In my role as director of alumni relations, I am tasked with the role of establishing and enhancing opportunities for nearly 20,000 George Fox alumni to stay connected with the university. It is an incredible job in which I find a great deal of personal satisfaction. Since arriving two years ago, however, one thing has consistently nagged at me: how do we serve alumni of our various graduate programs? Largely due to our small staff, Alumni Relations has long focused the majority of its efforts on alumni of the traditional undergraduate program. Now, after significant discussion by the Alumni Board, Alumni Relations team, and numerous faculty members, momentum is building, with this e-newsletter being the first outcome.
Much of the credit for the creation of the School of Education eNews goes to new Dean Linda Samek. Since arriving at George Fox in summer 2008, she has shared her vision for reconnecting alumni to the School of Education and the incredible ways that it continues to train students to impact the world. This desire led to the wonderful partnership with Alumni Relations ultimately resulting in this new communication tool. I am so thankful for the leadership that Dr. Samek has given to this project, as a well as the numerous faculty members that contributed to it.
I believe that this newsletter is foundational to an ongoing connection between you and your alma mater. Regardless of the program that you graduated from, or even the location that you attended classes, it is my hope that in this newsletter you will find interesting information about School of Education programs, upcoming events, faculty news, and other key university announcements. Hopefully, you will also discover a variety of opportunities to reengage with your former faculty members and classmates, and other ways to reconnect with and support the School of Education and university.
As a current student in the George Fox EdD Program, I have experienced first hand the impact that our alumni can have on. This past summer, members of my cohort relished the few chances that we had to engage with alumni of our program. They were a source of encouragement, helpful insight, and proof that we could make it through!
I encourage you to reconnect with George Fox: read this newsletter, send an email to a favorite faculty member, attend an event, or find some other way to get involved.
Merry Christmas!
Robby Larson
Director of Alumni Relations
rlarson@georgefox.edu