It has been more than 30 years since West Virginia University President Gordon Gee last stepped up to the podium at the WVU Alumni Association’s annual Alumni Luncheon on Capitol Hill.

Since that time, the University’s enrollment has nearly doubled and the campus has undergone a major transformation to meet the ever-changing needs of its students, faculty and graduates. President Gee will outline his vision for the University with West Virginia’s Congressional delegation, alumni and friends during the luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Thursday (July 10), beginning at noon.

“We must remember that West Virginia University is first and always West Virginia’s University,” Gee said. “This means that we must refocus on our central calling of teaching and research, the creation of ideas and the stimulation of young minds who will carry those ideas into the next decade and beyond so that we may continue to impact this state – and indeed this nation – in a positive and meaningful way.”

The Alumni Luncheon on Capitol Hill is in its 36th year and is hosted by the National Capital Area Chapter of the WVU Alumni Association. The event honors West Virginia’s congressional delegation – Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV, Sen. Joseph Manchin III, Reps. Nick J. Rahall II, Shelley Moore Capito and David McKinley – as well as their hard-working staff.

Proceeds from the luncheon benefit the John F. Nicholas Jr. National Capital Area Chapter Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to WVU students in the D.C.-Metro area. To date, the NCAC has raised more than $150,000 for scholarships, making it the second largest scholarship fund provided by an alumni chapter.

“This annual alumni luncheon is a great example of how our chapters give back to the University,” said Alumni Association President and CEO Stephen Douglas. “Thanks to the efforts of our National Capital Area Chapter, we are able to bring West Virginia University to the nation’s capital and provide an opportunity for our alumni and friends to see first-hand the great things taking place at their alma mater.”

This year’s event sponsors include: The Hill newspaper, Consol Energy, The Greenbrier, Hamilton Insurance and Widmeyer Communications, a Finn Partners company, as well as nearly 20 WVU colleges and units.

The Alumni Luncheon on Capitol Hill will be held at the National Press Club, 529 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C. A Mountaineer Mixer, sponsored by The Hill, will begin at 11 a.m. prior to the noon luncheon. For more information, visit: http://alumni.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

tec/07/07/14

CONTACT: Tara Curtis, WVU Alumni Association
304.293.0972, tecurtis@mail.wvu.edu

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