“Take a step. That’s it.”
For so many parents who may have struggled to find the right words of guidance to offer their children as they graduated from college, President Julie Sullivan’s advice to the Class of 2023 is proof that sometimes the less said, the better. Her message, published in the year-end issue of “The Santa Clara,” encouraged our newest Bronco alumni to not obsess about that first career step, to learn as much as they can from it, and most importantly, to be open to where it might lead, and to learn all they can from it. Looking back, with the benefit of age and a little experience, she’s right.
Her sage words also highlight the role our alumni family and the Bronco “network” play as our graduates leave Santa Clara. Before ever stepping foot on campus, young Santa Clarans are told about the deep web of Broncos in business, education, government, development, entertainment, real estate, high tech, consulting—throughout the Bay Area and the west coast, from Texas to Chicago, New York and Boston into the deep South—our (now) 109,000+ alumni are literally everywhere. And yes, Broncos answer the phone when Broncos call and, even better, Broncos hire Broncos. So to the Class of 2023, yes—take that step—but realize these past four years spent on the Mission Campus mean you don’t step into the unknown alone; you’ve earned a seat alongside your alumni colleagues who, trust me, look out for each other.
The Alumni Association welcomed the Class of 2023 with an epic Grad Bash the night before Commencement, now our attention shifts towards planning for summer and fall signature events— Vintage Santa Clara (Sept. 9) and Grand Reunion (Oct. 12-15), as well as important strategic initiatives for the 2023-24 year. Among those critical initiatives is finalizing the Alumni Association’s Strategic Plan. Building off our last plan, developed in 2017, our staff and Board are keenly aware that the changes in our world over the past six years have radically altered how the Alumni Association provides meaningful connections and experiences to our alumni. With hopes of publishing our new vision for the Alumni Association by late fall, the Strategic Plan will reflect feedback gathered from targeted alumni surveys, dozens of listening sessions throughout the country, and input from our Board of Directors and key volunteer leaders about how we can best meet the changing needs of our alumni family.
Considered the Alumni Association’s North Star, the Strategic Plan will guide our staff and Board of Directors on key initiatives for the future, such as improving student-alumni engagement opportunities; building community through our alumni chapters across the globe; strengthening social, spiritual, and career connections for young alumni; and continuing to tell the stories of our history and traditions shaped by so many amazing Broncos over the years.
As my term as Alumni Association President comes to a close, I look back fondly on my nine years on the Association’s Board of Directors and the incredible, committed Bronco’s I’ve had the pleasure to work with. I’ll always be indebted to the dozens of dedicated leaders I’ve served alongside who helped me realize that my Santa Clara experience wasn’t necessarily everyone’s. Once you realize how four years at SCU might be seen through another’s eyes, you can better understand the challenge of meeting the unique needs of our diverse alumni family.
Under the tireless leadership of Kathy Kale ’86, her dedicated Alumni Relations team, and incoming Board of Directors President Jenna (Saso) Rosati ’14, I am full of hope for the future of our Alumni Association and the important role we will continue to play in guiding Santa Clara into the future. We proudly represent the University’s largest constituency—our alumni—and will remain true to our mission of fostering active, lifelong relationships between each other and the University.
Thank you for your passion and continued support of the Alumni Association and our beloved Santa Clara—it has been a pleasure and honor to represent our alumni family and ensure our voice continues to be heard.
Warm regards,
Scot Asher ’87
2021-2023 National President
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
On behalf of the Santa Clara University Alumni Association Board of Directors, holiday blessings to our more than 108,000 alumni around the world. With Thanksgiving recently behind us and the Christmas season ahead, our global Santa Clara Family has much to be thankful for. We welcomed the Class of 2026 to campus in September (once again, the largest and brightest class ever), welcomed thousands of alumni back to campus for Grand Reunion in October, and continue to celebrate the accomplishments of our student-athletes, the inspirational social impact of our students, and the perseverance of our faculty and staff during these trying times.
Most notably, the Santa Clara Family gathered on campus in October to welcome Dr. Julie Sullivan as SCU’s 30th President. As the first layperson and first woman to serve as President in the University’s 171-year history, the historic nature of Dr. Sullivan’s arrival at SCU is well-noted. But it is her energy, dedication to academic excellence, and vision that will shape the future of Santa Clara. Her belief in what Santa Clara can be is inspiring, and her appreciation of our Jesuit Catholic values, our strong alumni community, and the greater Santa Clara Family is genuine. President Sullivan is eager to connect with you and has held several Meet the President events on the west coast. With a dozen more such events scheduled throughout the country, I encourage you to join President Sullivan in a city near you in 2023.
The Alumni Association’s mission is to foster meaningful, lifelong connections between our alumni. While the pandemic forced our dedicated staff and volunteers to find new, creative ways to do that, it has also provided opportunities to look closely at how we engage our alumni. While alumni voices worldwide have told us they can’t wait to gather together again, we have also realized we can continue to use the technology and tools employed during the pandemic to offer diverse programming in virtual and hybrid environments. So while our Chapter leaders begin to re-engage and plan gatherings locally, our Alumni Relations staff will continue to leverage the lessons learned to reach broader audiences in different and unique ways.
