 Alright, good evening everybody. My name is Aaron Beze. Thank you so much for everybody. I know there's folks still at the bar but I want to get going as I know a lot of folks have some committee reunions, class reunions, and then I think everyone's prepared to go downtown Bristol tonight. So I want to go ahead and get started. Thank you so much for first of all everyone for attending the Alumni Reunion. Fantastic showing. I hope everyone has enjoyed the program so far. This year we've decided to do something a little bit different and that is have our award nominees during this dinner for a couple different reasons. Number one, as we eat together and drink together we have an opportunity here from our fellow alumni that have been honored with our alumni awards. There is a lot of that I can talk to you about on where alumni is going. We have an exciting agenda for next year. We're launching subcommittees in each of our cities. We're getting engaged with our undergrad class officers. We're combining the law alumni undergrad alumni and a strategic plan. All of that is going to be coming forward. I don't want to waste our time to talk about that except expect from your inboxes and your mailboxes. Good programming announcements and information on where we're going as an alumni association. But further ado I would like to introduce our alumni board president, Neba LaWad to kick us off in our alumni awards. Thanks, Erin. Hi everyone. First of all, I just want to say I'm so excited I get to celebrate with all of you. It's been a great 10th. So thanks for being here. A warm welcome to our reunion alumni celebrating this weekend, RWU faculty, staff, friends, and to our esteemed alumni award recipients. I feel so fortunate to be here with you all today in celebration of this wonderful university and the connections and relationships we have all formed through Roger Williams. I feel especially honored to introduce this year's alumni award recipients. One thing that was always instilled in me as a student at Roger Williams is that I would never be without community. Our vast network of alumni across the country and beyond are all individuals I know I could reach out to at any time for conversation, support, and friendship. We are a family bound by the pride and fondness we all share for Roger Williams University and we are steadfast in the core beliefs that we were taught at Roger Williams to lead by example and to showcase your true passion and everything you do. This year's alumni award recipients are the perfect embodiment of what it means to be a hawk. Through their careers, personal endeavors, and investments in their respective communities, our award recipients have established themselves as role models and leaders in the RWU alumni community. Alumni are the common denominator that defines the institution in all that we do. I'm gonna say that line one more time because I think it's so important. Alumni are the common denominator that defines the institution in all that we do and it is a privilege to recognize our awardees this evening and to honor the work they have done in contributing to the RWU legacy. Our first award to be presented is the RWU Alumni Spirit Award. This award is given to alumni who have exhibited passionate and spirited engagement with the university long after graduation. Spirit award recipients are leaders in the RWU alumni community often leading alumni activities and encouraging fellow RWU graduates to remain engaged with the university. Recipients of this award work hard to foster friendship within the RWU alumni and always demonstrate their hawk pride wherever they go. It is my honor to introduce this year's RWU Alumni Spirit Award to Meg Dumane and she's gonna stand here while I embarrass her a little more. So Meg was nominated by an employee here at Roger Williams who had the following to say regarding Megan's RWU spirit. I cannot think of anyone more who represents a more positive and spirited relation to the university. Meg graduated in May of 2009 was a good assistant working in the ILA program for a year, became a core in housing for four years, finished her master's in the leadership program in 2014 and has since been working as a successful project manager at Wally Computer Associates. At least once a year Meg makes the long trek from Eastern Mass to visit in the several offices that she worked in during her time here. I also would like to share that when I was a freshman Meg was our student advocate and you know freshman year we all know how that goes and Meg was always there to listen. She always had you one of those welcoming faces. She was always so patient with us and I think I speak to for all the students that she's impacted during her whole time here at Roger Williams that for a lot of us it was people like you that helped us get through our four years. So thank you so much Meg and we're honored to celebrate you tonight. So congratulations. Thank you so much Nibel. It's an honor to be here today and to now know it's the 10-year reunion of all the five stoppers is honestly mind-boggling. I don't know how it's been 10 years I feel like you all just walked into Stonewall one and there was just reminiscing with Darwin. Some of the different activities we did it's quite