We talked about a broad range of topics, however the discussion revolved around the motivations behind starting an alumni association and some of the specifics as to how we might do it.

There was considerable talk about what this organization should do. Some of the ideas mentioned as goals for the organization included: enrich the academy experience establish a secure source of funding for academy bring members of each year into contact raise public awareness about NASA and it's programs ensure the quality of future applicants

Soon the discussion became more focused on actually creating an alumni organization, and we were able to come to a consensus on a few very important points, including:

Working Groups:

If you are interested in contributing to any of the actions identified above I encourage you to contact the lead. These 3-4 person working groups will be essential for us to accomplish things as a group. The point was raised that people who for whatever reason can't contribute to the working groups or who can't attend reunions where big meetings are held will still want to be involved. We will make an effort to keep information flowing by using this list and other means. Also, as we draft the charter and mission statement, a web page will be set up for people to have access to the current versions and make comments, while keeping email traffic manageable.

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more updates as things develop.