At the opening reception of the Inaugural Alumni Conference on Friday, January 27, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs, Meghann Curtis, presented Mr. John O’Loughlin Kennedy with the State Alumni Member of the Month Award and congratulated him on his many successes, most importantly the founding of CONCERN with his wife Kay in response to the famine in Biafra in the late 1960s. Commenting on his drive and his ‘can-do’ attitude, Ms. Curtis was delighted to be in Dublin for the IUSA conference to present the award in person.