Committees - 

For additional information about a committee, please email its chair or CCW's president at president@cornellclubdc.org. CCW is a great place to network and volunteer!

Gala Committee  (for November, 2026)

• Nicole D, Terry H (a past president), A’ndrea VS (a past president), Mike F and Gil K., (immediate past co-presidents) are leading the committee. 
• Gala information on ticketing, etc. is updated under "Events" here.   
• Volunteers and questions are warmly welcomed using the contact information there. Share the link on social media!
• Members of this committee are listed at link above and include Corey, Siobhan and many more! THANK YOU!

Program Committee (Event planning)

The Vice-President (Program) is responsible for developing, promoting and conducting events for the Club's enjoyment, serves as Chair of the Program Committee, and appoints such Vice-chairs as are necessary to the complete functioning of the committee responsibilities.    

• Chair: Steve P, VP Programming, with co-VPs Alex V. and Jeff G. Members for '26-27 include Doug R. ...?
• Purpose: Coordinates the club's provision of a calendar of events. Initiates some and supports development of educational/cultural, social and sports events (and event series.) Supports the VP of Community Service to publicize their community service events. Supports additional Directors to promote fund-raising events such as galas. As it functions, it promotes transparency and inclusivity such that the club thrives with ongoing infusion of talent, perspectives, resources, networks, skills and energy. Coordinates with Communications Committee to support themes, priorities, and efficiency of work across the club. 
• Tasks/Responsibilities:  Sets costs for events. Develops event postings. Posts onto Events Calendar the meetings requested by Directors. Using Wild Apricot, posts event invitations that provide members event details, a means to register and pay. Sends event reminders to registrants. Proactively sends to hosts the registration lists in order to record attendance and organize name-tags, supplies, etc. and supply updates in the event of postponement or cancellation. When registration is light during week prior to event, re-sends invitations and can coordinate with Ivy Social to send invitations to additional Alumni Groups. (Ivy Social contactability is built into Wild Apricot and can be maintained if sustainable within the bigger picture of technology demands faced by CCW.) Encourages dissemination of events information and celebration on social media, and in news blasts from i-Modules. Reports regularly to the Board on the success of past events and provides insight, written guidance to members on how to plan, calendar and see through successful events, including by coming to events with materials for success: projectors, Cornell swag, drink tickets, nametags, etc.  Maintains the accuracy, clarity, currency and "consistently clean appearance" of the event postings that feed onto Wild Apricot's Events list and Calendar.
  
  Draws forth volunteer hosts by various means (newsletter, social media, Linked In, CCW homepage) and with easy-to-follow, thorough instructions and advice to plan and host events. Provides such data as requested: advice and lists of potential event venues, advice on how to budget and manage re-payment of costs incurred (with support from Treasurer), advice on use of club funds when useful to increasing participation in events.
  
  Forecasts and advises on equipment, swag, and tech needs to run events. Might need to sub for a host who (only in case of emergency) cannot make an event. 
• Time commitment:  This committee requires extensive and ongoing, timely, often daily e-mail communication, however no experience is necessary to serve. Ease with applying computer software, spreadsheets, databases is recommended but can be developed through instruction. For most members of the committee, a focus on initiating, posting, and advising others for timely calendaring events is their primary function. Committee members can step forward to create and run events based on their availability (avoiding dates when they may be too busy.) 
• Regular meetings of this committee occur (when? quarterly?)
• Draft Goals for 2026-2027: Develop and support the roloe of one committee member to focus on "young alumni" events. Divide duties among committee members to support other VPs as needed if they require a focused liaison, including for Comms, CS, Running Group, Young Alumni Group.) Schedule, "brand" and differentiate each of the Explore DC Happy Hour series to focus on themes relate to monthly events or specific recruiting efforts. Train the new co-VPs for Programming instructing them how to use Wild Apricot to calendar and post invitations to ensure accurate registration records and timely distribution of attendance sheets for hosts. Develop a list of "how to plan an event" guidelines that can be accessed online via Wild Apricot so that members can easily get the process started, and have detail better than what in Sept. 2026 appears at Volunteer page. (Doing so can impart more institutional knowledge that will enhance a pipeline of leadership and the technical expertise necessary for stability and growth of the club's resources.) See that events are promoted by new means of communication (i.e., Facebook and Instagram and the new quarterly newsletter.) Begin to develop any further written documentation of guidance for this committee as necessary to engage volunteers and ensure the smooth roll-over to future generations of Directors. 
• Members in 2026-27:  Steve Piekarec, Alex Vorwald, Jeff Goldstein, (all 3 as co-VP Programming) and Board Members Doug R (confirmed) and A’ndrea VS?

