Hi Everyone - I'm back from a few days vacation. I spent yesterday writing Bulldog Bytes - you should have received it last night in your inbox.
Today is the event in Midland with the Great Lakes Loons. We sold out very early for this event, as we expected to. I hope you are the lucky holder of a ticket! The phone rang off the hook, and unfortunately, we had to disappoint quite a few folks.
If you are joining us, we look forward to seeing you! Brutus will be hanging out with us, so watch for him. And I mean watch, because he is prone to mischief. And come hungry! We'll have a wonderful meal waiting for you, and plenty of opportunity to network with fellow alumni.
Play Ball!
Today is "jeans" day! Every Friday during the summer semester, we get to wear jeans! Of course that means it's the day we reserve for cleaning or other jobs that can be messy. So that's what many of us are up to today.
We also have new board member orientation going on for the Foundation Board today. John Engleman, one of our former alumni board members has recently been appointed to the Foundation. This is a great honor, and we are thrilled for him! He just visited me a few minutes ago, and I brought him up to speed with the technology efforts that are ongoing with the alumni office.
We're working to update records as much as possible, including email addresses. Please be sure to keep your information updated, and encourage your classmates as well. This is how we focus much of our communications these days, as postal costs are rising and our budget is shrinking. Save trees, and help us go green with our communications!
We are also working on formatting Bulldog Bytes to display better on mobile devices. We're already there with iPod, iPhone and iTouch, but still need work with other devices. Got any advice - let us know!
If you feel like cleaning, come and help us out! :-)
PAWS
Thursday, June 24 2010 04:05:25 PM
I am working with Angie Mishler this afternoon, who is one of our admissions representatives for Ferris. We have worked for years with alumni who live out of state and help us recruit prospective students for Ferris. We recently changed the name of our program to PAWS (Parents & Alumni Working with Students). Recently, Ferris expanded the Great Lakes Scholarship opportunity to include many more states. We are developing strategies for expanding our alumni network in these states. If your state is on the list, we want you! Check out more information here:
http://www.ferris.edu/admissions/financialaid/scholarships.htmlVisit the PAWS page by clicking on"Communities" on the left menu.
Hi Everyone,
It's been busy at the alumni office. We are trying to obtain another block of tickets for the Midland event on July 8. Stay tuned, but as of right now, we are sold out.
Sales are also brisk for the Michigan's Adventure event on July 24. Similar to last year's Detroit Zoo event, we wanted a family friendly and economical event to offer for our alumni. We were on the east side last year, so this time the west side gets a turn. $20 gets you admission to the park, including the water park, lunch and children's activities with Brutus the Bulldog Mascot. Be sure to bring your cameras!
Other events this week included a visit with Julie Coon and Migemini Sammons (AH'07), who are interested in a Nursing Alumni Online Community. Over the next few months, I will be working with them to launch their site. If you are a nursing alumni, stay tuned for details!
In the past 2 days, I have sent information to 5 different Farm Bureau agents confirming membership for alumni. If you belong to the FSU Alumni Association via the Online Community, you qualify for a discount! Ask your agent for details, the contact the alumni office to arrange for confirmation of your membership.
Hi Everyone,
Today, I collecting news and information for Bulldog Bytes from across campus. Some highlights will include upcoming events, including Dawg Day at the Detroit Zoo on June 27 and the MIS event in August. Also upcoming is another in the popular estate planning series. Alumnnus
Scott A. Schropp (COB '84) will be presenting on June 18 in Big Rapids.
Visit this link for more informationAlso, there is an opportunity for Traverse City alumni to be in the Cherry Festival Parade in July. More details in Bulldog Bytes. Plus, Brutus will make another appearance in the parade.
I am also working with several programs to help them develop their own online community. I have started working with surveying engineering, so stay tuned for content there. I am working with Professional Tennis Management on an ongoing basis to help them enhance their content. If you would like to see your program represented with an online community, please let me know.
Bulldog Bytes is out next Wednesday, so look for it in your inbox!
Mary Kay
I haven't been very good at keeping up this blog! Sorry - we're just going 100 miles an hour here all the time!
I'm taking a few moments out from our preparations for Spring Reunion tonight to congratulate the Class of 2009 as they walk across the stage this weekend at Commencement. We have 5 ceremonies beginning Friday afternoon, with over 1700 graduates receiving their degrees! Commencement is always a special time, and we enjoy welcoming the families of graduates to the campus.
In other news, watch for Bulldog Bytes next week. With so much going on, we decided to delay publication until we have more details of upcoming events. Look for information about our Detroit Zoo trip, a plastics and rubber reunion in Chicago, the Traverse City Cherry Festival and the social work picnic in July. More events are currently in the que, so stay tuned!
Please spread the word about the Online Community. The more graduates who join, the stronger our community will be. If you know of job openings at your company, please be sure to post them on the Online Community by going to your profile and clicking on the "My Activities" tab. There is a tab for adding jobs there.
We also are working very hard to get everyone who has an @ferrisalumni.org email a new address. Our vendor will cease operations for the old alumni email system on July 1, so stay tuned for information on your new account.
I hope everyone has a great weekend, and remember to wish your mother a happy Mother's Day this Sunday!
Go Dawgs!
Mary Kay
There were several reunion events this past weekend. I should have some photos to post soon.
I've had a nice email conversation with Dawan Wallace (A&S'06), who has been recently appointed to the Alumni Association Board of Directors. I am looking forward to meeting him!
We're busy planning the groundbreaking ceremony for the new MCO building on May 8. Stay tuned for information!
Ferris is on Twitter! Search for us!
And both ospreys have been on the nest today!
Check out the Osprey Cam!
Watch your inbox for Bulldog Bytes tomorrow!
There is information on the upcoming golf outings (I know, hard to believe we are thinking golf with a foot of snow on the ground) and our favorite event - Spring Reuion!
There is also a fun photo wrap-up for the hockey tailgate, and an invitation to the Hospitality fundraiser later this month.
I have been working on this all day, so be sure to read it when it arrives!
Thanks!
Some of you may not know yet, but Ferris State University will celebrate 125 years beginning Founders' Day 2009, which is September 3. Begin your Labor Day vacation early with a trip to Big Rapids!
We are in the planning stages, and we have some great ideas!
We are going for the record for how many Founders' Day visitors we have, so please put this on your calendar and join in the festivities. There will be plenty of commemorative goodies to swoop up, and the official 125th Coffee Table Book will be released that day. There will be lots of VIPs present for autographs. I will post information soon on this site for those who wish to order a copy.
If you have any ideas, be sure to let me know!
maciverm@ferris.edu