Connie O’Neill
Recent feedback from focus groups has enabled alumni leaders to establish new goals that focus on alumni priorities and interests.
"We want to offer quality programs our alumni want to be involved in, and we want to cultivate that sense of family. Our constituency is broad-based in age and interests," says 2007-09 Alumni Board chair Connie Blass O’Neill (’77). "We want to engage all alumni – from the nonprofit and business worlds to stay-at-home parents and retirees."
To address those interests, the Alumni Board created and appointed four new committees and chairs: Campus Outreach, Jennifer Cronin (’94); Travel and Education, Andrea Zafer (’89); Regional Outreach, Bill Vanderstraaten (’82); and Networking, Stewart Henderson (’81).
"The Alumni Board is energized and forward-thinking," O’Neill says. "Members are from different regions of the country as well as the Dallas area, and range from the classes of 1957 to 2006."
The board’s major objectives include making alumni and their families feel welcome on campus and at regional events. For example, popular Dallas restaurants provided free food at the alumni tent at festivities on the Boulevard before home football games. Last May, a reception honored seniors and their alumni parents at graduation. In addition, parties are being held for young alumni after SMU events across the country.
Another objective has been the creation of an online community – The Online Alumni Directory at smu.edu/alumni. The site also links to SMU news, regional events, calendars, photos and class reunion information.
For more information, contact O’Neill at boardchair@smualumni.smu.edu or the Office of Alumni Relations at 214-768-2586 or smualum@smu.edu.