In 1983, a small group of Cavalier Daily alumni banded together to found the first-ever student organization alumni association at the University of Virginia. At the time, the act seemed necessary and prudent, as the student organization had come under fire from the University administration and sweated in the spotlight of the national media. The newspaper’s alumni stepped in to provide resources and guidance, and the Cavalier Daily Alumni Association was born.
But for something that probably seemed a no-brainer at the time, 20 years later we acknowledge that this effort was not just Herculean, but pretty cutting-edge. Only in the last few years have other alumni worked to form their own groups to support student organizations such as the University Guide Service, Madison House, etc. As I am approached from time to time by alumni who are interested in how to get started, I always get a huge reaction when I casually mention how long the CDAA has been around. “Twenty years?!? That’s forever!”
The organization’s longevity may be something that some people take for granted, but one thing I never take for granted are the individuals who sacrifice time, effort and energy to continually sustain an endeavor like this. I could write forever about the accomplishments we have achieved in the last 20 years, but the fact is, without such fantastic people to do that work, there would not be much to say.
The CDAA Board of Directors is an amazing group of people who care passionately about the future of The Cavalier Daily and its staff. Some of these folks have been on the board since the beginning, some have cycled on and off depending on life’s circumstances, others have just joined us, and sadly, some, like former long-time board member Staige Blackford, have recently passed on.
New or old, they have all contributed something of value to our organization. For that we are very grateful, especially to Rick Neel, our founder, and the group that got it all started: Steve Wells, Tim Wheeler, Sam Barnes, Jim Grossberg, Bill Spatz, Stuart Jones, Bob Godec, Jim Fox, Mike Fagan and Chuck Culpepper.
So, to the original Board of Directors, as well as all the folks who have passed through our lives on the CDAA Board during the last 20 years, we say: THANKS, and please come join us to celebrate our anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 18. We’ll look forward to seeing you!