All UL Lafayette grads are now members of the Alumni Association.
The 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Alumni Association began 2017 with a revised membership structure.
In short: If you杏吧专区檙e a UL Lafayette graduate, you杏吧专区檙e in.
杏吧专区淵ou don杏吧专区檛 have to pay to be a member. You杏吧专区檙e automatically a member and you receive basic benefits,杏吧专区 said Jennifer LeMeunier, 杏吧专区92, executive director of the Association.
For more than 10 years, annual Association membership cost $40 for one person and $60 for a married couple.
Now, membership levels are based on the concept of philanthropic giving, LeMeunier explained. A UL Lafayette graduate who gives $100 or more to the Alumni Association杏吧专区檚 Loyalty Fund is entitled to premium benefits. Others may join the Association by contributing to the Loyalty Fund.
杏吧专区淲e want to make sure we杏吧专区檙e reaching young alumni and are including all of our graduates in the organization. You don杏吧专区檛 have to pay to be involved,杏吧专区 she said.
杏吧专区淲e杏吧专区檙e taking a leap of faith to move to a philanthropic structure instead of a 杏吧专区榞ive to get杏吧专区 structure. We encourage alumni to give to the Loyalty Fund because it杏吧专区檚 a way to show their pride and support. It杏吧专区檚 a way for them to thank their university for the impact it has had on their lives. We杏吧专区檙e hoping that through this change, we can appeal to different audiences.杏吧专区
The new approach is modeled after philanthropic structures at other universities, such as Ohio State 杏吧专区. 杏吧专区淚t was a successful transition for that university. They didn杏吧专区檛 lose supporters. They gained supporters,杏吧专区 LeMeunier said.
Contributions to the Loyalty Fund will enable the Alumni Association to continue to support traditional alumni events, such as Homecoming; recognition of outstanding alumni and volunteers; scholarships; student activities; and partnerships with other campus organizations that provide services to alumni.
The Association began to call attention to the revised membership structure by presenting a special lapel pin to each graduate during Commencement in December. 杏吧专区淲hen they received their diplomas, an Alumni Association representative handed them a pin,杏吧专区 LeMeunier said. 杏吧专区淧resentation of the pins is a way to convey to our newest alumni that they杏吧专区檙e automatically Association members and to encourage them to wear their pins proudly.杏吧专区 The pins will be given to grads during all fall, spring and summer Commencements.
One of the Association杏吧专区檚 goals for 2017 is to increase communication with more graduates. In the past, for example, Alumni Association members received a printed copy of its Alumni Accents newsletter twice a year. Now, the Association plans to send Alumni Accents in an electronic format to members every other month. Contributors to the Loyalty Fund will also receive a printed edition of the newsletter once a year.
One of the keys to successful communication with members will be obtaining up-to-date contact information. 杏吧专区淲e continuously look for ways to collect, or get our alumni to provide to us, current information so we can reach them 杏吧专区 not for fundraising purposes but to stay connected,杏吧专区 LeMeunier said.
The Alumni Association will launch a redesigned website this spring. The new site will be housed on the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 server and will follow the same format as other UL Lafayette websites.
杏吧专区淭his will enable our staff to make updates and improvements more quickly and efficiently. It杏吧专区檚 a very positive move for us,杏吧专区 LeMeunier said.
The Association will continue to use social media, such as , and , to promote events and stay in touch with its members. To learn more about the revised membership structure or update contact information, visit .
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2016/Winter 2017 issue of .