|
From Student to Alum; Your Student's Journey
By Nate McIntyre '00 , Dir. of Alumni Relations
In the alumni office we talk a lot about how people are students for a few years but are George Fox alumni for the rest of their life. I'm not sure if students realize that fact while they are here because they are so wrapped up in being a college student. That is a good thing. They should enjoy these years and get the most out of them in all aspects, socially, academically and spiritually. But "alumnihood" like most of life's "hoods" parenthood, etc., will be here before they know it.
It is our sincere hope that this educational process will prepare your student for whatever is next in life. But just like your role as a parent continues despite life's changes, we hope that George Fox University's involvement in their life will continue as well. We hope to be an ongoing resource in many aspects of your children's lives. We take this role seriously and contrary to popular belief it is not just about raising money. If we can keep alumni connected, it strengthens the George Fox community which in turn strengthens the university.
Our efforts to connect students to the idea of being alumni start when they are freshman through our Student Alumni Council (SAC). SAC is a group of students who plan an event for each class every year to build class spirit and raise the student's awareness of the Alumni Association. Some event highlights include the Freshman Mystery Bus Tour, Junior Murder Mystery Dinner and Senior Salute. Each of these events is intended to meet a specific need based on where they are at in the college experience. For example, Senior Salute offers students a chance to hear from different presenters on topics related to life after graduation. "Recovering from George Fox", "How to Buy a Car", "Job Search 101" are just a few examples.
Once your student graduates our role and their connection to the University changes, but we hope they will desire to remain a part of this community. To facilitate and encourage this connection the Alumni Association plans various activities throughout the years and offers a slate of ongoing benefits that we hope fill a need in their life and foster continued affinity to the school. Here are a few of my favorites:
Homecoming, class and affinity reunions, tuition free course auditing, career networking, résumé, job referral services, and personal consultations through our Office of Career Services, access to Bruindata, our online community and our bi-monthly e-mail newsletter, "E-Bruin."
We hope that your student will desire to stay connected to George Fox after they graduate. A connection to their Alma Mater will continue to benefit them in their personal life and career. You can help foster this desire now by encouraging them to take advantage of the activities and resources we offer them as students so they can see before graduation that being a George Fox Alumnus for life is something to get excited about and be proud of.
Back to Perspectives
|