As our Board enters 2023, we remain dedicated to supporting the Alumni Association’s mission, with working committees focused on improving alumni engagement, creating meaningful professional connections between students and alumni, and continuing to support the activities of our industry and diverse affinity chapters. One of our most critical initiatives this year is revising the Alumni Association’s Strategic Plan. Originally created in 2017, the Strategic Plan serves as the “North Star” for the Association and the Board, reflecting the goals and strategies that will best support the Alumni Association’s mission—and best serve you. Creating our new vision will include seeking feedback from a broad group of University stakeholders, including and especially our alumni, to create a strategic vision for the future to better engage, connect, and support our alumni and the University.
I know I share our Board member’s sentiments in saying we are all honored and privileged to serve our Alumni Family and ensure that your voices continue to be heard, especially in these times of change in the world and at Santa Clara. And as we enter this special season, I am full of hope for Santa Clara as our Alumni Association and President Sullivan work together in alignment for a bright future. Agnes Pharo’s description of Christmas seems fitting during this exciting time on the Mission Campus, and in our own lives, as well: “Christmas is the tenderness of the past, courage for the present, and hope for the future.” This Christmas, I wish you and your family wonderful memories, an appreciation for the gifts you have been blessed with, and a hope for continued happiness in the year ahead.
Warm regards,
Scot Asher ’87
2021-2023 National President
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
Summer greetings from the Santa Clara University Alumni Association Board of Directors! As the Class of 2022 joins our alumni ranks this month, the circle of Santa Clara life continues on campus with a new focus on the exciting—and historic—year ahead. The Class of 2026 is poised to arrive in September as the biggest and brightest class ever, and we are thrilled to welcome Santa Clara’s 30th president, Julie Sullivan, to campus. As President Sullivan joins our family, we stand with her and offer our unwavering support and collaboration to seize the countless opportunities ahead. As Santa Clara’s largest constituency, our collective alumni voice must continue to be heard and valued throughout the University administration, and we look forward to supporting President Sullivan as she embarks on the exciting years ahead.
We also extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to outgoing Acting President Lisa Kloppenberg. In a time of so much uncertainty, Lisa provided a steady hand and collaborative leadership when it was needed most. When she spoke of who Santa Clara was, it was always “Santa Clara students, faculty, staff, and alumni.” While that may seem logical, we know it has not always been the case, so we will always be grateful for her sincere interest in hearing our alumni’s voices.
The Alumni Association’s Board of Directors serves as the voice of our global alumni, supporting the key annual priorities of the Alumni Relations team. Over the past year, those priorities focused on supporting our growing network of affinity communities and the important work of providing meaningful connections for all alumni; growing mentoring and career connection opportunities for students and alumni through the roll-out of Bronco Exchange, Student & Alumni Connections; better understanding how to connect SCU students to meaningful career and mentoring opportunities; and focusing on improved engagement opportunities for our alumni, especially our young alumni.
We will continue these efforts and other key priorities and opportunities in the year ahead. Most notably, we will begin the exciting and critical work of revising the Alumni Association’s Strategic Plan, reflecting on what we have learned in the past to thoughtfully plot our direction for the next 3-5 years. This effort will include several targeted feedback opportunities from multiple stakeholders (including an all-alumni survey) that will assist in directing the Alumni Association into the future.
Our Alumni Board continues to reflect our alumni family—with diverse representation from seven states, two foreign countries (including our first-ever Board member from India), and dedicated Bronco volunteers from seven decades. We are continually presented with diverse and valuable perspectives and experiences that shape our work. We are a dedicated group with a deep passion for Santa Clara who continually represents our Bronco family well.
I am excited for the year ahead and the continued opportunity to work with our Board and talented Alumni Relations team to continue on our mission of creating meaningful, lifelong connections. Enjoy a safe and relaxing summer and, as always, Go Broncos!
Warm regards,
Scot Asher, ’87
2021-2023 National President
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
On behalf of the Santa Clara University Alumni Association Board of Directors, Season’s Greetings to our more than 106,000 alumni across the globe.
As we continue to emerge from the pandemic and the uncertainties imposed onto our everyday lives, rest assured the Santa Clara spirit of perseverance and progress were evident throughout 2021, and we continue to find hope as we move into the year ahead.
Among the highlights of 2021 at SCU was the completion of landmark investments in STEM and athletics. The stunning 270,000 square foot Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation opened this fall as did the awesome Steven C. and Patricia A. Schott Athletic Excellence Center. In October, we saw more than 6,000 Broncos gather on campus for a “double” , joined by the Class of 2020 for the commencement and graduation celebration that had been postponed for more than a year. Most importantly, campus came back to life in September with the return of undergraduate students. As beautiful as the Santa Clara campus is, it is the energy and buzz of students filling the residence halls and classrooms, cheering on our athletic teams, and socializing throughout campus that truly makes Santa Clara come alive. Just like every year, it seems, the Class of 2025 joined our ranks as both the largest and brightest class in our 171-year history.