amusing but for me the moment I stepped onto the RWO campus it was a place that I felt at home it's a place I found myself as cliche as that sounds. I'm a 2009 and 2014 graduate and I was lucky enough to work in many different roles here on campus. As much as I appreciate the academic knowledge I gained here for me it was all about the people. The people transformed and allowed me to grow into the person I am today and I'm incredibly grateful because I've never been able to put into words what that's meant to me so I'm gonna try to in the next couple minutes explain how I came into this campus and how it's impacted my life since so just bear with me. So moving weekend 2009 I was excited and terrified to be here what I hadn't expected was a challenging experience that would basically I moved in on Saturday and moved out on Sunday because of this lovely experience but it was thanks to the kindness of the student advocacy office the care from the athletic director and a little bit of Tony magic that allowed me to come back just two days later and I never left for nine years after that Roger Williams just became this place for me. I didn't know the following year Emery Serda would start an advocacy with me and she would become my RWU mom my confidant and to this day one of my most treasured relationships. My political science professors Dave June Roberts and Swaske would encourage discourse that I would seek out nearly 15 years later through Zoom meetings and political debate on topics both election and current events. I never expected to go through my first first death here but sadly my sophomore year my closest friend passed while seeking her dream to just be a college student. The news was delivered by two people I trusted most on this campus staff members organized and accompanied us to the services. I was two hours from home but I was surrounded by love nonetheless. Six months later as a part of the summer conference staff I was caught off guard with it just an unexpected wave of grief and Carol Siketty dropped everything for a golf cart riding comforting words that just to this day means the world to me and quite frankly we just talked about about an hour ago. Chris O'Brien of the student advocacy office gave me two pieces of advice two pieces of advice when I graduated my undergrad. The first was a challenge not be just the student but become the staff member. I spent five years trying to improve the student experience the way others had for me. In my time as a core it was the relationships that would students that meant the world from an honest to God fort and fort night building from two North boys essentially one night I came home to two North and you know it's a hullaball boys let's be honest on a Friday night they're causing trouble which good for them as long as nobody starts I'm good and they kept looking at me Meg it's okay just let us be I'm like guys you knew the rules come on what's going on I go to the common room and they had dragged out all of their mattresses to literally build a fort in the common room and if that's the worst they were gonna do on our Friday night they had my whole hearted support but then I was seeing my five stop freshman take over campus through CEN IC RA OA and there were even a couple advocates in there which really meant the world. It's hard to articulate the impact others can have on you for me this is the best I know how Chris O'Brien second piece of advice to me was the idea of a board of mentors who did I look up to what characteristics did I want to strive for and who did I trust to guide me but challenge me. I left RWU in 2015 but to this day those I look to most seek out guidance for and confide in nearly every single person on that board of mentors besides family comes from my RWU family and for that I'm forever grateful. I'm grateful for every staff every student and every professor who challenged and supported me and I hope to have paid it forward to even just one student so thank you for your time. Hello everyone so thank you so much Megan and congratulations we're so grateful that you're all here with us this evening and for all that you do every single day to showcase your Hawke pride. Hi everyone my name is Lauren Swenson I'm class of 2013 and 2019 I work at the University as the director of annual giving had the pleasure of working with class of 2012 on their fifth reunion maybe I'll get back to working with reunion someday soon because that definitely was one of the best things to be able to do here so I'm truly honored to be here and I'm glad to see you all coming back for your tenth as well. Our next award this evening is the RWU Young Alumni Achievement Award. This award recognizes a recent RWU graduate for significant short-term accomplishments who in their first ten years since graduation has made outstanding contributions to their chosen profession and has rendered distinguished service to the public welfare. This awardee through his remarkable career and professional experience has brought tremendous honor upon Roger Leames University and the RWU Alumni Association and we are thrilled to recognize his accomplishments this evening. Please join me in congratulating the 2022 Young Alumni Achievement Award recipient Brian Knowles. I'll make