The invitation was irresistible!

        "You're invited to come back to University Park to experience . . . 'Past, Present & Future . . . Penn State & You' — the 1999 Alumni Volunteer Conference.  We hope you'll be able to join us for Spend a Summer Day, our largest on-campus recruitment program.   We have lots of fun in store for you.  Remember your days in the residence halls?  You can see what it's like for students now by staying right on campus in Thompson Hall.  You'll be meeting other admissions volunteers from all over the country to share ideas and find out more about our Penn State presence nationwide.   And you won't want to miss seeing all of the recent changes on campus, from the Pattee Library additions to the HUB renovations."

          There was not much debate on whether or not to attend.  And so it was that on Thursday, July 29, 1999, Janie and I packed her Miata for the weekend, picked up IH-70 in Huber Heights, and headed east toward Happy Valley.

          Our journey was relatively uneventful, punctuated by a lunch stop in Bedford, PA, to visit friends Sandy and Guy Carrigan.  From there it was a 90 minute drive on IH-99 and Rt. 322 to State College.  We arrived on campus, parked near West Halls, and checked in with Housing to pick up the keys for our room in Thompson Hall.

          I'll spare you the details of our walking trips across campus, dining at various downtown eateries, and our frequent stops at the Creamery.  Suffice it to say our non-conference activities were a delight to both the eye and the palate.

Alumni     Volunteers  assemble after breakfast to await buses for the trip to Eisenhower Auditorium and the start of Spend a Summer Day.

          Bright and early Friday morning we joined fellow conferees for a continental breakfast in the Waring Lounge.  And shortly after breakfast we boarded buses for transportation to the Eisenhower Auditorium and an opportunity to participate in the University's Spend a Summer Day program.

          But I digress.

          Spend a Summer Day also offered Student Aid presentations, campus tours, residence hall tours, and an Information Fair at the Bryce Jordan Center. 

          Our agenda called for all conference participants to reconvene at Shields Building for a wrap-up session and a tour of the Undergraduate Admissions Office.  Dr. John Romano, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Administrative, and Martha Jordan (formerly Martha Corly), Director of Recruitment and Alumni Volunteer Programs, acted as our genial host and hostess for this session.

Dr. John Romano presents plaque to Alumni Volunteers.

          Our group of volunteers was treated to a special surprise — an engraved plaque recognizing the contributions and dedication of the Alumni Volunteers!  After the ceremony the plaque was mounted in a prominent position in the reception area of the Admissions Office.

          We then split into three groups, and Martha and her Recruitment Team provided a walkthrough tour of the Undergraduate Admissions Office.  Organizations and functions highlighted within the office included Communications and Customer Services, Admissions Services and Evaluation, Information Systems, Recruitment and Alumni Volunteer Programs, and Data Analysis.

           After the tour was concluded we made our separate ways back to Thompson Hall to freshen up before a cocktail reception hosted by the Alumni Association Office.  Although scheduled to be held in the quadrangle area of West Halls, the torrid weather prompted relocation elsewhere.  And what better site to relocate to than Whiskers, in the Nittany Lion Inn?  

         The cool environs, plenteous beverages, and warm hospitality all conspired to serve as a fitting ending to an exciting and informative day.

          Saturday dawned bright and beautiful — but with the promise of more hot and muggy weather.   After another continental breakfast in Waring Lounge with our fellow volunteers, we convened in the Waring Lecture Hall for a series of presentations addressing "The Future is Now."

The Whiskers plaque is a welcome sign!

         Rod Kirsch, Vice-President of Development and Alumni Relations, gave an informative update on the Grand Destiny Campaign and how it will affect recruitment.  The overall campaign goal is $1 billion dollars, $608 million of which has been committed as of June 30, 1999.

          Mr. Kirsch was followed by Steve Mostert, Director of Communications, Visitation and Customer Service, who gave us an update on the electronic application and the Admissions website. As your obedient webmeister, I was particularly interested in what Steve had to say.   The goal for the year 2000 and beyond is to do away with paper and diskette versions of applications for admission, and rely on web-based applications only.   Steve and his team are working hard to develop a seamless process.  He also encouraged us, as admissions volunteers, to go into the Admissions Office web site and    fill out an application for practice.  That way, we'll be in a much better position to describe what it's like for prospective students.  If you choose to do this, click here, and indicate somewhere near the beginning of the application that "This input is for test purposes only.  Do not process."

