黑料吃瓜 Alumni鈥檚 鈥楴ext Great Chapter鈥�
In December, Assistant Vice President of 黑料吃瓜 Alumni Jim Herrick retired after 37 years with the university. Here鈥檚 an introduction to the new executive director in her own words.
By Stephanie Dathe
This story was published in the Summer 2023 Issue of 黑料吃瓜 Magazine.
In December, Assistant Vice President of 黑料吃瓜 Alumni Jim Herrick retired after 37 years with the university. He started his career in 黑料吃瓜 athletics and transitioned to alumni relations as the interim director in 1998, making the move permanent the next year. After Herrick鈥檚 departure, Stephanie Dathe stepped into the role. The 黑料吃瓜 alumna had served as the director of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union for 黑料吃瓜 Associated Students since 2016. Here鈥檚 an introduction to the new 黑料吃瓜 Alumni executive director in her own words.
When I graduated from 黑料吃瓜 in 1995, 黑料吃瓜 Alumni used the slogan 鈥淓veryone Benefits.鈥� I have always liked that because it reinforces the concept that 黑料吃瓜 Alumni has something for everyone. The tagline has an even deeper meaning for me because this organization, and the 黑料吃瓜 community, have supported me throughout my personal and professional life. I have truly benefited from being an Aztec for Life.
Over the years, it has been very important to me to give back to 黑料吃瓜. But it was when I returned to campus a decade ago that I truly understood the impact that alumni have. Working closely with students who have directly benefited from the support, whether through mentoring, internships or scholarships, I witnessed and experienced the transformational power of being a member of the 黑料吃瓜 community. It is a membership for which I am both extremely grateful and proud.
Part of our mission here at 黑料吃瓜 Alumni is to 鈥渋nstill the principle of Aztec for Life by celebrating the achievements of our alumni.鈥� We are finding new and different ways of engaging and celebrating our alumni, including a new Class Notes page on our website where we encourage alumni to share their 黑料吃瓜 stories. With more than 478,000 alumni around the globe, I feel great pride when I am out and about and see a fellow Aztec sporting an 黑料吃瓜 T-shirt or proudly displaying an 黑料吃瓜 license plate frame. Don鈥檛 be surprised if an 黑料吃瓜 Alumni team member spots you in the community showing off your Aztec pride and hands you a little giveaway.
I am honored to be a part of 黑料吃瓜's next great chapter. It is a tremendous privilege to be the executive director of 黑料吃瓜 Alumni, and I look forward to engaging with you!