The Wofford Network
The Citadel hasn’t beaten Wofford in football since Nov. 12, 1998 (cue laughter). Unfortunately, The Citadel routinely beats Wofford, and just about every other college or university, in the realm of alumni networking.
To address this baffling disparity, the Alumni Executive Council (AEC) plans for the Wofford Alumni Association to tap into the loyalty of our graduates by concentrating on alumni networking for career and business development purposes. We want our section of the college’s website eventually to include a place for our fellow Terriers to post information about their businesses and services, allowing alumni to support each other and thereby strengthen “The Wofford Network.” We also want to include a more user-friendly alumni directory database and information about how to offer internships for Wofford students.
Strengthening the value of our Wofford diplomas through networking will help alumni grow professionally and in business, but it all depends on your active engagement. Please stay tuned for more information on “The Wofford Network.” Let’s set a new standard in alumni participation.
The Space to become a better alumni association
Wofford students form a lifetime bond with the college, and the alumni association aspires to keep this connection vibrant. Success in achieving this goal requires that the AEC periodically reconsider and update its vision and mission, just as the college recently did in creating its new long-term strategic vision.
During its winter meeting, the AEC participated in a vision-planning workshop facilitated by Scott Cochran ’88, dean of The Space in the Mungo Center, Wofford’s groundbreaking program designed to help students use the communication, research, problem-solving and critical thinking skills learned through studying the liberal arts to prepare for a career or graduate school, launch their own businesses or consult with existing organizations. The workshop employed The Space’s innovative approach to chart a path for the Wofford Alumni Association to reach its potential for serving the college and each other.
Complementing Cochran’s workshop was a marketing and communications session led by Annie Mitchell, Wofford’s dynamic new vice president for marketing and communications. In this workshop we identified the best approach to fulfil our mission of serving as your voice to the college and acting as a conduit of information from the college back to alumni.
It’s your alumni association, and we greatly value your input. We especially appreciate your thoughts about what you want the alumni association to offer and how Wofford alumni can better support each other and the college. To share your thoughts, please contact me at andybeeson@aol.com or contact the Office of Alumni and Parents Programs at alumni@wofford.edu.
Wofford Alumni Office changes
Wofford alumni of my generation remember Charlie Gray ’72 as the director of admission who penned our letters of acceptance, in the process earning our eternal gratitude. Gray left the Admission Office several years ago to serve as the college’s director of alumni and parents associations, which includes the AEC. While AEC members came and went, Gray was a constant presence and dedicated leader of the group.
The AEC experienced a bittersweet moment in January when Gray moved into a new role as director of continuing education. Although sorry to lose him as a regular part of our group, we were delighted to have Debbi Thompson ’88 add oversight of the alumni association to her existing duties as director of alumni and parents programs. With Thompson guiding us, we know we are in excellent hands and that the future of the alumni association is bright.
Go Terriers!
Andy Beeson ’90
President, Wofford College National Alumni Association