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President's Corner

Annual Report Auburn Alumni Association 2007-08 Annual Report (PDF)

 

Membership Matters

As President of the Auburn Alumni Association Board of Directors, I would like to personally invite you to join our association. Membership is the best way to stay connected to your alma mater and show support of the programs, services and spirit of Auburn University. Through membership you’ll get valuable communication from Auburn and from the Auburn Alumni Association…that is the key. Aside from that, we offer many benefits to our members. Did you Know that the Auburn Alumni Association raises money for student scholarships? Find out more about scholarships. Join the association in support of Auburn University. On behalf of our Board of Directors, thank you for your interest in Auburn.

Alumni board president pledges support for student recruitment, scholarships

Nancy Young Fortner ’71 of Brownsboro, president of the Auburn Alumni Association (pictured above) retired in July after 38 years as an elementary and middle-school teacher, and later a high-school guidance counselor and administrator, for Huntsville City Schools. She is also an adjunct professor at Alabama A&M University and a trainer and consultant for schools and community agencies in the areas of leadership development, team building, mentoring, workplace wellness, emotional-crisis management, facilitation skills, and comprehensive/developmental school counseling and guidance programs.  

Q. What is the role of the Auburn Alumni Association in the life of the university and as it relates to the university’s new strategic plan?

A. The alumni association is committed to helping mobilize our alumni to assist the Office of Undergraduate Recruitment in representing Auburn University at high-school award programs, using a Web-based approach to initiate connections with alumni residing internationally, continuing to support student scholarships, displaying a close affinity with Auburn … and continuing to support Auburn’s diversity initiatives. Debbie Shaw, our executive director and vice president for alumni affairs, has been named a member of the university’s Strategy Review Council for measuring progress toward the strategic plan’s goals. 

Q. What are some immediate opportunities and challenges for the Auburn Alumni Association?

A. Revenue collections in Alabama are down, and Auburn’s tuition was raised by 12 percent this year. With state contributions declining, the revenue stream of continued giving to Auburn is crucial. “It Begins at Auburn,” our recent capital campaign, was a tremendous success, surpassing the goal of $500 million and raising a record $609 million. The university endowment supporting scholarships and professorships increased, but is still well below the majority of other Southeastern Conference universities. Auburn Alumni Association members give at a higher rate and level than non-members; growing memberships in preparation for the next campaign is an immediate opportunity and challenge.

Our club network of 97 alumni clubs is the grassroots connection and lifeblood of the Auburn Alumni Association. Addressing incremental growth of the alumni association and club membership while providing benefits to alumni clubs through new strategies for speaker and club-meeting support is being addressed by our board.

Finally, the alumni association must continue to look at operating costs while balancing the need to build our scholarship endowment, with the goal of providing increased services and benefits for all alumni association members. 

Q. What is your vision for the association? How do you plan to implement that vision?

A. Last year, the association developed a strategic plan that affirmed our mission, vision and goals. As a result, the board committee structure was reorganized to promote focus and efficiency. My vision for the alumni association mirrors our vision statement: “The Auburn Alumni Association cultivates lifelong relationships between Auburn and its alumni and friends to support the advancement of our university.”

Through participatory leadership, I plan to work for our board to continue to address the mission and vision of the association and with the alumni affairs staff as they continue the operation of the association. Continued cooperation and collaboration in relationship-building is essential between all stakeholders—alumni, administration, board of trustees—mindful that we should always do what is best for Auburn regardless of our individual or group perspective. Meeting and listening to alumni and friends will be a priority to represent their voices as a liaison to our university. 

Q. As the cost of a college education continues to increase, what can the alumni association do to ensure that Auburn continues to be a financially viable choice for in-state and out-of-state students, particularly the children of alumni?

A. What can the alumni association do to assist in keeping our best and brightest in-state students and to also attract children of alumni? One word: scholarships. 

The alumni association has a goal of increasing student scholarships and this year contributed $325,000 to its endowed scholarship fund. Our alumni clubs work tirelessly raising scholarship funds for students in their communities. For 2008-09, the Auburn Alumni Association Scholars Program provided 49 scholarships to both in- and out-of-state students (roughly an even split) whose parents or guardians are life members of the association. Alumni have the opportunity to continue to support local alumni club scholarship efforts and to contribute to the Circle of Excellence Society for life members. Circle of Excellence contributions go directly toward the alumni scholars program.

Students are the future of Auburn. We are turning the corner for parent, student and high-school recognition that Auburn values scholarships for our future students and alumni.