The Department of Meteorology has 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) at GEMS’ fall board meeting.

A steering committee for MAPS was established in October 1999 to help organize the new group. In 2003, four of the founding members stepped-down from their official responsibilities, and five new members have joined the group. Current members of the steering committee and their affiliation are shown below:

 

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.