Last Word

Keepers of the Tradition

By Director of Alumni Affairs Phil Foxman '90

"New generations of alumni provide the continuity that perpetuates a university. Its officers come and go, its faculty changes, its programs and buildings are replaced, but its alumni maintain a lifelong relationship with the university. They are the keepers of the tradition, preferred stockholders of the enterprise, the mark of its accomplishment."

-Henry T. Herald, then president of the Ford Foundation, 1960

Allegheny Alumni, through both words and actions, embody the essence of this quote day after day.

You volunteer your time and energy in countless ways to help Allegheny - from speaking with prospective students, to providing internships and career advice to current students, to serving on your reunion planning committee, to speaking well of the college to others. The list is endless. Your commitment to your alma mater is inspiring, appreciated, and critical to helping Allegheny be the best liberal arts college it can be.

I have had the great fortune of stepping into a role formerly held by Dick Stewart '56, and have had the enviable opportunity to expand upon his wonderful work. Thanks to President Cook, the Board of Trustees, Alumni Council, Executive Committee, and countless others, Allegheny College has a renewed focus on alumni relations. Increased resources have been dedicated to help us reach out to you through new or enhanced programs, events, and communications.

We have also been eager to hear your ideas about how we can improve our services. Over the last year, literally hundreds of you have given us your suggestions. We are grateful for your willingness to share your opinions, and I assure you we have been listening. While we are still compiling all the data, we have already begun some major initiatives based on what you have told us. Below are just a few of the new projects that we are working on.

New Alumni Center

Alumni often remark how they wish there was one central location on campus where they could go for assistance, to relax and read the latest issue of The Campus, or to call a faculty member to arrange a visit. Some of you have even sent photos of alumni houses at other colleges, hoping that someday we might be able to offer our alumni something similar.

Thanks to a lead gift from Henry B. and Patricia Bush Tippie '56, Allegheny alumni will soon have their wish, with the transformation of Cochran Hall into a beautiful Alumni Center - a tangible symbol of Allegheny's renewed commitment to our alumni.

When completed, the Alumni Center will be elegant, accessible, and functional, offering a wide array of amenities and services. Members of the Alumni Council and Board of Trustees, among others, are closely involved in the design of the new center. It will be your Alumni Center.

Improved On-Line Community

Alleghenians are known for our strong desire to stay connected. To facilitate these connections, we are creating a searchable on-line directory that will allow you to build connections with fellow alumni right from your computer.

This new on-line community will let you search for alumni by a variety of criteria, including name, class year, city, state, student organization affiliation, sports team, and occupation. In addition, you will be able to create a list of alumni with whom you most want to stay in touch, and you will automatically receive an e-mail message when someone on your list makes a change to his or her record. We expect to have the redesign of our on-line community completed in 2003.

E-News

Allegheny's e-newsletter, "On the Hill," is sent three times a year and contains a variety of articles and stories about Allegheny and about alumni. We also sent several Allegheny news items via e-mail each month to alumni whom we believe will be interested in those particular stories. If you are not already receiving e-messages from the College, simply send us your e-mail address.

Young Alumni Programs

In response to a need for more programs for recent graduates, we have added seven regional Young Alumni events in six cities and a Young Alumni Reunion during Homecoming. Attendance at Young Alumni events have been fantastic, and feedback indicates that not only are these events fun, but they also provide an excellent opportunity for networking.

More to Come

We will announce other exciting programs and events in these pages as details become available. Our goal is to give Allegheny alumni something special, something that alumni of other colleges may not get. The programs and facilities I have described here are the best way we can think of to say thank you for all that you do.

So to you, "the keepers of the tradition, preferred stockholders of the enterprise, the mark of [Allegheny's] accomplishment," we say thank you for taking such an active role in the life and success of Allegheny College.

Phil Foxman can be contacted at (814) 332-5384; pfoxman@allegheny.edu