wfn.org | ELCA Wittenberg University's alumni embark on 7,000-mile tour

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

>ELCA News Blog

>July 18, 2008  

ELCA Wittenberg University's alumni embark on 7,000-mile tour

>by Melissa Ramirez Cooper, ELCA News Service

Three members of Wittenberg University's Class of 2007 will
embark on a 22-day, 17-city national tour to meet with as many of
the university's 26,000 alumni as possible.  Wittenberg,
Springfield, Ohio, is one of 28 colleges and universities of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Covering more than 7,000 miles, Wittenberg staff -- Ashley
Peterson, assistant director of alumni relations, Brian DeSantis,
assistant director of the Wittenberg Fund, and Ross Ballinger,
new media assistant for interactive communication -- started
their quest July 11 to learn how Wittenberg is defined through
the voices of its alumni and to affirm that the university's
mission remains relevant in an ever-changing, complex world,
according to a Wittenberg news release.  "The focus of this trip
is on our alumni and how they 'lead personal, professional and
civic lives of creativity, service, compassion and integrity,'"
which Wittenberg has prepared them to do, said Linda Prain Beals,
director of the university's alumni relations and Class of 1987.

Wittenberg alumni donated the cost of decorating the van being
used for the tour, offered to cover the cost of gas, donated
money to environmental funds that will make the trip carbon
neutral, and provided cell phone headsets and coffee for the
crew.  The tour -- "Witt Nation" -- ends Aug. 2.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog