There are more than 100,000 SFA alumni working and living in Texas, across the country and all over the world. Wherever you are, we want you to be connected to your university. Your connection can start with the Alumni Association. If you are not connected, it’s time.

I mentioned in my previous letter that the university is in the midst of a comprehensive strategic plan. You play a role. “Increasing Connections with Alumni” is a critical component of the strategic plan. Within this component are approaches to reconnect with our SFA alumni, engage our alumni through networks close to where our alumni live and work, and make lifelong Lumberjacks who carry their Lumberjack Pride throughout their communities. This means you. We want you to be connected to SFA and the Alumni Association. We want you to be engaged. We want you to be a lifelong Lumberjack.

Lumberjack Network events are one way the Alumni Association is working to increase connections with our alumni and friends. The Alumni Association launched the Lumberjack Network in fall 2015. During the past year, the Alumni Association has hosted Lumberjack Network breakfasts in Dallas, Houston and The Woodlands. These events will continue in those same cities throughout 2016 and 2017, and new opportunities are on the horizon for Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth.

We know many of our alumni are not able to attend a network breakfast during the workweek. Therefore, the Alumni Association team attended educator conferences in 2016 such as the Texas Elementary Principal and Supervisors conference and the Texas Music Educators Association convention. Our team will continue to participate in these events, as well as other similar professional events, to further engage SFA alumni. If your profession has an annual conference with groups of SFA alumni in attendance, please let us know!

Raise the Flag is another important and fun initiative the Alumni Association is launching in 2016. We want you to raise your SFA flag to show your friends and neighbors your Lumberjack Pride. As part of the Raise the Flag campaign, if you are a current member of the Alumni Association, you will have the opportunity to purchase a newly designed SFA flag for your home. If you join the Alumni Association as a new member, you will receive the flag as part of your new membership.

Be on the lookout for more information on the Raise the Flag campaign at www.sfaalumni.com and on SFA’s social media. “Like” the SFA Alumni Association on Facebook, and follow SFA Alumni on Twitter for Raise the Flag and other Alumni Association news.

It’s time, Lumberjacks. It’s time to be connected to your university. It’s time to be part of an engaged alumni network. It’s time to raise your SFA flag. It’s time to show your Lumberjack Pride.

Axe ’em, Jacks!

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Karen Gregory Gantt '95 - McKinney, Texas
President, SFA Alumni Association