In 1999, The
Department of Meteorology organized an alumni society, the
first such "affiliated program group" in the
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS). The group, called
MAPS (for Meteorology Alumni of Penn State), was officially approved
by GEMS (the
EMS alumni society, to which MAPS must report), and a steering committee for
MAPS was established to help organize the group.
The goal
of MAPS is to build a sense of community among meteorology alumni
and current students, and to strengthen the contacts and collaboration
between alumni and the department.
MAPS has undertaken a number
of activities to achieve these goals. Each January, MAPS organizes
a Penn State Meteorology Alumni reception at the Annual AMS meeting.
In June 2002, MAPS organized an Alumni Reunion Weekend to celebrate
the 30th Anniversary of the Campus Weather Service. Approximately
150 Meteorology alumni, students, and faculty/staff attended the
weekend-long event. The MAPS Meteogram, a newsletter published
by MAPS keeps Meteorology alumni up-to-date on department news and
events. MAPS also plans to tap into its members to give department
seminars and perhaps to return to Penn State to talk to students
about their careers.
Currently MAPS is busy planning the 75th Anniversary of the Department of Meteorology during Arts Festival Weekend in July 2010. Details will be forthcoming as the planning progresses.
