2003 Fall draft - Uwpiaa.org

UP BEAT
Reunion! Reunion! reunion! reunion!
1998
2000
From left: Mia Hansen, Ken Ashby, Bill
Welsh and Carolyn Lee with the host of
“Hooray for Everything.”
OPENING SESSION
The opening session set a light-hearted tone for the weekend as the Boston host committee presented the Hooray for Everything Morning
Show, a deliberate take-off on the “South Park” episode that was a thinly disguised spoof of UWP.
The show began with a monologue by the host that had the audience rolling on the floor laughing.
Then he started bringing up his special guests, with Ken Ashby (65) and his guitar taking the stage first.
The next guest was Bill Welsh, who in true Bill Welsh fashion led the
audience in vocal warmups. Perhaps it was Bill’s talent as a musical
organizer, or perhaps it spoke to the caliber of the audience, but he
taught the audience a song in four parts in just minutes. Then again,
maybe it helped that half the audience knew the song before Bill
began.
Following Bill was Mia Hansen, simultaneously respected and
dreaded by many for leading endless sessions of stretch during staging.
Not one to disappoint, Mia soon had the entire audience reaching
for the ceiling and hoping that V-ups wouldn’t be next! Mia, head
of the Tucson host committee for Reunion 2004, also took the opportunity
to hype next year’s reunion. She left no doubt that Reunion
2004, “Coming Home,” would exceed all expectations of alumni who make the trip to Tucson next year.
The final guest on the Hooray for Everything Morning Show was Carolyn Lee, who is remembered by
virtually all alumni for her motivating and thought-provoking sessions both at staging and on the road.
UWP WORKSHOP
Saturday of Reunion began bright and early with the UWP workshop at 8:00 a.m. In spite of the early hour, every chair in the meeting
room was occupied as Jeff Hoag, chairman and chief executive officer, and Hiro Nishimura (87B), chief operating officer, presented an
overview of the WorldSmart Leadership Program. The presentation was followed by a lengthy question-and-answer session.
Some of the key questions that were answered include: How is funding of WorldSmart different from that of the previous program?
How was the program price decided upon and how will the tuition be used? How will UWP help students pay for the
program? What will the role of music be? How can alumni participate in WorldSmart? What will be the daily breakdown
of activities for the students? What will be the role of a community sponsor? What is the goal for non-U.S. enrollment?
Were previously pre-accepted students contacted, and are they automatically accepted to WorldSmart? What is the
Hiro
Era Show hosts, Paula and TJ.
Everybody stretches to prepare for
choreography.
language requirement? What staff roles will there be with each traveling group? What type of educational teams will the students participate
in? Will the students do advance work? And, finally, what makes the WorldSmart program unique among study-abroad programs?
Two of these questions (What will be the daily breakdown of activities for the students? What will the role of music be?) are answered
in a separate article in this issue. Other questions will be the focus of future UpBeat articles.
Reunion! Reunion! reunion! reunion!
Jeff
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