![Alumna Ann Laatsch '88]()
Greetings, Pio friends!
Because the Alumni Council just completed a year-long strategic planning process, I’d like to use this month’s column to take a look back at the Council’s history, and a look ahead at its future.
Founded on August 23, 1881, the Carroll College Alumni Association (now Alumni Council) was created to keep alumni meaningfully engaged with the institution, and to enhance and advance Carroll’s mission. Over the course of its 140 years, the Alumni Council has continued to support the mission, goals, and strategic direction of the University; represent the voice of the 23,000+ alumni community in the alumni engagement planning process; and serve in an active capacity to support the Office of Alumni Engagement and the Division of Institutional Advancement.
Activities of the Alumni Council include Informing, involving, and serving the alumni community throughout their lifelong relationship with the University; serving as ambassadors for Carroll University, working to increase the university’s visibility and reputation among alumni and the wider community; facilitating the exchange of ideas between alumni and Carroll University; and selecting Distinguished Alumni and Graduate Of the Last Decade Award Recipients.
By developing, executing, and continuously updating the Alumni Council Strategic Plan, the Council strives to fulfill its mission while being responsive to the evolving needs of the University and its alumni. Should the Board of Trustees approve our current plan, we look forward to continuing to support the university’s advancement and growth by focusing on the following areas over the next five years:
● Growing Strategically
● Increasing Visibility and Awareness
● Enhancing Meaningful and Effective Programming
● Building a Culture of Philanthropy at Carroll
● Augmenting Alumni and Student Engagement
Foundational to this plan is the Council’s continued commitment to upholding the shared value of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Carroll University. The Council serves all alumni, and it must engage a diverse alumni body in meaningful ways that support current students and the community, and propel the university for continued growth.
Some highlights of the five-year plan include:
● Developing a shared understanding and shared definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the context of alumni engagement work; engaging alumni who want to be involved with diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; and soliciting alumni to make gifts to the Opportunity Scholarship Fund to support first generation and students of color
● Planning the 175th Anniversary Alumni Council Party – PioPalooza – for this coming summer
● Launching the new online Alumni Community and exploring opportunities to increase Alumni Council presence and awareness on the alumni portal
● Reviewing and evaluating the Alumni Travel Program, and exploring both mission- and recreation-driven travel opportunities at different price points
● Identifying and implementing opportunities for alumni to assist with student retention efforts
Finally, one near-term strategic goal is to increase the size of the Alumni Council. If you are interested in utilizing your time and talents to support alumni engagement and advance Carroll’s mission, we would love to hear from you. Please email alumni@carrollu.edu for more information. We look forward to sharing more with you as this plan is implemented, and hope to see you on campus – or virtually! -- soon.