student must meet university admissions acceptance standards.
• It is preferred that the signed voucher accompanies completed admissions application, but can be forwarded to the Office of Admissions prior to or after official acceptance is issued to student.
• $20 admissions application fee will be waived if voucher accompanies paper application
• Voucher should include applicants name and signature of nominating alumnae.
• Deadline for submission is February 1st. [Now for fall 2004]
• Nominated student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• UIW employees who are also graduates are eligible to disperse voucher, but not to spouse, son, or daughter receiving tuition benefit.