Alma Mater Magazine - Spring 2006
A Volunteer's Perspective
James E. Smith '66
President, Virginia Tech Alumni Association
The Virginia Tech Alumni Association is an organization that has evolved over the past several decades into a flexible, visionary organization. It is recognized as one of the best alumni organizations in the country. The structure, management processes and accomplishments of the Association are often used as models for similar organizations. With a vision for Virginia Tech that intends to move the university into a higher level of academic and research accomplishment, the Alumni Association will need to be alert for changes to the alumni profile as well as needs of the university. Let's look at what our Alumni Association is today and what will sustain its growth and capability in the future.
The role of an alumni association of any university is two-fold. It must address the needs and interests of both the association of alumni and the university. Primary reasons for the existence of an alumni association are to know and understand the interests of the alumni community and to provide programs for individuals, affinity groups and the alumni community at large. It is a portal that provides a retrospective, yet current view into the university, opening opportunities for alumni to either stay involved or re-associate themselves with their alma mater. The second, but equally important, reason is the university itself. The association must know and understand the interests and objectives of the university. It provides an avenue for the continuing education and engagement of its alumni, serving them and cultivating their support. Managing this broad and complex role is a difficult task, but the Association must accept this role to be successful.
The vision of our Alumni Association is to facilitate a beneficial, life-long relationship for alumni with the university. To accomplish this, the Association constantly must be in tune with the changing interests and diverse nature of the alumni, and also the changing structure and diverse goals of the university. As our Association has evolved during the 131 years of its existence, it has adopted different strategies and organizational structures that have enabled it to serve alumni and the university. When there were a few alumni in the 1870s, the task was fairly straight forward. Today, with over 190,000 living alumni, the task is quite different. Not surprisingly, there have been significant changes in recent decades. In earlier years, alumni paid modest dues to "Join" the Alumni Association, and mostly attended class anniversary and homecoming reunions. Today, no dues are required and an individual is automatically a member by virtue of having completed at least one semester of classes. Our affinity with the university draws us back through a wide spectrum of relationships - class interests, college interests, organizational interests, cultural interests, and many other activities to which we have some connection.
Our Alumni Association has anticipated these changes and has restructured itself both organizationally as well as philosophically. Constituency Liaison positions have been created to bring to bear the skill and competency of a dedicated Alumni staff on the interests of colleges, cultural interests and organizations. This structure has proven very successful by providing facilitation and support to directly reach specific alumni communities with programs and services designed to meet their needs.
Organizationally, the Alumni Association is an independent, non-profit corporation organized under statutes of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is managed by Tom Tillar, Virginia Tech's Vice President for Alumni Relations, and a staff of professionals. A Board of Directors comprised of 30 volunteers, elected by the alumni community at large, is responsible for oversight. Funding comes from both internal and external private sources, and many of the constituency programs enjoy the shared staffing with other units. The Board of Directors, during its term for 2005-06, has activated several initiatives that are well aligned with the dual role of the Association and its responsibility for service to alumni and the university. Included are 1) Partnership with the university on matters of Multi-cultural interests; 2) Initiative on Sportsmanship and partnership with a university task force on this topic; and 3) Increased emphasis by the Board of Directors on service through
Alumni Chapters.
In addition, our Board is undertaking a review of the Mission and Strategic Plan for the Association. It is the Board's obligation to provide the broad guidance that will empower the Association to keep pace with the needs of the university and its growing alumni number in the foreseeable future.
I would add one more point on behalf of our Board of Directors and Alumni staff. This is in relation to sportsmanship, a growing concern on our campus, and also throughout the ACC and broader world of intercollegiate athletics. We all enjoy the thrill and pride when our teams do well; we share in the disconsolate loss when they lose. Sometimes the pride or disappointment shows itself in unfortunate ways... verbal abuse and disrespect to others. As Hokies, our center of existence is the campus War Memorial and its eight pylons representing our common values. It is intrinsic in our heritage that sportsmanship, civility, leadership and service are a part of who we are. Anything short of this standard has the potential to bring great discredit to Virginia Tech and us as individuals. We must stay on the high road. As alumni, whether young or old, it is our responsibility to lead, to be respectful of others, and to set the proper example. We should welcome visitors to our campus as we would to our homes.
As I conclude my term in the coming months, I wish to express my pride and pleasure in being able to serve as president of the Alumni Association. It has been a true privilege. For the future, I see a proud Hokie Nation served by a modern and progressive Alumni Association.