          Debbie Little, a key member of the Recruitment Team, then described the Alumni Volunteer Website.  She prefaced her comments by saying that representatives from the Admissions Office would not be traveling out of Pennsylvania this year to conduct training.  Training and program updates will be provided on-line.  Although the Alumni Volunteer website is up and running, a number of enhancements are currently in development.  For example, next year there will be an e-mail option for use in conjunction with phonathons.  The Admissions Office will include students' e-mail addresses to facilitate making contact.  Also planned is an "On-line Q&A," through which chat sessions on particular topics on  specific nights will be conducted.  There will also be an Out-of-State web page, another one devoted to guidance counselors, and yet another one for college fair postings.

          Debbie summed things up by saying, "Students want to use the web and electronic communications more and more." 

          The University is making an aggressive commitment to use technology, as well as more traditional methods, to support the admissions process.

Alumni Volunteers relax in the Admissions Office lounge before special award ceremony.

         At mid-morning we split into two sessions.  One session focused on "Offered Student Receptions," and used a panel discussion format to present ideas and options.   The other session, which I attended, had "Volunteering for the Glory" as it's subject matter and also used the panel format.  Jerry Utt, of the Chicago-Land Chapter, says their chapter makes good use of it's web site for alumni recruiting.   Their business cards have a hot-line telephone number and the chapter's website address.

          Renee Figurelle, president of the Tidewater (Virginia) Chapter, opened her comments by asking, "Do you love to talk about Penn State?"

          She then went on to talk about different ways to publicize Penn State in the Virginia Beach area.   "E-mail is a godsend," she asserted.  Some chapter members prepare e-mail distribution lists, and publicize chapter events this way.

          The panel discussion then turned toward ways local chapters can be of service to their communities.   Some chapters, for example, try to help their fellow alumni find jobs.  Yours truly chimed in with some words about our chapter's service projects — Habitat for Humanity, Channel 16 Public TV, and the scholarship we sponsor.

          After the morning session we adjourned to the Nittany Lion Inn for lunch.  The guest speaker was Dr. Terrell Jones, Vice Provost for Educational Equity.  An entertaining speaker to say the least, Dr. Terrell gave us his take on the challenges facing the university and his goals for furthering diversity in the university family.

          After lunch we walked over to 112 Kern for a series of briefings by various personnel from the Admissions Office — Martha Jordan, Holly Robertson, Kevin Barron, Joyce Matthews, and Geoffrey Harford.   These presentations painted a broad picture of the range of tasks performed by the Admissions Office.  Joyce Matthews spoke about the Commonwealth Campuses, and said they will provide more options than ever. As an example, they will all offer at least one 4-year degree.

Martha Jordan, our genial hostess for the conference weekend.

          Martha Jordan distributed hard copies of the 1999 Academic Reference Guide, but pointed out that the Guide is also now on the web site.  She reiterated there would be no traveling training this year, and encouraged us to try filling out an application via the web.

          Geoffrey Harford, Director of Admission Services and Evaluations, asked us to encourage students to apply electronically via the web.  There is no bias against traditional paper applications, but the electronic applications simplify and expedite processing and status reporting.  He also urged applicants take time and put some thought into completing the optional Personal Statement section of the application.  In their Personal Statements, students should talk about themselves, and not repeat the obvious.  For example, they might want to describe something that affected their academic performance in high school.  Or maybe there is a "wow factor" to describe, like working with a paraplegic to teach him or her how to use a computer.

          And so ended an informative, interesting, and entertaining two-day Alumni Volunteer Conference.  The entire staff of the Admissions Office in general, and Martha Jordan and her team in particular, did a fantastic job.  It's always a pleasure going back to visit the University, but this trip was especially meaningful because of the thought, diligent planning, and downright hard work of the Recruitment and Alumni Admissions Team. 

         On Sunday, August 1, Janie and I headed east toward Lewisburg on Rt. 45.  We'd made arrangements to visit my old college roomie, Bob Kindig, and his wife, Ann.  We enjoyed a delightful visit — including 9 holes of golf — and an overnight stay at their home, adjacent to the Bucknell campus.  Monday morning was bright and clear, and we were soon on IH-80 to begin our journey back to Dayton.