Whittier Weekend brings alumni, college plans for more alumni-student connections
Neslie Tumulac
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
Coinciding with Homecoming, Whittier Weekend offers Whittier College alumni the opportunity to reconnect with other people connected to the college through class reunions, society brunches and various athletic and Homecoming events. However, despite the Homecoming festivities, not all students have expressed a strong connection with alumni.
"I've been talking with some students who feel there is a disconnect between current undergraduate students and the alumni in terms of knowing who they're a part of," Vice President of Advancement Elizabeth Power Robison said. "They don't know of the great alumni who came before them."
One way the college tries to recognize alumni is through the Poet Alumni awards that take place during Whittier Weekend each year. This year, five alumni were honored at the ceremony, which took place on Saturday, Oct. 24 in A.J. Villalobos Hall. The award recipients are selected annually based on outstanding service, commitment and loyalty to the college and for individual professional and personal achievements that best reflect Whittier's ideals and values.
"If you looked at the program of the long list of people who have already been honored, it's an amazing story of who these alumni are and what they have done in their lives and how well they've reflected on Whittier College," Robison said.
According to Robison, the Poet Alumni Awards have been around 25 to 30 years. All of the recipients were present at the award ceremony, including Joseph Akrotirianakis '95 for Outstanding Young Alumnus, Dr. Dean Salisbury '85 for Alumnus Achievement, Phyllis Lee Swinnerton '54 for Community Impact, Ivan Guevara '59 for Service to the College, Jerry J. Morgan '61 for Purple & Gold Honorary Service and current Whittier College Professor of Political Science, Frederic A. Bergerson for Honorary Alumnus.
Although alumni are recognized through set-ups such as the Poet Alumni Awards, Robison thinks that the Advancement Office and the college need to do a better job of educating students of their alumni network.
"I've been talking with some students who feel there is a disconnect between current undergraduate students and the alumni in terms of knowing who they're a part of," Vice President of Advancement Elizabeth Power Robison said. "They don't know of the great alumni who came before them."
One way the college tries to recognize alumni is through the Poet Alumni awards that take place during Whittier Weekend each year. This year, five alumni were honored at the ceremony, which took place on Saturday, Oct. 24 in A.J. Villalobos Hall. The award recipients are selected annually based on outstanding service, commitment and loyalty to the college and for individual professional and personal achievements that best reflect Whittier's ideals and values.
"If you looked at the program of the long list of people who have already been honored, it's an amazing story of who these alumni are and what they have done in their lives and how well they've reflected on Whittier College," Robison said.
According to Robison, the Poet Alumni Awards have been around 25 to 30 years. All of the recipients were present at the award ceremony, including Joseph Akrotirianakis '95 for Outstanding Young Alumnus, Dr. Dean Salisbury '85 for Alumnus Achievement, Phyllis Lee Swinnerton '54 for Community Impact, Ivan Guevara '59 for Service to the College, Jerry J. Morgan '61 for Purple & Gold Honorary Service and current Whittier College Professor of Political Science, Frederic A. Bergerson for Honorary Alumnus.
Although alumni are recognized through set-ups such as the Poet Alumni Awards, Robison thinks that the Advancement Office and the college need to do a better job of educating students of their alumni network.
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