you stand up here too it's only only fair to Meg. So Mr. Knowles is wing historian 434th Air Refuel Wing Grissom Air Reserve Base Indiana. As wing historian he is directly responsible for the management of the wing historian office and is the point of contact for historical inquiries. His duties include creation collection and preservation of wing unit history reports, archival records, reference library, oral history, interview collection and photograph collections. He records the activities and significant events of airmen and civilians of the 434th ARW and Grissom ARB. Additionally he conducts outreach activities with local communities. Mr. Knowles graduated from Roger Williams University Bristol, Rhode Island in 2015 with a Masters of Science in Historic Preservation. He also studied at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana 2008 to 2010 for a Master of Arts in History. He earned both a Bachelor of Science in Historic Preservation and a Bachelor of Arts in History at Southeast Missouri State University in 2008. He enlisted into the US Marine Corps Reserve in August 2001. He has continued to serve in the US Marine Corps Reserve since then with deployments on active duty in 2004 and 2009 through 10 in Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. His staff non-commissioned officer bullets include serving as an archivist and historian for the US Marine Corps History Division, historian and public affairs operations, chief for Marine Forces Reserve Headquarters, US Marine Corps Reserve Centennial Program 2015 to 17, historian and broadcast journalist for US Africa Command and communication strategy and operations chief, communication strategy office, Marine Forces Reserve Headquarters. Mr. Knowles civilian employment includes 2008 through 2009 archivist at Ball State University in Indiana, 2010 and 11 archivist fellowship, US Marine Corps Archive, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia, 2011 through 14 archives technician, US National Archives, Washington DC, 2018 through 19 archivist US Africa Command in Germany and 2019 through present wing historian 434th air refueling wing Grissom Air Base Indiana. Without further ado I will let Mr. Knowles say a few words. Thank you. I've been busy. Good evening. Thank you Kelly for the introduction. My gratitude goes out to the Alumni Board and all of you here tonight. I must say that you are all very brave to let a historian have a microphone and a captive audience. Many thanks to my professors in the historic preservation program. I recall being welcomed right away. They never hesitated to help me on any assignments or any projects. As a returning non-traditional student there was a bit of relearning the academic process and they were there to help me along the way. Although not in attendance this evening I must say a special thanks to Professor Philip Marshall. His guidance and inspiration still influences my work every day. Thank you, sir. The Young Alumni Achievement Award. I suppose we're using the word young in a relative term. I retire from the Marine Corps Reserve next year with 21 years of service. It feels a little strange to be called young, but I'll take that compliment. I guess I'm about that Asian experience as a veteran where my mind thinks I'm 28, my humor suggests I'm 12, but my body isn't sure if I'm dead yet. So carrying lessons from learned at Roger Williams I apply them to my work as a historian for the Department of Defense, the Air Force and the Marine Corps practically every day. Being a hawk it helped me to innovate better, to think more creatively and to get out there more often and reach out to the community. Advancing the common good, inspiring others, facing challenges, it's not exactly what I had in mind when I started out in the world, but yet Roger Williams has helped me, enabled me and encouraged me to get out there and do just that. So I am very honored in many ways to be selected for this award. To be recognized and celebrated for my efforts is such a privilege. Congratulations to my fellow alumni recipients, alumni award recipients. Thank you for your efforts and achievements. I'm in awe on both of you for what you've done and I spent such little time here at Roger Williams just just coming for my masters. I admire both of you for all the work that you've done at the university and ever since then. I just hope that I can continue to make Roger Williams proud. I want to conclude with a few words of wisdom. Always be yourself unless you can be a Marine and then always be a Marine. Although if you can't be a Marine then go be an Airman. So thank you for your time. Enjoy your evening. Thank you. Congrats again, Brian. Our final award this evening is the RWU Distinguished Alarm Award. This award recognizes a graduate with more than 10 years of experience for significant long-term success in personal and professional achievements. Similar to the Young Alumni Achievement Award, recipients have made outstanding contributions to their profession and have rendered distinguished service to the public welfare. This year's recipient has a demonstrated history of professional leadership and personal accomplishments and we are honored to recognize his success. Please join me in congratulating the 2022 