Doug Mader, UWAA President
Our campus is bustling with activity as the spring 2017 semester is in full swing. About 1,500 students will graduate in May and join our 124,000 alumni. These future alumni become more excited about their future relationship with UW when we share that alumni, after their time at UW, enjoy getting together with other UW alumni to share experiences, network and just have fun.
Your UWAA facilitates these connections through our alumni networks led by passionate local area volunteers who make it possible for us to host more than 100 outreach events each year. One of our key goals this year was to strengthen our existing networks and grow the base of outstanding network leaders. I want to personally thank our dedicated network leaders and volunteers who worked so hard this year to help us develop alumni and fan networks in Wyoming and throughout the country. In particular, the following networks and chapters have been especially active this year with very solid leadership: Albany County, Laramie County, Natrona County, Eastern Montana, Scottsbluff, Fort Collins, Denver Metro, Denver Law, Salt Lake City, Sun City West, Tucson, Houston, Houston Energy, Sheridan County, Seattle, New York City, Nursing and Multicultural.
In addition, network volunteers in every Wyoming county helped us leverage our outreach with two new projects this year. Two of President Nichols’ highest priorities since taking office in May were to travel the state to meet the citizens of Wyoming and to encourage our alumni to be passionate advocates for students to attend UW. Our alumni coordinated and promoted UW community events in 16 Wyoming cities, with events planned in five more communities this spring. Also, more than 200 network alumni volunteers have stepped up to support prospective student enrollment for fall 2017 by writing personal notes to share their UW student experience and to encourage these prospective students to attend UW. These notes went to over 1,600 Wyoming, Scottsbluff, Fort Collins, Denver and South Dakota admitted students. The bottom line is that our alumni networks are an invaluable resource for our office to effectively support UW priorities.
While 2017 has already seen great events across the state and nation, there are more still to come! Our 25th Scholarship Reception and Auction will be held on April 21st in Cheyenne; we return to New York City on May 1st with a reception prior to the UW Jazz Ensemble performance at Dizzy’s; and our Houston Alumni Network will host the second annual UWAA Houston Scholarship Golf Tournament on May 5th.
We need you now more than ever to help us proudly wave the banner of UW across the state and the nation. This is your chance to give back to the school you love in a fun and fulfilling manner. I guarantee you will be hooked after you host one event and meet new Cowboys and Cowgirls in your area. UW is a family, and the connected relationship we have to the university spans geography and generations. If you want to be part of a UW alumni network, please complete the network interest form at wyoalumni.uwyo.edu/InterestForm or contact Chance Price, coordinator of membership, networks and student programs, today at cprice6@uwyo.edu.
Doug Mader, B.S. ᾽98
UWAA President