A rewarding connection and a family matter

Meet Boston Network Leader Abe Dewing ’93

Abe Dewing ’93

How did your experience at the University of Rochester influence your life?

My path at the University was extremely unconventional. I bounced around from my original Class of 1991 to 1992 then 1994, 1993 to 2001 and then back to 1993. 14 years after going to my first class on the River Campus in 1987, I earned my undergraduate degree. We celebrated at my first Rochester alumni event at the old Boston Beer Works near Fenway Park when I received my diploma. The funny thing was, classmates from 1993 in attendance could have sworn I looked familiar but said it couldn’t have been me since I graduated in ‘2001’. When I read the Class Notes in the Review, I usually have to scan quite a few pages to cover all the classes I was in.

What my Rochester experience taught me is that you should never count yourself out. I am very grateful that the administration was active and encouraging throughout the process and helped me get my degree. It was a team effort.

What inspired you to get involved and volunteer?

I volunteer to connect with my fellow alums and meet people in the area who had the same college experience. As I age, it is nice to have fellow Yellowjackets help you remember those days.

I have been very fortunate to have been asked to join several alumni groups and it has been an absolute blast seeing and contributing to projects, sometimes from their infancy. I have been very fortunate to be a member of Alumni Marketing Committee and now a Boston NLC Member.

The University of Rochester Alumni Relations team has always been wonderful to work with; so supportive of ideas and providing resources to execute them.

What’s the most rewarding part of staying connected with your alma mater?

The most rewarding part is that I am able to share my alumni experience with family and friends. Our family involvement began as early as 2014 at a UR vs. Brandeis Basketball Tailgate and then at the Global Day of Service, when my kids handed out programs for a free outreach concert we provided as a University alumni quartet. The alumni quartet has played at 3 of the last 4 Boston New Year Celebrations.

What advice do you have for others looking to get involved?

Give your college friend a call/text or go visit them. Start with that and then maybe attend an event together if you are both local. It’s a great opportunity to meet up with a group and I feel like there is always a new story that I uncover when I attend a University event.

You can also participate to where it fits in your schedule. There are so many ways to be involved for all the stages in your life. It can be as a simple as attending an event, to taking on a larger volunteer role. My kids have grown up knowing how involved I am in the University of Rochester community and the events have become a staple in our lives.