Each year, the Board of Directors for The Marching Virginians Alumni Association (MVAA) gather in Blacksburg for a Spring Planning Retreat. During this annual retreat, board members review activities from the past year, plan activities for the upcoming year, and brainstorm new ways to engage MV alumni while supporting and advocating for The Marching Virginians.
The MVAA Board consists of 9 officers, a group of Members-at-Large representing different time periods, Kappa Kappa Psi/Tau Beta Sigma representatives, and the current MV Director and Assistant Director. Other meeting attendees usually include members of the Director’s Council (a group of former MVAA officers) and the current MV Executive Officer. Guest speakers often include members of University Advancement, Virginia Tech leadership, and representatives from Athletics. In the past, meetings have also included tours of campus facilities including The Marching Virginians Center, The Moss Arts Center, and The Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility.
I’ve been attending the BOD meetings since 2005 and currently serve as the Online Content Officer for the MVAA. My husband, Paul Correll (Trombone, ‘04), is the current MVAA president and has been attending since 2006. Many regular attendees have long and storied histories with the MVs and MVAA. Our treasurer, Dennis Furr, was one of the original MV drum majors. Bonnie McCubbin (Piccolo, ‘84), founded the MVAA and planned the first MV Alumni Day event in 1984. Her husband, Bob White (Tuba, ‘81) aka “Slideshow Bob”, choreographed the original Hokie Pokie tuba dance in 1980 (coming soon on YouTube!) and is set to take over as MVAA President next year. Everyone who attends the meetings brings a different background, perspective, and skill set; what we all share is a love for the MVs and a strong desire to give back. #MVs4Lyfe isn’t just a fun hashtag, The Spirit Continues long after you graduate!
“Everyone who attends the meetings brings a different background, perspective, and skill set; what we all share is a love for the MVs and a strong desire to give back.”
Major topics this year included VT Giving Day 2020, our annual Alumni Day event, and the future of the MVs. With the completion of Phase 1 of the MVC and an MV Endowment over $750,000 and growing, we’re excited to have accomplished many of our goals. However, we’re always looking for new challenges, so with a to do list that includes building Phase 2, getting the MV Endowment to a million dollars, starting regional MVAA chapters, and hopefully more posts here on the MV blog, there’s a lot of good stuff on the horizon. Stay tuned!
All MV alumni are encouraged to sign up for our email list, and if you have any questions about the MVAA or our activities, please contact the current president of the MVAA.