Young Alum Outreach Committee

(To be reconstituted in Fall, 2026 to help our newest members network and connect socially during their first decade out of Cornell.) 

Co-chairs, 2026-7 TBD: Carlin? Esra? Siobhan?

Members: We enthusiastically invite these folks who showed strong interest in recent months and maybe even attended a TNT meeting:  Kaila, Corey, Evan B., Leigh L., Akshay K., Kassandra, Hadley, Siobhan, Nakul, Ezinwa, Aheed. Invite a liaison from Programming-- maybe Alex?

Express your interest by emailing community    service   @  cornellclubdc    .org  [no spaces] and use the subject line:  INTERESTED IN TNT if you are interested to know what resources have been utilized and whose leadership has already developed to form this committee.

Suggest a Tuesday or Thursday interest meeting date to draw forth new attendees. Such an interest meeting can be arranged online in Zoom or Google Meet, or potentially in person at Rosslyn above the Metro Station at the food hall called UPSIDE ON MOORE.

Scholarship Committee

Purpose of Committee:  To award scholarships to Cornell students from the Washington, DC metropolitan area and stipends for living expenses to students in residence at Cornell-in-Washington.

Tasks/ Responsibilities:
Scholarships. The Vice-President for Scholarship sends application forms in August to sophomores, juniors and seniors from the DC area who are eligible for federal work-study assistance. The students are invited to apply for one of five scholarships endowed by Cornell alumni. The applications are reviewed and candidates selected for interviews. Recipients are chosen from the pool of interviewees by vote of members of the Committee. Stipends. The Vice-President sends an application form for distribution to students in residence at the Cornell-in-Washington/Wolpe Center at the beginning of the spring semester and the summer session. Students who are eligible for federal work-study assistance are invited to apply for stipends provided by the Cornell Club of Washington (CCW) to help them meet the cost of living in DC. The application and interview process is similar to the process for choosing scholarship recipients. The Vice-President prepares two appeal letters to donors to be sent out on or around Giving Tuesday, in mid-December and in the last week of December. The letters are sent to the Vice-President for Communications for distribution to a list of of more than CCW members and donors maintained on I-Modules.

The Vice-President prepares an annual appeal for Cornell Giving Day, which occurs during the spring semester. The appeal is sent to Cornell University for distribution to a wider audience. The CCW Treasurer sends out acknowledgements for all donations received in response to the December and Cornell Giving Day appeal letters, as well as donations made at other times throughout the year.

The Vice-President for Scholarship documents all procedures and policies of the Committee and makes this document available to committee members as needed to ensure continuity of the Committee’s work

Participation/attendance requirements of committee members
Committee members are expected to participate in three awards processes per year. The VP for Scholarship sends to Committee members a package of applications for scholarships or stipends that have been submitted by interested students. Members must review them and choose at least four applicants that they would like to interview. An evening interview session by video link is scheduled. Members must come prepared with a question they would like to ask each applicant. After the interviews are completed, the applicants will be discussed and recipients chosen.

Experience needed to serve on this committee
No prior experience with scholarship awards or college financial assistance is needed to serve on this committee.

Time commitment
Committee members should count on devoting six to 10 hours to the application process three times a year, for a total of approximately 18 to 30 hours per year.

Time of year
The busiest times of year will be February, June and September.

How often, long, when and where are the committee meetings
Meetings will take place during in the evening three times a year by video link, and will last approximately two and a half hours.

Goals for 2026-27
Goals for this year include holding one round of scholarship awards for DC area Cornell students and two rounds of stipend awards for spring and appeals for donations; exploring a system of rotating leadership for the Committee; and the provision of content for Instagram postings to the Communications Committee.

Chairperson in 2026-27 VP Kathryn Horlick. 

Committee Members:

Kathryn Horlick, VP
Faiz Adem
Shawna Alexander
Kwame Campos
Julia Helmich

(to include Angel Johnson?) 

Alex Payne
Morgann Reeves
Kobe Smolinski

Communications Committee

The Vice-President (Communications) is responsible for the print and electronic communications of the Club, including CCW News, e-mails, and the Club's website. In addition, the committee is responsible for coordinating the Club's applications that support the membership database, listserv, and the Internet posting of events.     <-- this wording is vestigial from prior to 2025. The lasts sentence is not comprehended by Maggie, but Steve might know more.

