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Greetings from Jeff Elman, Interim Dean
During the summer following my high school graduation, I was surprised to receive a letter from the college I was going to attend in the fall, welcoming me as a member of their Alumni Association. At first, I thought it must be a mistake since I hadn’t even set foot on the campus, much less graduated. Then I read the letter: “You will be a student here for 4-5 years, but an alumnus the rest of your life.” Initially, I was taken aback. As a high school senior, my focus had been on getting into college, not on the rest of my life. But the letter made sense, and the attitude the school was conveying—that I was embarking on a life long association with them—stayed with me to this day.
This is the kind of alumnus engagement I hope UCSD can achieve someday, and it’s one of my goals as Dean to help make this happen within the Social Sciences. We realize this is a long-term enterprise, and it really needs to start while the alum is still a student. We’re playing catch up with our alumni efforts, but it is paying off. More often than not, the feedback I get from alumni is they are pleased to be contacted by their alma mater and wish they had a stronger connection.
Our goal is to create a lifelong relationship that is meaningful to both the alum and UCSD. It’s not just about fundraising. Our alumni have expertise, experience, ability to mentor and guide current students. All of this can be of enormous help to us in our mission. And we also believe that UCSD can play a valuable role in the lives of our students long after they have graduated. There are opportunities for continuing education, keeping abreast of the latest research in social sciences, networking with other alumni, and becoming involved with university led initiatives that are of special interest to you. There are many reasons for you and UCSD to remain partners all your life.
To assist us in these efforts, the UCSD Alumni Association recently created a team of alumni relations professionals for each of the academic divisions on campus. We are excited about participating in that program, and look forward to developing new ways to reestablish contact with alums. If you have any suggestions for alumni activities you would like to see us initiate, please contact Michelle Glenn at mglenn@ucsd.edu.
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