Students dine with alumni
April 26, 2017
Alumni host dinners for students during UD’s Alternative Break Program
For students who are used to dining hall fare and on-the-go snacks from Main Street, a home-cooked meal or trip to a new restaurant can be a real treat. Recently, 12 University of Delaware alumni throughout Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., hosted UDine dinners for nearly 100 students completing service trips as part of UD’s Alternative Spring Break Program (UDaB).
Through the UDine program, alumni invite students to their homes, a local restaurant or public space to share a meal, network and celebrate the University and its traditions.
Anne Krauss, who hosted a dinner in Washington, D.C., with her husband, Joe, both from the Class of 1978, fondly reflected on how excited the students were when they arrived at her home. “The fact that they were so happy about a home-cooked meal reminded me of when our kids came home from college and I would cook their favorite dishes,” said Anne Krauss. “We thought we might have leftovers, but there wasn’t a crumb left at the end of the night.”
While food is what brought these students and alumni together, UDine’s purpose runs much deeper than what’s on the table. The dinners serve as an opportunity for students to ask alumni questions, make connections and learn about life after UD. They also give alumni an opportunity to give back, connect with their alma mater and get to know current students in their own hometowns.
“We couldn’t have asked for better hosts than Joe and Anne,” said Bridget Zaleski, a senior elementary education major. “They were so hospitable and kind.” Zaleski had the opportunity to dine in Washington, D.C., with the Double Dels after working with Bright Beginnings and the Steinbruck Center that week. “I want to be a teacher when I graduate so it was great being able to talk to Anne who works with kids. I definitely plan to reach out to her again.”
The Krausses are committed supporters of the College of Arts and Sciences and established the Krauss Family Scholarship in 2013. To them, the dinners are another opportunity to utilize their resources and pay it forward — all while learning about what’s happening on campus.
“UD made a tremendous difference in my life,” said Joe Krauss. “It’s where I met my wife, so I feel I owe the University a great deal.”
Farther south in Atlanta, host and alumnus Chuck Herak, from the Classes of 1985 and 1994, said he enjoyed not only meeting the students but also learning about their different life goals and offering guidance where he could. “It’s really rewarding to stay connected with this generation of Blue Hens, and I think other alumni would find it rewarding as well,” explained Herak. “They are in this exciting stage of growth and discovery, and for me it’s a privilege to share my own personal experience with them and do what I can to help.”
As a student, Herak was a member of the Men’s Tennis Program and for the past three decades, he has continued to support the program, as well as the College of Engineering where he earned his undergraduate degree.
More than 600 miles away in Pittsburgh, Glenn Groninger, from the Class of 1992, co-hosted a dinner with his wife, Kristin, from the Class of 1991, and acknowledged how great it is to support students while they volunteer. “What most impressed me was the maturity level of the students themselves and their willingness to spend their spring break doing service when they could be vacationing,” said Groninger, who supports athletics, the Lerner College and several other areas at UD in addition to volunteering with UDine.
UDaB trips are certainly no vacation and when students come home, they bring with them much more than souvenirs. They return with lifelong memories of lively evenings filled with new friends, caring alumni and spirited conversation. Perhaps some of these students will someday even host UDine dinners of their own just as today’s hosts are so generously doing.
Alumni who are looking to learn more about UDine or ways that they can get involved at UD may reach out to Zach Corbin at zcorbin@udel.edu or 302-831-7194.
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