Your Students are 'Alumni in Residence'
By Nate McIntyre '00, Director of Alumni Relations
Most students don't realize they are George Fox University alumni after only one year as full-time students. We like to call them "alumni in residence." Being George Fox alumni means many different things to many different people, but here is a snippet of what we hope it means.
· A Mutual Feeling of Accomplishment, Connectedness and Pride. Students (and parents) invest a lot in their education and experience a lot together. That is something that bonds them together as alumni. Once they become alumni, they join an elite group of more than 17,000 people who are connected to George Fox. As I'm sure you are aware, people work hard for the George Fox diploma, and they are proud of it. It is a valuable diploma that can hold its weight anywhere.
· A Chance to Give Back. Most George Fox students have a great experience and many want to give back to the university to help others enjoy the same experience. They can spread the word about their experience and encourage others to attend. They can volunteer their time at alumni events or other activities that help advance the university.
· A Chance to Continue to Benefit from the University. The alumni association offers several benefits and programs to assist alumni and help keep them connected to the university. Here are just a few: A free subscription to the alumni magazine, Journal; activities and events such as homecoming; continued access to the services offered through the Office of Career Services; library privileges; continued access to Bruindata and its online alumni directory; and tuition-free course auditing. To see a complete list of alumni benefits, visit alumni.georgefox.edu.
In a nutshell, the goal of the George Fox Alumni Association is to keep alumni connected to the university and to each other for the purpose of advancing the mission of the university. The chance to take advantage of the various alumni benefits we offer doesn't have to wait until after graduation. Please encourage your student to participate in the activities and events planned by our Student Alumni Council (SAC) such as the Career Networking Dessert, the Junior Murder Mystery Dinner, and Senior Salute. These are ways they can invest in the George Fox community while they are students. That investment and involvement enriches their student experience, better connects them to a community that can continue to support them, and makes them more aware of what the alumni association offers once they are in the "real world."
