Cards, Spartans, and Reunions. Oh My!

As the Alumni Office catches its collective breath from a host of fall events and activities, let me share a few thoughts with you:

You should have recently received an interactive Christmas card mailing from the Alumni Office. This initiative is a unique pitch to alumni through which they can send a Christmas card to students before their finals. Mail the card back in the enclosed return envelope, and the Alumni Office will deliver the cards to the students. Last year, we handed out more than 400 signed cards, and the messages really uplifted the students as they finished the semester. Many heartfelt messages from alumni included what Hillsdale meant to them, and they implored students to enjoy their special time at the College. Others spoke of their academic experiences, while others shared “pep talks” to help encourage students through the grueling finals preparation process. A lucky few students even received a $5 bill or a coffee gift card stuffed inside the card, which is always a thoughtful touch. You still have time! We hand out the cards at our Founding Fest event on December 2. If you don’t have your card, we can fill one out for you. Just email us at [email protected] with your message. Please make sure you include your name, class year, and any other pertinent info, and we’ll deliver it to our students!

One of our favorite events is the annual 50/60-Year Reunion each April. We love hosting our “seasoned” graduates as they reconnect with classmates and get reacquainted with the Hillsdale campus. The graduates also participate in the Spring Convocation with our current students, which is a special moment. This year, we are expanding our event by calling it the 50/60-Year “Plus” Reunion. Although we are still honoring the classes of 1964 and 1974 in a special way, we also are inviting any alumni who graduated in or before 1973 to come and enjoy the experience. This year’s event is scheduled for April 10-12, 2024. More information will be on the way soon to those alumni.

A “pop-up” alumni event ended up being one of our most popular! When we learned that the Hillsdale men’s basketball team was playing nationally ranked Michigan State on October 25, our office quickly mobilized the Hillsdale Sparty Party. We had more than 100 people attend our pre-game party at HopCat of East Lansing, and then we traveled to the Breslin Center for the game. Although the Chargers were overmatched by the NCAA Division I powerhouse, it was a great experience for our players, coaches, and fans

Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s director of Alumni Marketing. He enjoys connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.

Published in October 2023