They answered trivia questions, shared cocktail recipes, made new friends and connected with old ones. For a while, it seemed like a typical happy hour. Except, of course, it wasn’t.
Unable to meet physically for their monthly happy hour, the Broward County ’Canes, one of the 42 ’Canes Communities across the country and the world, found the next best thing: a Zoom social hour, complete with customized backgrounds and even prizes.
Like the Broward ’Canes, ’Canes Communities across the country are finding ways to connect alumni with each other and with the U in this time of social distancing.
Palm Beach County and Tampa ’Canes members, dressed in their best U gear, battled it out in a virtual trivia competition. New York ’Canes partnered with the Miami Herbert Business School to host a webinar with Dean John Quelch about post COVID-19 New York. Over 150 alumni and members of the University of Miami tuned in. A similar partnership with the Frost School of Music led to a live musical performance by Frost graduate Anh Le.
Many ’Canes Community leaders are also connecting and engaging with alumni through social media, providing updates and participating in ’Canes Games, the ’Canes Tassel Challenge to support the Class of 2020, and ’Canes Thanking ’Canes. Some have even sent video messages to recent grads welcoming them into a community of over 180,000 alumni across the world.
And whether in-person or virtually, ’Canes Communities will continue to provide University of Miami alumni with opportunities to connect and a community to lean on.
’Canes Communities are volunteer-led and serve as official representatives of the University of Miami Alumni Association in geographic areas throughout the world. To learn more, see here.
Upcoming ’Canes Communities Events
- June 3, 2:00 p.m. PST/ 5:00 p.m. EST: Los Angeles ’Canes Community webinar with communications expert and alumnus Jason Weiss, B.F.A. '97: “’Canes Conversations: Engaging the Virtual World via Zoom.” Register here.
- June 4, 5:00 p.m. EST: LGBTQ ’Canes present: “How to EmbRACE Change and Find Your Way Forward” with alumnus Chris Rackliffe, B.S.C. ’09. Register here.
- June 25, 6 p.m. EST: Washington, D.C. ’Canes Community and Miami Herbert Business School Endowed Leadership Institute webinar. Stay tuned for more details.
Thank You
’Canes Communities would not be possible without dedicated volunteer leaders across the world. On behalf of the UM Alumni Association and alumni everywhere, we thank you for your service and leadership. A special thanks goes to the following ’Canes Community leaders who are completing their terms this month. Go ’Canes!
Broward County ’Canes
Debbie A. Beschen, B.S.C. ’91; Kelly M. Calisto, B.B.A. ’09, M.P.R.A. ’10; Joyce A. Cress, A.B. ’86;
Annette J. Gallagher, B.S.C. ’98; Ken J. Graff, B.B.A '98, M.B.A. ’03; Marcie Hibbs, A.B. ’99;
Iris J. Leshaw, B.S.E.D. ’84; Nellie M. Li-Carpenter, A.B. ’86; Tommy N. Mandel, A.B. ’71;
Daniel H. Markarian, B.S.E.D. ’86, M.S.E.D. ’89; Shene J. Marsh-Beckford, A.B. ’11;
Justin T. Nepola, A.B. ’92; Glen C. Tibaldeo, B.B.A. ’93; Catharine M. Utvich, M.B.A. ’85
Los Angeles ’Canes
Jaclyn M. Mullen, B.M. ’04, M.U. ’04
Nashville ’Canes
Ben L. Bruno, B.M. ’07
New York ’Canes
Clarissa C. Carlucci, B.B.A. ’12; Michael J. Gohari, B.B.A. '11
Seattle ’Canes
Jordan K. Louie
