Winter 2005

Various Topics of Interest to Alumni

After two years “interning” under Doug Stearley (’79) and Jeff Burgan (’77), it is my turn to hold the gavel as president of the Rose-Hulman Alumni Advisory Board. I want to use my first column to touch on a variety of topics important to alumni.

First, let’s congratulate Brian Dyer, director of alumni affairs, and welcome him as an honorary member of the Rose-Hulman Alumni Association. Brian and his staff work hard to keep the alumni connected to the campus and make us feel like family rather than visitors when we’re on campus.

One thing I’ve observed over the last two years as part of the Alumni Advisory Board is that the board consists of some very talented alumni volunteers. Our committees provide the opportunity for alumni to become an active part of today’s campus. Many excellent ideas and programs have been initiated and nurtured by these committees.

A new initiative of the Student Alumni Association is the R.O.S.I.E. dinner, which brings students and alumni together. An alum hosts 6-8 students and maybe a professor for a casual dinner in their home or at a restaurant. The students get a free meal (always a plus as I recall) and get to hear about the “good old days” (ok, so maybe the meal isn’t quite free). The alum gets to hear about current campus life and current engineering education. To date, two such dinners have been hosted, one by Jeff Papa (’93) and John Rozmaryn (’97), and one by Pat Cahill (’67). If you are interested in hosting a dinner, contact the Alumni Affairs office. I’m looking forward to my cookout this spring.

A topic on the minds of many alumni is the search for a new president. See page 6 for more information on this important topic, and visit the Rose-Hulman presidential search Web page at www.rose-hulman.edu/presidentialsearch/.  Finally, those of you who have been on campus recently have seen the Reflection Plaza surrounding the Flame of the Millennium sculpture. The Plaza has become a major attraction to alumni who visit and read the messages on the many bricks and stones. The Office of Alumni Affairs will be placing another order in February. If you want to place a brick in the plaza call 800-248-7448, ext. 8359.

Denis Radecki ’72
Alumni Association President