A Message for Alumni

Chancellor Ruth Person wrote the following article recently for Messenger, IU Kokomo's publication for alumni, friends, and the university community.

This year we celebrate two very important milestones for alumni-the 150th birthday of IUAA and the 30th birthday of the IU Kokomo Alumni Association. If you stop and think for a minute, the sheer number of IU alumni across the state and nation and the number of IU Kokomo alumni in north central Indiana is one of the greatest strengths of the university. These alumni represent all that is good about IU as they work and serve their communities.

One of the best things about being Chancellor is meeting the successful graduates of our university. Throughout north central Indiana and beyond, I meet individuals who are teachers, nurses, lawyers, doctors, managers, accountants and representatives of many other occupations who received a degree from IU Kokomo. Regardless of when they left the campus with a diploma in hand, each of them has a story to tell about their experiences here and their success as a result of those experiences. In carrying out job and civic responsibilities, alumni draw on what they learned in earning a college degree. They demonstrate for all to see what value their education has for them and they truly represent the university in their communities.

We are proud of our alumni and want to serve them well. My choices for the top ten things we can do for you as alumni are:

1. Maintain and enhance the value of the IU Kokomo degree that you hold.


2. Keep you informed about new developments on campus so that you will be connected to your alma mater. Alumni receive our magazine Messenger twice a year. Members of the alumni association receive the IU Alumni magazine. Alumni may receive our monthly newsletter Bridges upon request and may also sign up for the monthly IUAA Newsletter.


3. Provide educational opportunities such as travel tours, workshops, and cultural programs. Our yearly Stratford theater tour is one example of such programs.


4. Serve as a resource for local communities where you reside. For example, we have many wonderful campus speakers who would be pleased to make presentations if asked by an alumnus.


5. Honor your success through awards programs. Each year a recipient is selected for a distinguished alumni award and honored at commencement.


6. Keep you connected with other graduates through publications and events. Our alumni association sponsors numerous fun activities where graduates can maintain contact with one another. IUAA members have access to the IU Alumni Online Directory. In addition, you can sign up for a lifetime IU alumni e-mail forwarding address.


7. Offer special scholarships to children of IUAA members who enroll at IU Kokomo.


8. Offer discounts to IUAA members on IU merchandise, hotels, rental cars, insurance, and interstate moving.


9. Offer access to the IU Alumni Online Career Center to IUAA members.


10. Invite you to participate in our many wonderful campus events that are held throughout the year.

In turn, we need your help as alumni. Here are my top ten things you can do for us:

1. Tell a prospective student about your positive experiences at IU Kokomo. Students can learn a lot about a campus from literature and visitations, but there's no substitute for the "real story" from a successful graduate.


2. Provide an internship or mentorship experience for a current student. Classroom learning is critical to student success, but applied learning experiences can be extremely helpful to students as well.


3. Participate in alumni activities. Not only does your attendance help us, but it's a great way for you to "network" and make new contacts.


4. Endow a scholarship by naming it for someone you wish to honor. It's a lot easier than you might think and not nearly as costly as most imagine!


5. Tell us about your success so that we may share it with others. We are always looking for "testimonials" to use in our publications and communications.


6. Tell us about your fellow alumni whom you believe are deserving of recognition. Each year the alumni select a person to be honored, and we value input to this process.


7. Volunteer to host an alumni event in your community. For example, last year our Wabash alums gathered at the home of Richard Ford for a wonderful evening of music, good food, and companionship. The energy of the gathering generated great enthusiasm. That kind of synergy is contagious!


8. Let a current student who is exploring career options "job shadow" you. Many students major in "undecided" and are unsure of which career to choose. You can help in the career choice process by demonstrating the positive aspects of your own career.


9. Tell our state legislators about the benefits of your college education. I can and do deliver that message constantly, but it means far more if it comes from an actual beneficiary of the experience.


10. Let us know what we can do for you and your community. We are always looking for ideas as to how we can recruit more students and develop new academic programs to serve north central Indiana.

Together we can take your university to new levels of excellence and serve you as our successful graduates.

Keep in touch!