By Barbara Polan, Contributing Writer
Northborough – While most college alumni do not volunteer at their own alma maters, Northborough resident Virginia Simms George, the wife of Northborough Moderator Frederick A. George Jr., does so much volunteering at her husband's alma mater – Alfred University, in Alfred, N.Y. – that she was recently honored by the school with its Honorary Alumna Recognition Award, making her an honorary alumna.
Virginia herself earned a bachelor's degree from Virginia Union University in Richmond, Va., and a master's degree in counseling from the University of Maryland in College Park, Md., and was embarrassed to admit that she does no volunteering at those institutions.
The recognition from Alfred University came during the school's 2012 reunion in June.
According to the program announcing the honor, “the award is given to a non-graduate in recognition of interest, allegiance and service to Alfred University and alumni, that the recipient will “evermore be one of us.””
Virginia's volunteer work at Alfred includes working for approximately five years at both the Career Center and the Women's Leadership Center. As a full-time human resources manager at Raytheon, Virginia is particularly effective at helping and mentoring college students as they prepare to enter the work force. She elected to volunteer at the Career Center because of its quality.
“I was impressed by the Career Center ? I think [it] is the best that I'se [seen],” she said, “? and wanted to contribute to the work they were doing with the students.”
Her reason for volunteering at the school was because during visits to his alma mater, Fred spent so much time in meetings that she needed to find something to do; volunteering was the perfect solution for Virginia, who also spends much of her time volunteering in Northborough – on the Northborough Community Affairs Committee, the town's Personnel Board and the library's Board of Trustees.
Receiving the award from Alfred University was especially rewarding to Virginia on a very personal level.
“To be a part of Alfred University, something Fred loves so much, to share in something that is so dear to ? important to, him is outstanding.”