I am excited to report that your alumni team has been working hard to create an improved dynamic to better connect with you — our alumni and stakeholders.
During the past several months, alumni and university administration have diligently worked to create an enhanced structure that stimulates and promotes synergy among all concerned for the greater good of SFA. In short, your alumni association staff members should be able to focus on alumni engagement efforts, and the university will take on the responsibilities that are more closely related to the management of scholarship records.
What does this mean, and why is it important?
Well, I hope it means we will be able to have more meaningful programming and better alumni engagement efforts in the cities where we have the largest alumni populations. Right now, regional engagement focus will be in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and East Texas areas. This is just the beginning of this effort. Please keep in mind that the Hill Country and other important areas are on our radar.
We hope to not only host events in these regions, but we also want to have meaningful engagement that goes beyond just the connection at the event. To me, meaningful engagement means that alumni ambassadors will help us follow up with alumni event participants. It also means that it will be easier to connect with us and with other alumni using social media and our website. Meaningful engagement means a better-connected alumni association.
In addition, the new synergy that has developed throughout this process has been amazing. During my time volunteering for the SFA Alumni Association, I have never seen this level of energy, connections and collective efforts among the various SFA stakeholders. This concept might seem foreign to some alumni. SFA is SFA, right? That is right. However, SFA comprises various departments, and the alumni association itself is technically considered a separate entity. This is all to say that, although SFA is SFA, there are different parts and functions within it, and the greatest accomplishment in my time, with the help of my predecessors and successors, is that we are working as one more than ever before.
I would like to challenge you to find out more by reaching out to me or another member of the team. I’d also like to challenge you to get involved and help. It is an exciting time to be involved.
In previous letters, I focused quite a bit on Lumberjack pride. Nothing brings me more Lumberjack pride than what I have discussed in this letter. We are working hard, together, for the greater good of SFA.
Axe ’em, Jacks!
David Madrid ’02 - Bossier City, Louisiana
President, SFA Alumni Association