Distinguished Alarm recipient Vernon Stafford Jr. I should have had you sit because this is a very accomplished...not kidding, it won't be too long but it is impressive. Okay. Vernon is a C-level Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Audit Executive at First Horizon Corporation where he is responsible for corporate internal audit and credit risk assurance. First Horizon is a Memphis Tennessee-based regional bank holding company for First Horizon Bank, FHN Financial and First Horizon Advisors. Prior to joining First Horizon in June of 2013, Vernon served a distinguished 33-year career as a commissioned National Bank Examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, OCC, from July 2011 through May 2013. Vernon served as Assistant Deputy Comptroller in OCC's Mid-sized Bank Supervision Department. As ADC, Vernon supervised a staff of mid-sized bank examiners and a portfolio of mid-sized banking companies ranging in assets of $13 billion to $100 billion. Vernon received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Roger Williams, college, now university, I don't know, we really have to point that out. In 1980, after functioning in various positions as field examiner and bank analyst, Vernon served from 1997 to 2001 as Director of OCC's Core Policy Development Division in the OCC's Washington, D.C. headquarters office. From 2011 through 2006, Vernon served as Director for Large Bank Supervision, a division responsible for the supervision of the largest banking companies in the national banking system. From 2006 to 2011, he served as the examiner in charge of supervision for First Tennessee Bank in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was responsible for the day-to-day supervision and regulatory activities of a 30 billion banking company. You're good with money, huh? Vernon believes in service to community as he has served in governance and voluntary rules at non-for-profit and for-profit organizations. Today, he serves on the board of directors of Leadership Memphis and the Hattie-Lew Theater, as well as the board of the trustees of the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis. In 2017, Vernon was appointed jointly by Lieutenant Governor McNally and Speaker Harwell to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission where he continues to serve. He has been recognized as distinguished speaker by the Neil Corporate Governance Center of the University of Tennessee. In 2020, Savoy Magazine recognized Vernon as the most influential black executive in corporate America. It is my pleasure to honor Vernon Stafford with the Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2022. Well, good evening everyone. It's a pleasure to see you this evening. Earlier today, I was walking around the campus with my family and just marveling at how much of this campus has been developed since I've been here. So, let me first acknowledge God and my family who have provided me with great strength, love, and tremendous inspiration the past several decades. My family includes my beautiful wife, Barbara, our three talented children, Christina, Vernon III, and Danielle, and our wonderful son-in-law, Cody. This year marks 42 years since I graduated from this college. 42. Yes. When I think about that, that that was so long ago that this was still called a college, as Nebel said. But in addition to that, personal computers were not yet a thing. In fact, my computer class required a deck of cards for processing. There were only two dormitories on campus then, so as overflow freshmen, we were housed off campus at a hotel across the bridge in Portsmouth. So why did I come to Roger Williams College? Well, largely because of the accounting program, which then was even well known at that point and highly regarded. But honestly, who could reject the picturesque campus? As I reflect on my past 42 years of my career, I thought about what has brought me to this point tonight and what I would share with you this evening. And I promise to make it brief. One of my favorite professional development books is True North by Bill George. And in his book, George shares the concept of hinge moments. In short, hinge moments are opportunities to open or close doors to various pathways in our lives. As you might imagine in my 42 year career and my 60 plus years of life, I've experienced many hinge moments that have opened and closed many doors to my life's pathways. During my four years at Roger Williams, I experienced many hinge moments that were essential to my career development. There were also several people who stood with me at those hinge moments and helped me in my decision making. People such as Fran Katzenack, who was the director of the Career Placement Office. And then late Hector Massa, who was a long time athletic director for RDU. Both Fran and Hector saw something in this then young black kid from New York City that was worth their investment of time to help me succeed. In all likelihood, the past I'm sorry, in all likelihood the year 2020 has presented one and maybe many hinge moments for all of us. We faced a pandemic, career and life disruption, and the ills of social injustice. As I have experienced various hinge moments in life, there are several attributes that have been