Last spring, a group of students were brought together to promote long-term correspondence between alumni and our growing student body. By April, the group had drafted a constitution and began the new organization that is now known as Leadership, Integrity, Networking and Kinship, LINK.

Several basic goals were established during the drafting of the constitution. LINK aims to bring alumni to support and join Rose. Furthermore, the members feel that LINK could start the connection to Rose before graduation. The organization will make students aware of what they can do as alumni. Currently, LINK focuses on showing students how to utilize existing Rose alumni.

Two programs are currently in their testing stages as the result of the organization’s goals. The first program, called the Mentor Program, will target mainly freshmen and sophomores. It is being tested in surrounding areas of Terre Haute and Indianapolis. The Mentor Program attempts to find alumni who are willing to have Rose students job shadow for a day to learn what their mentor alumni do for their job.

The second program is called the Senior Relocation Program. This program is very unique. As our graduates acquire their jobs, LINK will contact alumni who can help the graduates relocate to their new life.

“The program helps [the graduates] become more acclimated to where they are going,” said Eric Kleen, president of LINK.

LINK has been involved in many activities since the organization’s start last spring. This year alone, the members have had the opportunity to assist with many alumni related events. Some of the LINK involvement included the Senior Picnic, the Distinguished Young Alumni Banquet, and Homecoming. Homecoming created many new ideas for the members of LINK, which they hope will make next year’s involvement at Homecoming more successful.

So far, there are several plans in the making for more alumni functions. One of the new ideas is to have a golf outing with alumni. The members also hope to expand the Mentor Program nationwide.

“So far we [have] got more interest from alumni than students,” commented Kleen.

Unfortunately, Rose students are not taking advantage of these programs that LINK offers. One of the main reasons is the current non-open membership policy. In order to join LINK, prospective members must fill out an application from the Alumni office. Then they must be voted in by the organization in order to become a full member.

LINK is currently in the starting phase where members are deciding what direction the organization should take for the future. One of the new directions might be to change from the non-open membership to the open membership policy. The reason for this possible change is due to new talk of the organization becoming an SGA funded club. If LINK becomes an SGA club, it must be made accessible to all Rose students.

Some members feel that the change would be good for the club. While it would mainly increase membership, an additional bonus would be the possible funding provided by SGA.

“We don’t have a lot of expenses at this time. But we need funding for conventions in order to get ideas to run this thing...that’s what we have to do,” said Kleen.

LINK is run under the guidance of Tony Wellings and Betty Evinger. If anyone is interested in becoming a member of LINK, an application can be obtained from the Alumni office or by contacting Wellings, Evinger, Kleen, Nellie Magnanti, the vice president, or Casey Sandow, the club secretary.

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