ΤΒΣAA #15YearChallenge

TBΣAA #15YearChallenge

by David Alexander

Chairperson - TBΣ Alumni Association

Iam sure you have seen the #10YearChallenge on social media. It shows what you looked like 10 years ago, and what you look like today! Welcome to the TBΣAA #15YearChallenge! In the summer of 2007, the Tau Beta Sigma Alumni Association was presented and welcomed by the attendees at the National Convention in Orlando, FL. This marked the formation of the TBΣAA and the beginning of the alumni experience that we have come to know and love!

As we kick off the 15 year anniversary of the TBΣAA, I wanted to take a moment to turn back the hands of time and reflect on our beginnings as an organization. Our first Chairperson was Debbie Baker, and the Executive Council included Chris Reed (Vanacore), Ed Elsea, Sue Carr, and Tamara Henry. This forward-thinking group of leaders established a framework for the future of the TBΣAA. Looking back at the Fall 2007 Podium, the Alumni Association was viewed as a new program of Tau Beta Sigma. The article stated, “A commitment and dedication "For Greater Bands" is a passion for music that will now be the TAU BETA SIGMA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. Music is a life-long activity. Not just something we once did, but something we still do. You may be a musician, a band director, a music teacher, a lawyer, a parent, or any of the hundreds of other professions; but what we have in common is our love of music. Sharing music in symphony halls, in band rooms, on the radio, in classrooms, in the car, watching our child's first concert- it is all important.”

In 2007, Tau Beta Sigma Alumni Association was about the importance of music. Our mission was dedicated to advance women in music and promote music in society which was reflected in the early work of the TBΣAA. As with any idea, it took time to grow into something that was a living, breathing organization and many people served diligently behind the scenes to make things happen. During that first biennium, the TBΣAA grew to over 250 members!

By the end of that biennium, the TBΣAA looked to focus towards providing a way to continue your journey with Tau Beta Sigma at a commitment level tailored to your active lives. Whether it was simply receiving newsletters, reading the career articles and profiles, or being a member of Ning and attending events at National Convention, the goal was to add value to membership. Most importantly, the Executive Council envisioned building something of which you are proud to be a member.

So now here we are in 2022 and we are starting the celebration for our 15-year anniversary this summer! When I look back at the visionary leadership in our early beginnings, it makes me smile to see that we have achieved our goals and continued to expand our focuses. Music is still our common tie, and we have grown to 728 current members in the TBΣAA! That is almost triple our membership after our first biennium in existence! We have also continued to make sure that we are providing programming and experiences that are tailored to what our members want, while adding value to our membership. You can see this through the evolution of our mentorship program

that is now our Growth and Professional Development program with options to interact and engage in different ways. You can see this through our different communication and outreach strategies that connect our members through different media platforms. You can see this through the expansion of our Local Alumni Associations, having welcomed 3 new LAAs into our organization already this biennium!

As we look to the future of the TBΣAA and the #25YearChallenge, we want our members to look back and remember the intentional connections they felt through the shared experiences and the programming that supported their needs based on where they were in their life at that time. We want our members to look back and say they felt welcomed, valued and heard. And just as they envisioned in 2007, we want to have built something of which you are proud to be a member!

Thank you to all of our members past and present for being a part of making the TBΣAA a place for our members to stay connected to Tau Beta Sigma. Each of us who has been a member are the reason we can say, “Happy 15-Year Anniversary, TBΣAA!” Here’s to many more! You can be a part of the 15-year celebration by joining or renewing at www.tbsalumni. org/membership!