By Jeff DeGraffenreid ’88 (Published fall 2002)
I am excited and proud to deliver my first message as the volunteer leader of the alumni association. But I have a confession to make: I am not a member! My goodness, you say, how could our president not be a member? Surely we have guidelines to ensure that those selected in leadership positions are, at the very least, members of the organization they direct. Indeed, our association does have such guidelines — and I am, proudly, a Life Member of the WSU Alumni Association.
Yet, I am a graduate of two fine Kansas universities and, despite the pride I feel for having obtained a Juris Doctorate degree from Washburn University, I am embarrassed to admit I’ve never joined its excellent alumni association. What a hypocrite! I’ve been in dozens of meetings to discuss how we can convince the thousands of WSU graduates who choose not to join our association that they should — and, all the while, I had not taken that simple step with my “other” alma mater.
I could give dozens of excuses about why I have not made this simple commitment. In the end, however, there is no escaping the fact that joining an alumni association is one of the most basic ways to support higher education. Association volunteers and professional staff at WSU, for instance, not only publish this magazine, but assist in recruiting students, fund numerous student scholarships, serve as mentors for students, provide networking opportunities for alumni, maintain the addresses of tens of thousands of Shocker alums and, last year alone, planned and conducted more than 50 alumni events in Wichita, throughout the state of Kansas and across the country.
This edition of The Shocker is sent to more than 70,000 alumni (whether they’re association members or not). If you are a member, we appreciate enormously your support. If you are not a member, we want you, and need you, to join us. Just call Lea Ann at (888) 316-alum. As a member, you’ll receive many benefits. More importantly, your membership is the simplest way for you to show your support of Wichita State.
I look forward to serving as your president for the next year. But right now, I’m off to join my other alma mater’s alumni association. Why not do the same and join ours?
