Thank you, fellow alumni
In light of the tragic events of last Sept. 11, the importance of community is clearer than ever. Over the last few months it was hugely satisfying to see the ways in which all of us came together to make our alumni community even stronger. In December many of us gathered to watch our men’s basketball team triumph in the Grand Canyon University Classic tourney in Phoenix. Distinguished Alumnus Roger Card regaled us with adventure stories and gave us a virtual tour of the Card Wildlife Education Center at our annual luncheon in Florida. We cheered on our Bulldog Hockey Team at Kalamazoo and East Lansing early this spring. We even shared an evening of culture and “taste” at a performance of Sweeney Todd in Grand Rapids. It was an incredible winter and spring.
This summer and fall promise to be equally exciting. We hope to see you at our golf outing and family day at the Double JJ Resort in Rothbury, Mich., on June 14. Detailed information about Homecoming, scheduled for Oct. 10-12, will be coming to you in August. I promise three things: a great entertainer, a football victory and an awesome dance reception for all alumni and students.
Now, for the second installment of my series, “Off The Porch.” I was fortunate to have the opportunity to experience the golf industry first-hand by tagging along with several Professional Golf Management Alumni at the Annual Professional Golf Association Trade Show in Orlando, Fla.
Trust me, you just don’t know golf until you’ve strolled through more than two million square feet of it, from apparel, equipment, carts, signage and memorabilia, to consultants ready to help you build your own course or better yet, your own golf community. The PGA Trade Show has it all.
Who is the show’s target market? People like Winn Moore (B’78). Winn is head golf professional for Duck Lake Country Club in Albion, Mich., and president of the PGM Alumni Association. As Winn showed me around (it took a day to see it all), it quickly became apparent that the golf industry long ago transcended being simply a game and has established itself as a lifestyle choice woven throughout our society and economy.
Each year, several of our PGM students and their instructors have the opportunity to travel to the show to showcase our program. Founded in 1975, our PGM program is the oldest in the nation. As a result, the students who attend also have the opportunity to connect with hundreds of PGM alumni who attend the show. I want to thank our alumni, program director Matt Pinter and his faculty, staff and current students, for the opportunity to experience the “inside” world of golf. Ferris was the first, and is still widely cited as the best, PGM program in the nation.
I again extend this invitation: If you have a fascinating job, career or avocation, perhaps I could visit, learn about what you do and tell our Ferris community all about it.
Best wishes to you all. I look forward to visiting with many of you soon.

Sincerely,

Jeremy J. Mishler, E’96