• Chair in 2026-27:  Filiz Serbes   As chair, the VP / Communications serves on the Executive Committee for the Board and oversees a committee that includes a newsletter writer, a web editor, and Wild Apricot systems administrator(s.) The chair projects the needs for Board Members to send communications to the membership and facilitates the process, deciding which platform will send the content. 
• Purpose:  provide a means for effectively communicating messages to our membership by using such platforms as Wild Apricot, Social Media (Instagram and Facebook) and with the support of entities and data in Ithaca, I-modules. 
• Tasks/ Responsibilities:  Effectively document for Board Use the operations and contacts of our committee for ease of training and application for year-to-year access and use. Maintain the public facing web pages to ensure that the content is kept fresh and current and appealing. Promote cross-training of the technologies involved for communications. Maintains and distributes as needed the passwords to communications systems. Oversee the assignment of roles/duties to carry out club communications (Web administrator, web editors, social media poster.
• Participation/Attendance of committee members: attending all Board Meetings and tracking the Minutes is highly recommended as is surveying the VPs for content to message and proactively planning for the timely roll-out. According to the defined role of the committee member, each will conduct their planning and execution of communications supported by a year-long calendar of known needs, operations and a cadence of themes across the year. (That calendar is under development in 2025.)  There is no set schedule of Communications Committee meetings but the VP is likely to need intense communication time with individual task managers on a monthly basis. Some weeks will be more intense than others. Work gets intense to ensure the success of the yearly elections in May/June as well as "Start the New Year" messaging after a summer hiatus in the the Fall when a new slate of Board Members will be oriented and trained. Each fall the web site needs updates that reflect a new "Class of __" on the web pages that address the costs of membership. 
• Time Commitment: is variable according to the role (web editor and Wild Apricot administrators put in several hours per week. Newsletter content managers have a couple of hours a month to ask for input from Board Members, finalize the content and get it sent on schedule (quarterly.) The social media manager is consulting the minutes, homepage and Board Communications to post content at least once a week and in this way engages members and drives up membership, donations for scholarship, and volunteerism (in the community and to run the club.)
• Experience needed: experience in communications, web applications, social media, graphic design, running Wild Apricot, editing, and database organization is all useful but not required. Members of the club can train our volunteers. 
• Goals for 2025-2026:  It's a "building" year and we begin by evaluating what is in place in order to sense new needs and priorities. 1) audit to understand what communications systems have historically served the CCW in order to make recommendations for forward development. 2) Develop a hierarchy of roles within the Communications Committee and define the roles played as well as the duties related (i.e., Web Administrator, Web Editor, Social Media Manager, Newsletter Editor.  3) Develop documentation of our contacts, passwords and processes used in committee work to have available for future use. Store such in CCW's "digital filing cabinet." 4) Develop a year-long calendar to document a strategic use of communications systems, noting intense times of communication, and facilitating efficient use of volunteer hours. 5) Leverage our social media to increase membership by making posts no less frequently than 4 times a month. 5) Ensure that the CCW home page and/or web pages are refreshed with timely, up-to-date text as well as graphics that have not gone stale. 6) Reduce the outdated content on the Administrative side of Wild Apricot by deleting old files and/or having them moved to a section that houses "history" of  the club if the club is going to assign a "historian" the duties to manage such files.
• Goals for 2026-27:   1) increase across the committee and with leadership an understanding of what communications systems have historically served the CCW in order to make recommendations for forward development. Use Board Meetings to train all Directors with a spotlight each meeting on Communications Committee functions, tools, Wild Apricot. 2) Develop documentation of our contacts, passwords and processes used in committee work to have available for future use. Store such in CCW's "digital filing cabinet." 4) Publish a year-long calendar to document a strategic use of communications systems and applying such. 5) Leverage our social media to increase membership by making posts no less frequently than 4 times a month. 5) Train an additional web editor who will help ensure that the CCW home page and/or web pages are refreshed with timely, up-to-date text as well as graphics that have not gone stale. 6) Reduce the outdated content on the Administrative side of Wild Apricot by deleting old files.
• Committee members '25-'26 Feliz S (VP, Calendar Documentor -Coordinator), Emma G (Social Media coordinator) and Wendy W (Newsletter Coordinator) and Maggie C (Acting Webmaster). We are recruiting tech support and someone to help / become webmaster.

Tech Advisory Committee

Help guide our Communications Committee and Webmaster through the ongoing evolution of the club's tech tool use. We'd like a set of experts we can consult when sporadic issues or discussions arise related especially to this Wild Apricot platform and i-Modules (easy to use software from Cornell's Alumni Affairs office for blasting out newsletters.)  We are recruiting folks for limited tech projects and also to be the next Webmaster. (Ask for our job description!) Presently we have once monthly meetings and will link the registrations here for Sept 23, i-Modules training on ___  TBD,    Oct. 28, Nov. 17, Dec. 22.  (Meetings will probably run 6:30 - 7:10, and these are all weeknights. There's potential for in-person meetings with snacks, so speak up if that's your preference.

