VII.1 COLLEGE RELATIONS: ALUMNI, DEVELOPMENT, STATE RELATIONS, & COMMUNICATIONS

The College of Letters & Science works in partnership with the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) to strengthen ties with the college and its 177,000 living alumni. This partnership plays a significant role in supporting departmental and college development and state relations initiatives. College departments, faculty, and staff play an important role in the success of our alumni programs, and anyone who would like to learn more or is interested in participating is encouraged to contact the Wisconsin Alumni Association or mailto:mathiak@ls.admin.wisc.eduLucy Mathiak, Assistant Dean for Communications and College Relations (265-8287).

Letters & Science alumni relations focus on the following areas:

Alumni Data . The Wisconsin Alumni Association has an extensive database of UW-Madison alumni. Since 2003 the college has worked with the alumni association and its data resources to strengthen knowledge of the Letters & Science alumni base at the college and department level. The college also works with the alumni association to ensure that the database is as current as possible, and with departments to facilitate access to core information for alumni relations and other purposes.

Departments and programs with alumni data needs may work directly with the Wisconsin Alumni Association. Lucy Mathiak (265-8287) also has access to the alumni database and can assist departments.

Letters & ScienceAlumni Newsletter . The college’s alumni newsletter, Letters & Science TODAY, is distributed to alumni, friends of the college, college staff, and university administrators twice a year. The newsletter is mailed with the UW-Madison alumni magazine, On Wisconsin, without charge to all college alumni currently living in the United States for whom current addresses are available. In 2005-06, the circulation was around 147,000.

Letters & Science TODAY also is available in electronic format through the college website, at http://www.ls.wisc.edu/newsletters.htm.

AlumniUniversity . Letters & Science departments and faculty work with the alumni association to develop and present quality programs for the annual Alumni University .

Alumni Weekend . Letters and Science hosts an on-campus event for emeritus faculty and alumni from reunion year classes during Alumni Weekend which is held in early May each year.

Career Services . Letters & Science Career Services partners with the Wisconsin Alumni Association to hold general and specialize career fairs throughout the school year. In addition, the alumni association works to help identify alumni who are willing to serve as career mentors to students and recent graduates.

Commencement Receptions . In order to strengthen relations with its newest alumni, the College of Letters & Science partners with the Wisconsin Alumni Association to host receptions for new graduates and their families and friends. The receptions are held at the Kohl Center immediately prior to the college’s commencement ceremonies in December and May, and are becoming important opportunities for department and program faculty and staff to celebrate with their students. For information on the receptions or assistance in planning for your participation, please contact Lucy Mathiak .

Distinguished Alumni Awards . Letters & Science and its departments work with the Wisconsin Alumni Association to identify and nominate graduates for the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards. The awards traditionally are presented at a ceremony and dinner on the Friday evening of Alumni Weekend in May each year.

Departmental and Programmatic Partnerships . The Wisconsin Alumni Association offers a number of services to the campus community. Some of these services are offered without charge; others are provided for a fee on a contract basis. Letters & Science have contracted with the association for help in developing centennial or other anniversary celebrations, editing and designing alumni newsletters, or other support activities designed to heighten connections between alumni and their departments.

Founders Day . Letters & Science faculty are frequently invited to serve as speakers at the Founders Day dinners that are organized annually by alumni association chapters throughout Wisconsin and the United States .

On The Road . Letters & Science faculty, staff, and outreach units regularly participate in On the Road, a partnership of the UW-Madison, the UW Foundation, and the Wisconsin Alumni Association. It emphasizes the many ways the university contributes to the lives of citizens of Wisconsin and the nation by taking campus faculty and staff to museums, service clubs, and K-12 schools throughout Wisconsin, Chicago, and the Twin Cities. The Wisconsin Alumni Association manages the On The Road program on behalf of UW-Madison.

Last updated by LJM 8/16/06