AAVC
From VCencylopedia
Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College (AAVC)
In 1871, although there were only 119 alumnae of Vassar College, several Vassar clubs were already flourishing in different parts of the country, and in June of that year, the Associate Alumnae of Vassar College met for the first time. The new organization elected Mary Whitney (Class of 1868) as its first president, and voted to establish a scholarship fund for Vassar students. Also at the first meeting, a committee was created to petition for the addition of alumnae members to the Board of Trustees. All alumnae were considered members of the organization, although annual dues were instituted early on. The first full tuition scholarship sponsored by the Associate Alumnae was presented in 1880. After much deliberation, the Board of Trustees agreed to accept three alumnae trustees in 1887. The first women to hold these positions were Florence M. Cushing (Class of 1874), Ellen E. Poppleton (Class of 1876), and Helen Hiscock Backus (Class of 1873).
The AAVC’s first constitution was approved in 1890. The document described the Associate Alumnae as an organization intended “to promote the interests of VC and to maintain a spirit of fellowship among its graduates.” Fellowships for graduate study were first offered by AAVC in 1906. The Associate Alumnae organized their first publication, Vassar Quarterly, in October of 1915, and its first editor was Elizabeth E. Wellington (Class of 1901). The magazine included not only news from Vassar and the various classes, but also covered topics of interest to the alumnae.
A charter was granted to AAVC in April, 1918 by the Regents of the State of New York; this charter allowed the Associate Alumnae to receive bequests and administer funds. At the same time, a board of representatives was established to allow for a more democratic system of administrating AAVC and an executive office in Poughkeepsie was set up to oversee the organization’s day-to-day activities. The board consisted of representatives from the various classes and regional clubs. The initial charter was only a provisional one, but a permanent charter was granted on May 5, 1923. The Associate Alumnae of Vassar College were renamed the Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College in 1970 to reflect the transition to coeducation at Vassar. The AAVC continues to plan a variety of alumnae/i activities, including fundraising drives, class reunions, career networking, and travel programs. The organization aims to “lead the alumnae/i in advancing the interests of Vassar College” and to assist alumnae/i and the college in “sustaining a sense of community, maintaining traditions, sharing resources, fostering connections, and encouraging a lifelong desire to know.”
Related Articles
Sources
Bulletin of Vassar College Catalogue 1970-1971 (Poughkeepsie: Vassar College, March 1970), 183.
“Main Points in Reorganization of Alumnae Association,” 1919, “VC Associate Alumnae of Vassar College,” Subject File 4.31, Special Collections, Vassar College, Library.
“Matthew Vassar Says,” AAVC pamphlet, 1995, “VC Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College,” Subject File 2.44, Special Collections, Vassar College Library.
Reed, Amy L. “Highlights in Alumnae History,” Vassar Quarterly, May 1921.
Vassar College Catalogue 2002-2003 (Poughkeepsie: Vassar College), 40, 367.
“VC Associate Alumnae of Vassar College,” Subject File 4.30, Special Collections, Vassar College Library.
KS, 2004