Chair: our Acting Webmaster (Maggie C.)  Committee Members so far: Elaine L '18 and MEng '22

Note: this is a GREAT opportunity for someone new to tech networking in the DC area. It's an easy way to enhance your CV and meet other Cornellians and people in your field! It's much needed community service!

Express your interest by contacting community    service   @  cornellclubdc    .org  [no spaces] and use the subject line:  TECH ADVISORY COMM INTEREST

Community Service Committee

The Vice-President (Community Service) chairs the Community Service Committee, which manages periodic service events. The chair appoints vice-chairs as are necessary to the functioning of the committee.

• Chair in 2026:   Sneha Balaga, co-VP/ Community Service.  Members: Maggie C., Kaila H., Cynthia B., and Stacy H.
• We meet last Mondays each month, 7 pm on Google Meet (virtual meetings.) Mark calendars for Oct. 26, Nov 30, Dec.28.
• Purpose:  Our PRIMARY work involves planning, posting, and interfacing to ensure the success of 2 Cornell Cares events per year.  (VP/CS provides a monthly report of our activities at the Board Meetings.)
• As able and willing, committee members initiate and lead out ADDITIONAL service projects, programs, charity fundraisers and events and meet-ups at charity organizations  with which we partner for their success. They apply event-planning resources for 2026 listed at CCW's web site at volunteer resources and opportunities. 
• We nurture volunteerism within CCW which makes CCW a thriving, attractive and purposeful organization by ensuring communication to our membership via CCW homepage, social media, event listings, and the (quarterly) club newsletter blasts.
• Keep an up-to-date list of our resources and community service involvement under "Volunteer" at the CCW web site.
• Leverage our "Featured Cornellians" section to showcase the Community Service performed by Cornellians outside of CCW.
• Effectively document for Board Use the operations and contacts of our committee for ease of training and application for year-to-year access and use.
• Participation/Attendance of committee members is strongly recommended at the half-day "Cornell Cares" events that we run-- one in Jan and one in July or June.  Attending the additional CCW CS events that a committee member herself initiates, chairs or vice-chairs is a "given" unless an able sub can be arranged in an emergency.
  
• No experience needed! This is a great, low intensity committee to join to get a feel for CCW!

• Time commitment is variable per month... only about 10-20 hours cumulative for the entire year.

• Time of Year: most intense periods are September/Oct-- to establish a schedule and direction for the two major "Cornell Cares" events that will occur in January and May/June. 

  (Ensuring PR support from Ithaca for Cornell Cares events, especially may require starting 12 weeks ahead (for Cornell Cares events.) 
  
  (For additional service initiatives that the committee could take on at other times on the calendar, we typically research, plan, post and manage registrations/ communications about the event over the 6 weeks prior to the date of its conduct.) 

• How often and when are CS meetings?  Only as necessary 4-6 x per year, targeting last Mondays each month, at 7pm utilizing "Google Meets." Additional committee business is conducted primarily by email or phone.  (Attending also the "Second Tuesday" Board meetings for CCW is encouraged but not required.)
• Goals for 2026-2027:  1) successfully conduct both a January and a June (or July) "Cornell Cares" event that is promoted by PR from Ithaca and from CCW. 2) improve and update documentation of our contacts and committee work to have available for future use in CCW's "digital filing cabinet" (which is this platform called Wild Apricot.) 3) Creatively make our community service events inclusive and "socially bonding" for club members.  4) Celebrate volunteerism by posting at least 4 times on Instagram before July, 2026. 5) Ensure that the CCW home page and/or web pages regularly spotlights and opportunities for public service, refreshing and keeping them timely. For such, we develop the section called "Featured Cornellians" to spotlight Cornellians who do public service (and links to their organizations.)
  
  

Membership Committee

The Vice-President (Membership) serves as membership Chair, appoints such chairs as are necessary to the complete functioning of the membership responsibilities, and maintains an up to date mailing list of the active members of the Club and a list of all alumni within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

• Chair in 2026: Morgann Reeves, (VP Membership)
  
  
• Purpose:   Supports effective, timely and inclusive communications with new members to ensure a developing sense of CCW identity, involvement in its activities and "belonging." Oversees outreach to increase membership in CCW. Conducts outreach using various creative methods such as the web pages and social media and I-Modules blasts. Advises webmaster and liaises with Treasurer to keep web pages and online membership applications forms current according to fees for annual and lifetime memberships and according to various criteria such as the applicant's graduation year. Processes applications for membership. Builds and maintains an accurate membership database within Wild Apricot. Reviews membership database for currency such that communications generated by the Wild Apricot platform are successfully delivered. Interfaces with Office of Alumni Affairs and Development about membership records as needed. Responds in a timely manner to queries about membership by actively monitoriing the Membership G-mail address.
  
