HOME | FEATURES | DEPARTMENTS | CLASS NOTES | BACK ISSUES | OHIO FRONT DOOR

 

Ralph Amos

Connecting with a unique contingent By Ralph Amos You aren't typical, are you? The more Ohio University alumni I meet, the more I realize that the nurturing environments of the Athens and regional campuses have been a draw for tens of thousands of unique and truly fascinating individuals - people who today are teaching children with special needs, acting in major motion pictures, leading huge companies, creating wonderful works of art and much, much more. I have no doubt that the knowledge and relationships you pursued here along with your degree have further enriched your life. But as unique as you are, there is plenty you have in common with other alumni, and these ties are helping to drive the programming and services offered by your Alumni Association. First, let's look at a few facts about our alumni. I think you'll find them as interesting as I do. More than half of the University's alumni graduated after 1980. The "World War II generation," consisting of classes prior to 1948, is gradually passing out of our active alumni base. "Mature" alumni, or those in the classes of 1949 through 1963, have retired or are about to retire. "Boomers," those who graduated between 1964 and 1981, now are reaching the height of their influence. Members of the classes of 1982 through 2002, or "GenXers," are becoming our primary volunteers. And the "Millennial" or "Net" generation, from the classes of 2003 and beyond, is just joining our alumni base at the student level. Almost half of Ohio University alumni live in Ohio, primarily in Columbus, Dayton, Cleveland, Akron and Cincinnati. Cities outside Ohio where more than 1,000 alumni reside are Orlando, Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., New York City, Pittsburgh and San Francisco. About 13,000 alumni live internationally, with large concentrations in Europe and Malaysia. We would never consider focusing our outreach to alumni simply to get the most bang for the buck. But it is worthwhile to consider our graduates' lives and lifestyles in deciding what programs to continue, initiate or alter and in determining what services will best meet their needs. For instance, traditional activities such as Homecoming, Sibs Weekend and chapter and society programs have served Ohio University well through the years and will continue to be a staple in our programming. However, even these events must evolve if they are to remain interesting and relevant. Some offerings may have outgrown their usefulness in serving our graduates and friends, and still others haven't even been conceived yet. Whatever direction programming and services take, our mission remains unchanged: The Alumni Association exists to connect, inform and serve the University's diverse alumni and friends through strong leadership, dynamic programs and effective communication. Our aim is to involve every graduate in the life of Ohio University. With that in mind, the association staff and board of directors have mapped out five areas on which to focus the bulk of our efforts. You'll be hearing more about these directions in future columns, but I want to share them here to give you a sense of where we're headed. Building community: We want to strengthen the association by actively encouraging and promoting the value of alumni fellowship, network development and community outreach. Scholarships: The association's goal is to establish itself as the leader in the development of student scholarships. Volunteerism, philanthropy and advocacy: We see the association as a champion of volunteerism and philanthropy in support of the University's mission and vision. Recruitment and retention: The association is an international organization that involves alumni in the recruitment and retention of students. Lifelong learning and education: We want to position the association as the premier organization supporting alumni education, development and training. We realize these are tall orders and that there are a lot of people and interests to consider as we move forward. Ultimately, our outcomes must be real, quantifiable and, as always, in support of Ohio University. Luckily, that's a cause in which we all believe. Ralph Amos is assistant vice president for alumni relations.