From Your President

“Connected for life.” It’s a simple concept but not a simple task. What makes a good alumnus or alumna and who is responsible for “creating” good alumni?

These are the questions the Alumni Board often ponders and that make for interesting and compelling discussions. And thanks to some creative and hard-working Board members, alumni, and the Alumni Relations staff, we are making progress in ways I have not seen since I graduated in 1991.

One solution we have is centered on partnerships. Developing meaningful partnerships with faculty, athletics, career services, and other campus groups ensures they know how important “connected for life” is to the overall mission of our Board and, indeed, Rollins.

Another solution focuses on students. The Alumni Board believes there is a life cycle that begins, in fact, the moment a student applies to Rollins. Each phase of their journey—admission, orientation, the four-year student experience, the transition to young alumni, and then alumni—is an important phase of the journey. With well-defined strategies, we can strengthen the connections while students are at Rollins, so they’ll remain engaged after they graduate.

With that said, I’d like to welcome the Class of 2012 as the newest members of our alumni family. I wish each and every one of you great success in your future endeavors. On behalf of the Alumni Board, I invite you—and all alumni—to stay connected for life.


Fiat Lux,

Sam Stark ’91
President, Rollins Alumni Association