  
• Tasks: (including any communications messages that are sent by the committee:)   See above. Ensures that new members receive a welcome letter, and that lapsed members receive communication to encourage them to re-join. Can correspond in other creative ways to strengthen members' connection to and within the club such as invitations to attend Board Meetings and other events.
  
  
• Experience needed? None; we will train. Helpful to have experience managing databases, spreadsheets, web-based communications.
• Time Commitment: Most work is done by e-mail (with occasional Zooms as needed.)
• Busiest time of year:  Summer and Fall are most intense times of the year when updating records and fees to join happens.  
• Members in 2026:  Morgann Reeves (VP Membership) supported by Board Member Tomoko M, with the support of non-Board folks: Jo M, and Erica E.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee consists of the President, the First Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Vice-President (Program). The Executive Committee meets on the call of the President or any other member of the Executive Committee to take such action as may be taken when the Board of Directors is unable to meet. 

• Meetings occur approximately this often: at least once prior to each full Board Meeting in order to publish an agenda for such.
• Times of intense involvement are prior to the first "orienting" meeting of each new board in order to train and facilitate goal-setting and establishing the meetings for the year.

Finance Committee (not utilized for 2026)

• Mel Zurn, Treasurer, is supported in his work by Board members Brad O. and Alex V.
  
  

Investment and Audit Committee

The Investment and Audit Committee is governed by the Charter of the Committee as the Board shall approve from time to time.

• Chair in 2026:  Elliot G

CAAAN Committee

Historically, the Vice-President (CAAAN) was responsible for secondary school activities of the Club and acts as Chair of the CAAAN Committee. The Vice-President shall appoint such Vice-chairs as are necessary to the complete functioning of the committee responsibilities.     

• Chair in 2026: Liz Mueller
• Members of CAAAN and therefore this committee are selected by Offices in Ithaca. Liz is a point-person for coordination of information but a "committee" structure and duties are evolving. Stay tuned for updates here!

Nominating Committee

The president appoints a Nominating Committee of at least five persons that nominates officers and directors to be voted for at the Spring Election Meeting. At least two members of the Nominating Committee must be from the membership at large and not be members of the Board of Directors. 

• Chair in 2026: Gil K.

Running / Walking Group

• Chair: Maggie C       (recruiting a co-chair to be chair for the 2027 season March - Nov.)
• Sporty, fun, social     
• March - November- we typically meet for a run / walk on a Saturday morning at 8 or 9 am. Once a month, or more if desired.
• Keep our CCW Running page current.
• Work with VPs of Programming to proactively post registration links and the invitation. Can copy/adapt content from this example.
• Any interested Cornellian can move us forward with these materials and set up one run a month. Learn about PR steps from Maggie C. 
• Commitment per month: one hour. Add the time that you come for runs with the group to meet, greet, launch.
• EASY, low commitment ENTRY to club leadership
• Optional: encourage participation in charity runs and fund-racing for selected non-profit organizations as a means to involve our club members in service to the community.

The Amazing Race Committee

This committee was formed to center

• Chair in 2026:  Maggie C. until June, 2027.   
• Purpose:  Focus a team-builder for the club around a 4-5 hour event in Alexandria based on the famous and fun TV show which is like a scavenger hunt on steroids.
• Contact communityservice@cornellclubdc.org to declare interest in either planning the race or forming a 4-person squad to compete in it.
  
• Goals: Apply all the work we did in 2026 to create a shorter event in 2027 if there is sufficient interest and enough people to form the planning committee starting January, 2027. We would update the web site of 2026 and run interest meetings to recruit squads to run the race in May, 2027. 
• Meets once a month and then a little more frequently and mostly online from January - May, 2027.

Book / Article Discussion Committee

New to form in late 2026 if someone will step forth to lead it. Contact communityservice@cornellclubdc.org if you want to start with a discussion of SO LATE IN THE DAY (192 pages) by Claire Keegan, Irish author. It is three short stories based on the theme "men and women." This leader could invite local Cornellians and Ivy Social members to online, or in-person discussions at a thematically clever dining table. For example, an Irish pub for this title. 

The group can stay informed of the book discussions from BIG RED READS based in Ithaca ...and either extend or attend those online discussions.

Freshmen Send-off Committee  (next event: Aug, 2027)