I am honored to serve as your President for the HCAD Alumni Association (HCADAA) this year on what will mark my own 25th undergraduate reunion as well as my 20th HCAD reunion.
It has been a rewarding experience to participate on the HCADAA Board for the last eight years, sitting alongside health care leaders who are enthusiastic and committed to Trinity and the HCAD Program, its alumni and current students. I’m proud that our alumni are active contributors to the health care industry and to the communities in which they serve.
I was grateful to have been able to spend time together with the board and alumni in Chicago earlier this year in March. This is always a great time to catch up with old friends and to make new ones. This year, our HCADAA hosted an evening reception on Tuesday, March 5, for our alumni attending ACHE. Many thanks to Corinne Smith ’86, MS-HCAD ’94 for hosting us at the Law office of Clark Hill Strasburger. The views from their offices were spectacular, and the event was a great success. I also would like to thank Heidi Pandya ’00, MS-HCAD ’05 who served as our HCADAA President for the past two years. Her leadership and dedication have been a great asset to the HCADAA board.
During our HCADAA board meeting, we discussed our continued commitment to connecting alumni across the country. Whether it’s a social hour in Austin during THA or a luncheon in Dallas during Trinity on Tour, our alumni continue to find ways to stay connected. If you have suggestions for alumni events in your area or ideas for improving communication, please let me know.
I would challenge each of you to think of ways you can give back to Trinity's HCAD Program to whatever degree you are comfortable. I do not mean just monetarily, though that, of course, is always welcome! There are many ways to give back, from career and academic mentoring to volunteering time on campus to helping the admissions office recruit new students. Great universities have active and involved alumni—let’s be great!
Lastly, please mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend 2019, which will be held October 3-6. We will kick off the alumni events with an awards dinner at the Pearl Stable in San Antonio on Thursday, October 3 from 6–9 pm. During the evening, we will recognize and honor the 2019 Dean Duce Award recipient and the 2019 Momentum Award recipient.
I look forward to seeing everyone in October—especially the class of 1999 as we mark our 20th!
Vanessa Saenz Smith B.S. ‘94, MS-HCAD '99
President, Trinity University Health Care Administration Alumni Association
vasmith@uspi.com
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