AOG Leadership Conference Trip Report
Old Grads,
From August 8 through August 11 I attended the Association of Graduates Leadership Conference. Having attended two conferences, much of the material is similar to last year. We are still emphasizing the “One Team” concept between the Society, Parents Club, and Field Force, emphasizing strengthening our supporting efforts from a societal level. Currently, there is no change to the AOG Vision or Mission statements.
The Chairman of the Board, Bob MacDonald, made multiple poignant remarks about the need to serve and set an example within our communities but to remain above the political fray that often divides us. As graduates, it is incumbent that we never forget our responsibility for a lifetime of service to our Nation. He accentuated that we, as Old Grads, keep/protect the traditions of the Academy but evolve with our societal responsibilities.
One of the greatest growth aspects of the AOG has been the three-fold increase in Alumni Support programs. We only had six programs a decade ago, and now we have 18 Alumni Support programs. These programs can be found on Sallyport. One of the most recent programs in our area was the Entrepreneur Road Show on June 15, 2023; we had almost 80 graduates at the event.
Finally, from the Chairman – West Point Graduates are in the TOP 10 for giving among learning institutions in the country, and we are by far the greatest of all the Academies, with approximately 35% donating annually. For those who do not know it, our donations have changed the scope of the education and experience at West Point. Studying abroad, going on staff rides worldwide, and experiencing other cultures are all due to your generosity – thank you. As I have said in many conversations – find something at West Point that inspires you and offer your time or financial support to that endeavor. Your time is just as valuable, so if you can plug into one of the departments and volunteer to present or teach, I highly encourage you to do it.
The next speaker at the event was Colonel (R) Mark Bieger, his bio is here: https://www.westpointaog.org/profiles/mark-d-bieger/ .
My impression of Mark is that he is a great leader, he is thoughtful in his approach, and he is a GREAT communicator. I look forward to the AOG continuing to flourish under his leadership. I had a one-on-one conversation with him, and he is interested in learning how the AOG can work with us to strengthen our interactions with USMA. Being the home of tech and Amazon, I believe he sees us as an untapped resource.
The Q&A after the Chairman and President brought about some interesting comments and proposals:
1.Lifetime email for all graduates – This is something the Harvard Business School and many others use, and it has proven to be a powerful networking tool.
2.Strengthening Society interactions that are near installations – this has been a plus/minus relationship for us in Washington and depends on the leadership on the post.
3.They are working on changing the landing page for Sallyport – an ongoing challenge for many of us.
4.The concept of “Human Centered Design” and creating, capturing, and saving the moments that matter for grads with the AOG – things that can go into the Society page and magazine.
The Supe was even better this year, with a full year under his belt. He wants all graduates to feel that they are on the team at West Point – if you think the place is falling apart – he invites you to come up and participate in a couple of days of classes and spend “real” time with the Cadets. He feels our Cadets are the best the Nation offers, and we should be secure in the Academy's path.
The Supe accentuated the relationship between Old Grads and Parents Clubs, stating they are extremely helpful in “recruiting” our next round of candidates and identifying other potential “recruits” in their communities. He asked that the Societies embrace that concept. He gave us the typical rundown for the classes, same information from Founder’s Day slides except the Class of 2027 “Earned not Given.”
USMA leaders are reviewing the Academy's mission statement. Still, the four lines of effort remain the same: 1) Developing Leaders of Character, 2) Promoting and Developing a Professional Climate, 3) Diversity of Talent – Recruit and Retain it. 4) Modernization and Innovation across the installation.
He stated our biggest challenge, as he stated last year, is the decreasing number of available college-eligible candidates that meet our standards. He continued that his carries a list of three challenges: 1) Admissions and increasing the number of qualified candidates, 2) Perceptions of the Academy, 3) Funding.
Admissions: 9 CDCs nationwide went without a nomination, down from 17 last year. The new director of admissions, LTC(P) Rance Lee, is conducting a holistic review of all systems as he takes over this year. Admissions asked that the Parent’s Clubs continue connecting with new parents and asked that the Societies help where they can. They discussed the potential for reinvigorating the pre-COVID practice of providing kits to the Field Force for Academy Nights.
The AOG is working hard to set up a Veteran Services Program. This venture is led by Sue Irons ’89 and is meant to connect graduates to the benefits they have earned. Stay tuned as it grows.
The Character Brief provided by the Director of CIAG (Character Integration and Advisory Group), led by Dr. Jeffrey Peterson, is an amazing program to ensure we remain a bastion of ethical leadership and decision-making. For all that may still be curious, the five young people involved in the fentanyl issue two years ago are no longer Cadets. Due to privacy constraints, we were only told they were punished.
It was a great conference, and I am honored to represent our Society at the event.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with me on LinkedIn or at Jeffrey.henry.powell@gmail.com, or by phone at 913-424-8902.
