If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.– Marcus

Dear Aurelians:

As we enter 2025, I wish you all a happy new year. We start this month’s newsletter with a message from the Board and we end with a note from me. Please read on!

Leadership Transition and Call for Volunteers

(from the Board of Directors)

Dear Fellow Members of the Aurelian Honor Society,

We are writing to share an important update about the future of AHS leadership and to invite your active participation in shaping it. Please take a few minutes to read this message carefully.

After a decade of extraordinary service as President of the Aurelian Honor Society Inc, Brian Mitchell has informed the Board of his desire to step aside from this role at the end of the 2025 school year.

His leadership, dedication, and vision have left an indelible mark on our organization, and we are deeply grateful for his remarkable contributions.

We are pleased to share that Brian has offered to remain on the Board for the foreseeable future and he has graciously agreed continue as Treasurer. His continued participation provides continuity on the Board and his expertise in managing our finances will ensure a seamless transition in the next year.

We know all of you join with us in expressing our deepest appreciation to Brian for all that he has done for Aurelian!

New Leadership Model

It does not appear realistic at this time that someone can step into the role Brian has played and do all that he has done. Accordingly, we think the best way forward for AHS is to expand the Board and adopt a collaborative leadership model that distributes key roles among multiple individuals. Of course, in accordance with our by-laws, corporate officers will continue to be named to ensure governance requirements are met.

In addition to Brian’s overseeing of finances, currently, Board members have committed to leading in specific areas of responsibility that we have identified as follows:

• Jeremy Monthy will manage the newsletter and oversee communications.
• Ben Barasch will act as the liaison to the undergraduate delegation.
• Ellen Owens will administer the book prize.
• Alan Yuspeh will oversee facilities and serve as the liaison to the Graduate Club.
• John Gulliver will lead the strategic planning effort, ensuring our vision and goals are aligned with the evolving needs of AHS.

While these assignments address six critical areas, additional tasks remain to ensure the continued success of AHS. This is where we hope you will join us on the Board. AHS is in a strong position, we are financially stable, and our undergraduate delegations each year are outstanding. So if you will join with us, you will be leading an organization which presumably mattered to you when you were at Yale and which continues to thrive.

Call for Board Volunteers

Jeremy, Ben, Ellen, Alan, and John would appreciate volunteers to help them on their tasks above. Specifically, we are seeking enthusiastic and dedicated members with interest in the following:

1. Fundraising: Lead our efforts to raise approximately $35,000 annually to support AHS activities and programs. While we have a strong donor base, this is a pivotal responsibility for ensuring our organization’s sustainability.
2. Alumni Engagement and Programs: With over 800 alumni, there is immense potential to enhance engagement and create programs that foster stronger connections among our members. This role is perfect for someone who enjoys building networks and relationships.
3. Webmaster and IT: Maintain our newly upgraded website and oversee IT needs, including the management of digital records. This role is essential to keeping our systems organized and functional.
4. Scholarship Programs: Administer and manage our scholarship initiatives, ensuring their smooth operation and alignment with AHS’s mission.
5. Recruitment: Support our new leadership model by recruiting alumni volunteers for current and future roles. This position is ideal for someone with an interest in human resources and connecting with others.
6. Coordination: Act as the central coordinator for these efforts, ensuring all Board activities are aligned and effectively executed. This dynamic role provides exposure to every facet of the organization.

How You Can Help & Strategic Plan

Should you join the Board with one of the areas of focus, as we navigate towards the future, a key priority for the Board is to develop a strategic plan that ensures AHS remains vibrant, financially sustainable, and aligned with the AHS mission. This plan will define our long-term vision and actionable goals, guiding us into the future.

The input of new Board members will be essential in shaping this roadmap, and we strongly encourage motivated members to contribute their energy, insights and ideas to this effort.

Next Steps

If you are interested in taking a leadership role by joining the Board, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible to express your interest and ask any questions.

Alan will be coordinating Board recruitment, so please direct any inquiries regarding roles listed above at ayuspeh@comcast.net.

For questions regarding scholarship programs, the new website or other questions, contact Brian at brian.mitchell@aurelianhonorsociety.com.

We very eager to hear from those of you with questions and interest! So get in touch in the next two weeks and we will bring our new leadership team together by the end of the school year.

Looking Ahead

We are confident that with your support and participation, this collaborative approach will be successful. Developing a strategic plan for AHS is a top priority, and your insights and contributions will be instrumental in shaping our future.

Serving AHS has been a deeply rewarding experience for each of us, and we believe you will find similar fulfillment in contributing to Society’s ongoing success.

Thank you for your consideration and your continued commitment to Aurelian Honor Society.

Alan Yuspeh, ‘71
John Gulliver, ‘74
Ellen Owens, ‘84
Jeremy Monthy, ‘95
Ben Barasch, ‘14
Meredith Boardman ‘16
Whitney Stewart ‘89

Loomis Havemeyer Annual Membership Drive ’25

Accomplishments in 2024:

• Re-established a permanent presence at Yale with remodeled Aurelian Reading Room at The Graduate Club
• Rebuilt the website
• Hurricane Helene/Milton Red Cross relief

And we will continue to provide:

• Delegation support
• Speaker Dinners, etc
• Book Prizes
• Summer Bioethics Institute Stipend
• Stan Flink ‘45W/YANA-Dwight Hall Scholarships
• Aurelian/Robert O’Connor Scholarship
• Yale Fund for Humanity

Many thanks to the following who have already made their annual dues contribution!

To qualify as a Member in Good Standing click the button below or use the Venmo account @AHS_inc.

Thank you all for reading the announcement above and giving its message some thought.

As stated in the announcement, I will be stepping aside in June. It’s been great: I love Aurelian and I have had a great time serving as your President. Thank you for your encouragement, support and participation over the last ten years. I’ve enjoyed getting to know so many alumni from all generations; I’ve been the beneficiary of the opinion and thinking of all the Board members I’ve worked with, present and previous; and especially I count myself lucky to have been friends with Bob O’Connor, Stan Flink and Dick Shank and all of you. Many thanks everyone and I look forward to crossing paths at Aurelian in the near future.

So now, in our 115th year of existence, the time has come for a new generation of leaders to emerge from our ranks to lead our Society. Consider giving of your time to this worthwhile effort. I speak for all alumni, I’m sure, and the Board, too, when I say that I cannot wait to see what’s in store for the Aurelian Honor Society under your leadership.

“Ever Striving for the Best”“Ever Striving for the Best”

Merry Christmas!

Brian Mitchell ’72
President
Aurelian Honor Society, Inc.
brian.mitchell@aurelianhonorsociety.com