Dear Wily Pack,
January 2020 marks the 5 Year Anniversary of the Wily Network. We simply could not have imagined five years ago where we would be today. I could not be more grateful to know such spectacular Scholars, dedicated professionals and inspiring supporters. Thank you all for making this dream come true.
In 2019, we raised over $964,000 with 40 of our 50 Scholars supported through the Fund-A-Scholar program. Over the next five years, we will need to be steadfast in our effort to identify more Scholars who have achieved so much, are working so diligently, and have so much at stake. We want to provide a safety net for as many students as possible.
They do their part. With your help, we can do ours.
With your support and ambassadorship, we can expand our pack. Wily Scholars benefit each and every time you share our story with your network. There are so many ways to help, so continue reading below to learn how you can get more involved with our Pack.
With gratitude,
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Judi Alperin King
Executive Director
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We have come so far in just the first 5 years.
Here's a quick look at how our numbers have grown - thanks to you!
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Life Science Cares
Life Science Cares
(LSC) is a nonprofit organization and collective effort of Life Science companies and professionals working together to fight poverty in the Boston community.
LSC granted us $10,000 to be put towards Wily community activities this coming year. This will make a huge impact in the lives of our Scholars and in the quality of the resources and programming we provide them with. On Wednesday, January 23rd, LSC held a cocktail hour for the biotech partners and corporations they work with, as well as all the grant recipients. Judi and Wily Scholar Mat (MIT) enjoyed a great evening of networking and connecting with professionals and other non-profits that share similar missions.
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100+ Women Who Care
A very special thank you to Advisory Council member Annie Montesano for being an ambassador for Wily and championing us to be the recipient of the 100+ Women Who Care’s collective donation. At the fall meeting of 100+ Women Who Care, Annie nominated Wily and spoke from the heart about our Scholars and the impact of our work. Two other charities were nominated that evening but Annie’s passion for Wily won everyone over. Thank you Annie! This generous donation will help us continue expanding our program in 2020.
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Fall Community Day 2019
On October 5th, we hosted Community day at Park 9 in Wellesley with all of our Scholars and staff members. It was a fun day of icebreakers, games, eating, and connecting. It's a great way for Scholars to take a break from campus life, spend time with other members of the Pack, and just have fun. Days like these help to strengthen the community aspect of the Wily Network, creating a stronger support system for our Scholars. Thank you to Park 9 for donating the space for this event, as well as Packsgiving and our Annual Meeting of the Board.
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Packsgiving 2019
This past November, we held our 3rd annual Packsgiving celebration, where Scholars and staff gathered together for a delicious meal, games, and community time. We are incredibly thankful for all of the Wily Scholars and other members of our Pack, and it was a wonderful day of celebration.
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Fairmont Copley Holiday Dinner
For the third year in a row, Wily Scholars enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner at Oak Long Bar & Kitchen and an overnight stay at the
Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel
. Thank you to the Fairmont Copley Plaza for supporting our Scholars during the holidays by generously donating accommodations and dinner. The holiday season can be a difficult time for the Scholars, so this opportunity to gather together was greatly appreciated.
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2020 Annual Meeting
To kick-off the year, Wily’s Annual Meeting of the Board was held on Monday, January 13th. The evening included a Scholar panel, moderated by Advisory Council member Ed Walker. Saffron (MIT), Chantel (NEU), and Mathieu (MIT) gave deeply moving testaments about their Wily moments and the significance of Wily’s presence in their lives. It was a great way for Board Members and other Wily supporters to connect with the Scholars, and learn more about what is at the heart of our mission.
The first ever
Wily Champion Award
was presented to Sheila Murphy. Sheila has used her extensive experience in higher education to propel Wily into existence, and has been an integral part of every stage of our growth and impact over the first five years. Thank you Sheila, for everything you do!
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Dining Out With Wily
Thank you to all of our partner restaurants that generously donate meals to our Scholars. The past few months, they have enjoyed delicious dinners at
Dillons
,
Sweet Cheeks
,
Boston Public Market
, and
La Fabrica Central
. These are great opportunities for Scholars to enjoy different restaurants in the Boston area, and spend a social evening together away from the hustle of campus.
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Care Package Events
Thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers, we had three successful care package events during the fall semester.
Parents’ Weekend events were chaired by Hilary Steinert and Annie Montesano; Katie Oakes and Lisa Peros at Citizens Bank of RI; and Joy Denomme at St. Andrew’s Church. Halloween events were chaired by Monique Nerrow and Judy Hoffman; Katie Conway; Kathie Cunha; and Michele Norman. December Exams events were chaired by Kris Schaefer and Emily Hatch at the MIT Sloan Development Office; Gina Heaney; Erin Epker, Ellen Volpe, and Sharisse Cail Perry; Andrea Patton; and Phieng Siliphaivanh. We also just had our first care package event of 2020 with Serve and Sup, chaired by Mimi Rutledge and CiCi Donelan.
These events are a great way for volunteers to come together and provide resources for our Scholars, and it's also one of the ways we show the Scholars that they have a Pack of people who care about them.
Click here
to learn more.
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Networking
When it comes to job searching and career development, networking can make all the difference. If you want to get involved with Wily, but don’t know where to start, take our
Volunteer Survey
. We connect Wily Scholars with professionals in their field of interest, in order to give them exposure to the workforce and to help them find internship and job opportunities.
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Gift Giving
All 50 of the Wily Scholars received generous holiday gifts this past December, thanks to our wonderful gift givers. These volunteers give Wily Scholars personalized gifts each year, making sure that they feel cared for during the holiday season and their birthdays. The Scholars were overjoyed with all of the amazing gifts they received.
Click here
to learn more.
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Wrapping Extravaganza
Wrapping Extravaganza: A special shout out to
The Philanthropy Connection
, who volunteered at the office in early December to help us wrap all of the holiday gifts for our Scholars. We had multiple gifts for all 50 Scholars, so it was a big project - we could not have done it without them!
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Gift Card Drive
Another easy way to support our Scholars year-round is by donating gift cards. It may seem like a small contribution, but gift cards to local restaurants, stores, and even Uber or Lyft make a huge difference. Gift cards help Scholars with food security when dorms close and local transportation for the many college activities they are involved in, and ensure they have enough resources throughout the semester.
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Everyone Has a Story. What's Yours?
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2nd Annual Wily Speaker Series
Join us for the 2nd Annual Wily Speaker Series: An Evening to Learn and Grow, sponsored by The Ilene Beal Charitable Foundation, on Tuesday, February 4th, at Wellesley College.
Our keynote speaker will be James O'S. Morton, Esq. the President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. (Due to unforeseen circumstances, Steve Pemberton is no longer able to join us)
.
Morton’s story is one of beating the odds through sheer determination and giving back by serving others, and his shared experiences with some of our Scholars is what has inspired his career in servant leadership.
Visit
Eventbrite
to reserve your complimentary tickets.
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We rely on the strength of our Wily Network pack.
Please consider making a gift.
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Help us grow our network - Please SHARE our story!
#theWilyNetwork
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Boston College, Boston University, Bridgewater State University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Middlebury College, Northeastern University, UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth, and Wellesley College (as of 1/2020)
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