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ULM invites alumni to get involved "changing futures"

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https://www.ulm.edu/news

The University of Louisiana at Monroe's Alumni Association is working hard to provide resources, events and communications for future and current alumni.

ULM Alumni Director Sarah Siereveld was born in New Jersey, received a bachelor's degree in Musical Theatre at Syracuse University and a Master of Business Administration degree at ULM. She has been with the University for over two years.

"Our mission at the Alumni Association is to change futures."

On the job of an alumni director

Alumni are our lifeline. Your life has been changed at ULM and The Alumni Association hopes you can pay that forward.

We help by hosting event programs, reaching out to communicate and holding engagement events. Engagement events help encourage people to return to the university whenever they can. Whether that person is local or not everyone is welcome.

Being back at ULM celebrating your campus life, who you are, and your accomplishments brings back memories. Working cross-functionally, event planning and project management are some of the many jobs an alumni director has.

The Alumni Association is made up of three people, but has a 21-person board of directors, 23 geographical chapters and affinity groups throughout the country, a volunteer network and a student organization called The 31 Ambassadors.

ULM is very unique and has had its share of name changes. A goal is to bring the Northeast Louisiana University Indians and the ULM Warhawks together as one family with the same mission "to change futures."

On changing futures

Contributing to a scholarship is one way to support monetarily, but there are other ways to help change futures. Volunteering time, helping serve at events, mentoring and networking are great ways to support non-monetarily.

On the tradition of alumni involvement

The name change from NLU to ULM is a sensitive subject for certain alumni and that is okay. We want to honor those who went to NLU and carry that forward because that is how your life was changed.

We are rebuilding with our NLU alumni, because this generation is a lot different in what is needed. We are learning what this new group of alumni truly values. Sometimes it is career and professional connections, but we are seeking to know what information graduates need in their fields. Traditions are always changing.

"We communicate with our alumni in many ways."

On reaching out to graduates

Often graduates receive pieces of mail currently once a year or emails with plenty of information. Email is the main form of communication, but a value survey was made to ask graduates what form of communication they prefer and what types they would like to see. We are always trying to improve.

Our social media is utilized to share events, but that is going to shift more towards spotlighting alumni to help change futures.

On upcoming events

There is always something going on at the Alumni Association. If anyone ever wanted to know how to get involved they can go to our website ulm.edu/alumni and go to our events page. Our website is our biggest resource. We do over 20 events a year and not just in Monroe.

On affinity groups

They are called chapters and clubs, a geographical location of alumni, which means they are settled in some geographic areas. An affinity group can deal with a major or some affinity a person had at their university.

An example is the Risk Management Insurance Group which is led by Dr. Christine Berry. Another is the ULM Black Alumni Club which is all over the country and has a reunion every other year.