Alumni Affairs

On Tuesday my alma mater had an alumni event on the rooftop of a law firm on Eye street. I, being hungry and always in search of free food and drink, thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to schmooze with big wig alumni. (As it turns out I spent most of the evening talking to my fellow '07s.) Four members of my university were flown from Illinois out to D.C. for this event—The President, the Director and Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs, and the chair of the Business Department. I guess they figure that Washington Alumni have deep pockets because it seems like that's a hefty bill to foot for what is essentially a fund raiser that had about thirty guests (not to mention all the beer I drank and food I ate). I often wondered why it was my tuition continued to increase at a steady rate while I was a student, and I think the picture is becoming clearer.

Throughout the course of the evening I very rarely left the bar or the buffet table (I cannot stress how poor I am enough, free things are fantastic (and the buffalo wings were the most elegant I've ever eaten)) but I did manage to have a couple of conversations with people I didn't go to college with. The President was making his rounds dutifully and naturally stopped by to say hello to me. Shortly after realizing that I work on Capitol Hill and barely have enough money for rent he moved on to those with deeper pockets. I remain fairly well amazed at his ability to discern my ability to give back to IWU and judge me as unworthy of continued conversation within a minute or so.

The evening was not a complete bust, though. Across the street from the law firm is one of my favorite night spots in D.C., The Bottom Line. I was introduced to this establishment by an alumnus who was working on a master's degree while I was spending a semester in D.C. a little while ago. It has a good feel and decent drink specials and someone, I'm not sure who, suggested that after the event we retire to The Bottom Line for perhaps an oat soady. I then lobbied the aforementioned chair of the business department to join our motley crew at the aforementioned bar. It may very well be my Capitol Hill experience is working because I got him to come along. We enjoyed a few drinks and went our separate ways worse for the wear. The aftermath is unimportant, but I believe good times were had by all.