STAT receives two national awards

Michael Pasco
Managing Editor

This past August, “Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow” brought home the gold for VCU.

STAT won two awards for VCU from Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Affiliated Student Advancement Programs, or CASE ASAP.

VCU STAT is the first organization to win two awards on a national level in one year.

Schools, student leaders and their advisers from across the nation come together for the 3-day conference on August 7th in St. Louis, Mo. for the CASE ASAP 41st Networking Convention.

STAT won the Tried & True Program award for the Barnes & Noble Blackout.

Available at the Barnes & Noble Blackout is free food from local brands, giveaways and discounted signups for STAT membership. VCU organizations are invited to participate, including the Notochords a capella ensemble in 2012.

Programs that are eligible for the award are signature programs, repeated annually, that reflect the organization’s mission while yielding tangible student advancement results for the group.

Outstanding Organization award went to VCU STAT. Vital to winning this award is the group’s two-fold mission: First, to encourage long loyalty for VCU students, and, second, to connect alumni with current VCU students.

The national event had 70 workshops and networking opportunities for 600 students and 100 advisors.

When asked why they stands out among other groups, STAT said, “As VCU works to become a premier urban research university, STAT has developed into a leading student organization in its attempts to connect students with alumni.”

STAT also won in five out of seven categories at regionals, including the two categories won at the national level. As a part of district 3, STAT met with schools like University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Georgia Institute of Technology.

VCU STAT also took home the prize for Outstanding Internal Program for their recruitment series.

“In 2012, STAT had 450 members. In 2013, the organization has now tripled to 1416 members,” said Amy Gray, Director of Student and Young Alumni Engagement at VCU.

Dan Metz, the president of VCU STAT for 2013-2014, won for Outstanding Student Leader. The organization also received the Spirit Stick Award.

Entries for the regional awards were submitted to CASE ASAP by STAT’s leadership council.

The next Barnes & Noble Blackout event will be on Thursday, Sept. 25 from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

To join VCU STAT, visit http://www.vcustat.org/ for more information.