Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

By Annie Sherman, President of Students for University Advancement

As we have all come back to campus for the start of a new academic year, the UD community is full of life. The campus is loud with the rustling sounds of a thousand footsteps; the academic buildings are packed with busy Flyers going to and from classes; the dining halls are filled with hungry stomachs, and the student neighborhood is lit up with front porch lights and lawn chairs. Much of the action is coming from the activities of SUA students who are networking with alumni, meeting with members of advancement, and encouraging a culture of philanthropy on campus.

I have learned so much about what it means to be a part of this Flyer community the past few years and what it means to give back to this community ...

I have learned so much about what it means to be a part of this Flyer community the past few years and what it means to give back to this community by serving as the President of Students for University Advancement. SUA is a student organization on campus that focuses on connecting students with alumni and supporting UD’s philanthropic efforts. Our organization partners with other student organizations to encourage fundraising, recognize donors who have given to UD, and foster a culture of being students today and alumni tomorrow. We are excited to share what we have accomplished so far this semester as a student org and what is to come in the next few months.

In August, the SUA exec team participated in a series of onboarding sessions where we partnered with members of the advancement team to learn more about the mission and purpose of the Advancement Division at UD and how we as students can be involved with that mission. Also in August, like many other student organizations on campus, SUA recruited members at Up The Orgs, the annual club fair on KU field. Up The Orgs was a huge recruitment success, and we are so excited about the student involvement in our organization this year. Following that event, we held an information night to share more with students about what our organization does. We had our first general member meeting to talk about our calendar of events for this fall and allowed members to sign up for committees!

The third weekend of September, SUA members were able to be involved with the Alumni Leadership Conference, a weekend where the Alumni Association board, day10 committee, and leaders of various alumni communities across the country got together in Dayton for a few days of leadership training, networking and fun! During this weekend, I and other SUA members went to breakfast at President Spina’s house, sat in on meetings with alumni and provided SUA updates, and — the highlight of the weekend — attended the Alumni Awards ceremony where five alumni were recognized and honored for their personal and professional achievements.

As an organization, we are so grateful to be a part of such incredible and enriching experiences that reinforce the Marianist values that are the backbone of the mission of the University. SUA is excited about what is to come in this new year and thankful to the UD community for giving us so many opportunities to be involved with the Flyer family.

Go Flyers!