key to any success that I have achieved in life. And I'd like to briefly share them with you to encourage you. First, respect and compassion. I encourage you to treat others with respect and compassion. Don't think of yourself as superior to another person. Recognize that everyone we encounter is a human being worthy of basic respect and compassion. Next, attitude. There's a quote by author and pastor Chuck Swindall that says, life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. Rather than sulk when circumstances are bad, focus your mind and position on positive aspects that can help you improve the situation. Next, integrity. As we go through life, there is likely that we would encounter serious challenge to the authenticity of our character. In those situations the strength of your integrity will determine, or at least influence, the outcome. Make every effort to establish and maintain unquestionable integrity. Character is what defines you and your integrity is essential to the character that others see in you. Perseverance. The past two years have surely demonstrated that challenging days come to all of us in life. There will likely be seasons when it seems life is overwhelming. And maybe even times you might want to give up. I say don't give up, rather persevere. You must have strong personal resolve to navigate through the storms of life and stand firm until resolution comes about. And finally, discipline. Personal discipline is tremendously important. I am a man of faith so let me share a Bible passage with you. Hebrews 12 11 says for the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant. But later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained by it. As I journey further beyond middle age I can see how my discipline has yielded fruit in my life. In summary going through this journey called life is exciting. And yes, sometimes challenging. But approaching it with the right attributes will help you thrive and excel during the journey. Roger Williams is the place where I first learned these attributes and it has been the foundation of my academic and professional life. I challenge you to reflect on the hinge moments of your life and what attributes are meaningful to you and how they can positively impact your lives. Again, congratulations to Brian, to Megan. Thank you for all of you for being here this evening. Appreciate it. Thank you, Vernon. Thank you to all of the award recipients. There's one last piece that I would like to do tonight and that is in front of her peers I would like to honor Nebal Awad. Nebal For those of you that might not know this is Nebal's recruiting term as our alumni board lead. I am personally incredibly saddened but I will always know that Nebal will be nearby. She has in her power has completely transformed our alumni board. Through her passion for Roger Williams through her graciousness in leading with strength and courage as well as firmness and challenging administration to serve alumni better through her work with the class to show up here at alumni weekend and just her passion for Roger Williams. I just want to honor her as part of this award recipients and making sure that she gets the graciousness applause from this group during her tenure at Roger Williams. I'll share this with all of you later. Thank you, Erin. Appreciate it. Thank you to the alumni team and the advancement team for all their help putting this weekend on. Really appreciate it. I'm going to let you go because I know we're going to party in a bit. But I also would like Alex Palios and Kayla Marensi to stand. These two wouldn't let me finish my question before they both said yes to chairing our class of 2012 committee and I consider both of them really dear friends and I just really appreciate all the work you did this whole year gathering the committee leading the committee and getting our class here. I think I speak for everyone that we're having a blast and we really do appreciate all the leadership so thank you so much. It's been wonderful getting to hear from you and your fellow award recipients on what Roger Williams means to each of you and how much pride you embody being an RW alumnus. Please give a round of applause one more time for our 2022 alumni award recipients. I hope this evening has served as a reminder to you that we truly are a community. Each and every one of us in this room have our own unique experiences and shared appreciation for RWU either as alums, faculty, staff members or friends. The university is made up of brick and mortar but the true university is all of you. Spread out in the world our alumni are out there being change agents in their communities and beyond demonstrating RWU spirit in everyday lives. To our alumni with us this evening we encourage you to stay involved, stay connected and remember that RWU our Center for Career and Professional Development and the alumni board is here to listen and to serve you. Thank you for a wonderful evening together and enjoy alumni reunion weekend again. Thanks again. And as special guests of the 2012 class all of our award recipients and their families are more than welcome to join us at our reception in the sailing center right after this for a drink or two if you'd like to join. Congratulations!