More than fifty years ago, a group of forward-thinking alumni formed the Cornell Club of Washington, and they have left us a legacy that makes a difference to Cornellians every day. What is remarkable to me is the number of former board members, including many of the 32 women and men who led CCW before me, who continued to engage with CCW long after their board service. Their legacy of stewardship and dedication is a Cornell treasure, and it is kindled by an extraordinarily dedicated group of volunteers who serve on the 2023-2024 CCW Board. You will find their names in every CCW News.

One other CCW legacy is embodied more than 370 Cornellians who became Life Members over the years. Their enduring generosity helps sustain CCW programs and scholarships. Life memberships are held by CCW to generate revenue for CCW’s programs. Ultimately, the life membership is contributed to the CCW scholarship fund after the member leaves the area or passes away. I hope you will consider joining as a Life Member this year, if you haven’t already done so.

Another CCW legacy is our support of Cornell students through scholarships. Thanks to the longstanding generosity of members and friends, CCW provides scholarships to local Cornell undergraduates every semester. Those scholarships are named to honor some beloved CCW legends—Howard Epstein, Austin Kiplinger, Bob Ladd, and Bob McKinless. In addition, CCW provides stipends, named in honor of Barber Conable, to students participating in the Cornell in Washington program. 

However, CCW’s legacy is about more than these leaders, donors, and scholarships. CCW’s legacy extends to our tradition of creating unique, award-winning programs that engage and enlarge the Cornell community in the country’s capital—and the volunteers who create and host those events. As you have come to expect, we have a full year planned, as this issue of CCW News attests. Your invited to peruse the calendar and register for something that piques your curiosity. Every time you do so, you strengthen the Big Red legacy that generations of Cornellians in Washington, DC have built for us.