It was not long ago that the Bachelor of General Studies Program (BGS) celebrated its 25th anniversary with ceremonies held at each of the re­gional campuses and at Storrs. Yet many people still have not heard about our program. As our Dean Krista Rodin often state "BGS is the best kept secret in town”. Now, with a group of enthusiastic and dedicated graduates, BGS Director, Ken Fuchsman and other supporters, that secret is about to be uncovered at the University of Connecticut as well as on a national level. We have formed the BGS Alumni Association. What prompted the formation of a BGS Alumni chapter, and why now? Discussions with fellow graduates have revealed the need to enhance the visibility of the BGS program, and to make the general population more aware of the great educational alternative that the BGS program offers. This sentiment and passion was amplified by many of the attendees at the 25th anniversary celebrations and we thought that now is a perfect time to launch an Alumni chapter.

Our goal at this juncture is to steer the growth of the chapter through its infancy and to create a base that insures the chapter's longevity. Put an­other way, we need to build membership! Our long term goal is to enhance the BGS grads feeling of belonging within the university community. This would be aided by the creation of an association that all BGS alumni would be proud to be part of and would provide a variety of benefits to its members, the BGS program and the university as a whole.

Why do we need a separate Alumni Chapter? A separate association for the BGS alums is critical since most of our students are nontraditional. We would have our own forum for sharing our educa­tional and life experiences and a platform to present this unique group and its benefits to the university as a whole. For more information on the BGS Alumni Association please contact our copresidents Peter Howard at 203.288.8122 or Cyril Cassan-De-Valry at 203-274-6632.