Dawn Dempsey was recently appointed for a three-year term on the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education Commission on Alumni Relations. The commission supports the creation and dissemination of knowledge in the advancement disciplines, frames and directs research for examination and evaluation of professional practices, and develops and monitors programs and services.

From the
Alumni Director

Since this issue of Crimson & Gold addresses the concept of "being a good neighbor," I thought it especially relevant to augment those articles highlighting students as good neighbors and to talk a little about what our alumni are doing.

Volunteerism holds different levels of responsibility for different individuals, as is nicely illustrated in the old story of the chicken and the pig who read a sign posted outside of a church, "Volunteers needed for our annual fundraising ham and egg breakfast." The chicken turned to the pig and suggested they sign up to support the cause. The pig refused, squealing, "For you, it's a contribution. For me, itŐs total commitment!"

Many of our alumni are in leadership positions with community service organizations such as Rotary, Shriners, Lions, etc. Perhaps you are a member or an officer in your local Chamber of Commerce, the organization which supports your local business community. Each of these worthwhile organizations promotes not only the individual, but also the well-being of our local communities.

Alumni serve and support Ferris State University in a myriad of ways. We currently have 90-plus volunteers helping us recruit new students to the University. If we included all those alumni who have provided a prospective student with an alumni fee waiver card, the numbers would swell to over 600! Our alumni's strong dedication to their academic programs and their appreciation for the start that Ferris provided them makes it an easy task to serve as University spokespersons.

Alumni volunteer to serve as career mentors for our current students as part of the new Career Connections program. Read "Students + Alumni = Career Connections" in this issue to learn how alumnus Paul VanWagner (T'96) hosted plastics technology student Kristy Powell at GHSP, Inc. in Grand Haven. Kristy job-shadowed Paul for a day to learn about life in the "real world" as part of a prize she won at the annual Career Services Job Fair. Both Kristy and Paul had a great experience and felt that more students and alumni should be involved in projects such as this.

Alumnus Joe Pistrui took time from his demanding schedule in Spain to participate in an online chat session with students, sharing his observations and experiences with the lifestyle dynamics that drive the climate of doing business globally. (See "A Quick and Lasting Recovery" in this issue.)

Many of our alumni are leading the way for various "clubs" around the state and the country. Many serve on various University advisory committees and boards while others speak to legislators and business and industry leaders on our behalf.

There are so many other alumni/ae who are volunteering their services to the University - too many to begin to mention personally! We - the University and the Alumni Association - are grateful for the support that all of you give. And fortunately, sharing your time and talents is extremely rewarding. If you've not tried it, consider committing a couple of hours per month, and see what a difference it makes in furthering our University's mission. You'll feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction from a job well done.

Dawn Dempsey ('78)