A Few Words
From Frank R. Kent, President, UMUC Alumni Association

Frank Kent

At the beginning of the school year, the executive members of UMUC's Alumni Board of Directors designed and adopted a vision that will focus on building bridges between the University and its alumni. The goal is to help the University as it continues to establish its reputation as a leader in higher education. Visions are worthless, however, if they cannot be implemented, and they succeed or fail because of the people involved. As Larry Bossidy, CEO of Allied Signal, said, "At the end of the day, you bet on people, not strategies."

As the plan unfolds, UMUC alumni are fortunate to have a very dynamic, dedicated group of board members working with University personnel to build a foundation for the future. There is a unity of purpose and direction as we seek to achieve the following goals:

• Create a pipeline of jobs for students and alumni through a network of UMUC human resource graduates
• Build business partnerships for the University through training opportunities identified by UMUC graduates in their companies
• Communicate with alumni in traditional and innovative ways
• Continue to build strong bonds with the state legislature
• Support the telling of the UMUC story through media relations and advertising
• Establish new alumni chapters

As we build momentum, the Alumni Association is working with the University to fulfill its mission. Volunteers are needed to help form a Speakers Bureau to assist the Media Relations Department, to build a human resources network of graduates working to secure jobs for alumni and students, to assist with the mentoring program, and more.

The Alumni Association needs fresh ideas, manpower, and resources in many areas. I urge you to volunteer your time to assist in this worthwhile effort at this important juncture. It's not about strategy, but execution. Please contact the Alumni Association by telephone at 240-684-5125 or e-mail at info@umucalumni.org for more information or to volunteer.