WVU Alumni West Virginia University

Patti Boni DiLustro is no stranger to WVU. With gold and blue running through her veins, Patti is actively involved with the WVU Alumni Association and Mountaineer Parents Club.

A native of Follansbee, W.Va., WVU was her first choice when deciding where to continue her education. Patti received her bachelor's degree in speech pathology and audiology in 1977 and became a member of the Alumni Association that year. After moving to Virginia Beach, Va., she became a "founding mother" of the Tidewater Chapter in Virginia in 1979.

Patti is very proud of her West Virginia roots and feels it is important to be involved in the life of the University.

"I've stayed active with the Alumni Association and the Mountaineer Parents Club because I received a very good education at WVU and I?m proud of where I came from," says Patti, who is a member of the Old Gold Club of the Alumni Association.

She has been active with the National Alumni Recruiting Network (NARN) where she represents WVU at college fairs in Maryland. As part of her volunteer efforts with NARN, Patti also makes phone calls to newly accepted students to offer congratulations on behalf of WVU and the Mountaineer Parents Club. She also assists with the distribution of scholarships in her local area.

Patti says she reaps many benefits from being an alumna, including the various literary outlets that keep her well-informed. Publications such as the Alumni Magazine and Alumni News have continued to keep her up to date with the happenings at WVU. This has been especially helpful for her and her daughter, Adrienne.

Attending WVU has become a family tradition. Adrienne is a recent addition to the alumni family as a 2005 WVU graduate. Patti says being an alumna was instrumental when it came to Adrienne deciding where she would spend her college years.

Throughout her childhood, Adrienne spent a lot of time in Morgantown and grew to like it because of its student-friendly environment. "WVU is warm and inviting," says Adrienne. "I visited several campuses, but at WVU, I found friendly people in a community with many opportunities for students."

Upon her daughter's arrival at WVU, Patti joined the Central Maryland Mountaineer Parents Club, where she currently serves as chair. Recently, Patti received some exciting news from the Mountaineer Parents Club. The chapter was named 2005 Outstanding Out-of-State Chapter and was recognized for its accomplishments during Fall Family Weekend. Patti, who is the only parent in the Club that is a WVU graduate, feels particularly proud of this accomplishment, but attributes much of the success of the Central Maryland Parents Club to its hard-working board.

Among the chapter-sponsored events are three chartered bus trips that bring WVU students back to Central Maryland during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break. Other means of student support include a Summer Send-Off, Winterfest and various other programs/activities.

Despite her daughter's departure from WVU, Patti remains committed to the Central Maryland Parents Club. She hopes to become more involved with the Alumni Association's Baltimore Chapter. Adrienne won't be far behind. She plans to join a local chapter of the Alumni Association once she gets settled.

Patti says she will always have a connection to WVU.

"I'm an alumna for life," she says proudly. "I don't think I?ll ever not be involved."