Though we–and our alma mater–have endured challenges of late, the hope and promise of the Christmas Season is evident all around us. From Grand Reunion to local alumni celebrations, as we have done since 1881, our Alumni Association will continue to provide meaningful connection opportunities to all alumni. We will gather. We will celebrate. And, sometimes, we will cry and mourn, but we do so together. We will work and pray and serve our communities as we realize the Bronco bonds that carried us through the trials of years past are the same ones that keep us strong as we emerge from today’s challenges. These are the bonds that make this Bronco Family special.
Our continues to serve as the voice of our alumni, supporting the dedicated and tireless work of the Alumni Relations staff. Our Board is a diverse representation of undergraduate and graduate alumni spanning more than 60 years and 17 domestic and international geographic regions, each bringing a unique Santa Clara experience to the table. Those voices have informed our key priorities for the year as we focus on providing more meaningful career connections, ensuring all alumni are represented and served, and providing more engagement opportunities for current and future alumni.
As we enter this holiday season, I wish you and your family all the joy, hope, and love of the Season. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, the little-known yet prolific writer Agnes Pharo’s words summarize my wish for you all:
“What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.”
Warm regards,
Scot Asher, ’87
2021-2023 National President
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
Dear Alumni Family,
This time two years ago, I began my term as President of SCU’s Alumni Board of Directors. As a Board, our main responsibility is advising the Alumni Association in its efforts to foster lifelong relationships between the University and Broncos around the world. I also made a commitment to use our time and efforts to help amplify the voices of alumni and, whenever possible, highlight alumni as an important pillar of the SCU community—always emphasizing students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
In 2020 and 2021, the University faced many challenges, most notably the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, a national conversation about systemic racism, and the resignation of our recently inaugurated University President. And the challenges continue.
Through it all, I have met and been inspired by incredible Broncos from across generations. Alumni have shown themselves to be essential in the community’s ongoing efforts to support each other, make change, and move forward with hope. (To hear about the progress made on our , please read our .)
Looking ahead to the next academic year, I know the Alumni Association plans to restore some of your favorite events, reimagine others, and create new avenues for bringing us together based on what we’ve learned since the spring of 2020. I encourage everyone to participate, whether it be for the first time or the fiftieth; we should not take for granted the opportunities we have to come together as a community.
As I mentioned in my final remarks at the May Alumni Board meeting, particularly as a first-generation college graduate, it has been an absolute honor to serve the alumni community and represent the 100,000+ Broncos living worldwide. In the last two years, my connection to the University has evolved into a feeling of connection to each of you.
The work of doing all we can to help maintain these important connections and a meaningful presence in the larger SCU community will continue under the leadership of Scot Asher ’87, our incoming Board President. Our love for the SCU family is shared, and I look forward to staying involved as we work together in service of meaningful fellowship.
Once a Bronco, always a Bronco.
Dr. Melina Johnson ’01, M.A. ’03
Season's Greetings Bronco Family,
No doubt, the events of 2020 have made an impression on our lives. In my fall message to alumni just over a year ago, I emphasized a continued commitment to the Big Ideas of the Alumni Association’s Strategic Plan, and that has not changed. Now, more than ever, our role as lifelong stakeholders in the University encourages us to remain involved in the healing and growth of our community, local and wide. We must remain committed to strengthening our connections by engaging in meaningful inclusive ways, learning together, and supporting each other.
As we head into the holiday season, I wish the entire Bronco family peace. I pray you make time for rest and renewal because you are needed. We have more good work to do, and I am confident our diverse alumni family will be leaders in this time.
Warm regards,
Dr. Melina Johnson ’01, M.A. ‘03
2019-2021 National President
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
Greetings Bronco Family!
This fall I had the honor of beginning my two-year term as President of SCU’s Alumni Association , which serves to represent all 100,000+ alumni around the world. In these first few months, it has been such a pleasure to meet so many of you and witness your continued connection to the University community.
In addition, I was grateful to be given the opportunity to participate in the Inauguration of SCU’s 29th President, Kevin O’Brien, S.J. In my welcome to Fr. O’Brien on behalf of all of us, I spoke about the rich stories of our alumni. Sharing those stories remains one of the Association’s key priorities as we continue our efforts to foster a deep sense of school spirit, history, and tradition among alumni and current students. We also aim to remain committed to the three Big Ideas of the :
Once a Bronco, Always a Bronco – Alumni are seen as lifelong stakeholders in the University.
Activate the Tribe – Assemble our alumni, share their stories, and engage them in meaningful ways.
Surprisingly Relevant and Wildly Useful – Offer our alumni continued opportunities for lifelong learning and personal and professional growth.
I look forward to the remainder of the year, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as a representative of 14 decades of incredible Broncos.
We hope to see you back on campus soon, or at an alumni near you.
Go Broncos!
Warm regards,
Dr. Melina Johnson ’01, M.A. ‘03
2019-2021 National President
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
Dear Santa Clara Alumni Family,
I have been honored to serve as the 2018–19 President of Santa Clara University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.
We began the year with great anticipation, knowing the months ahead would be filled with excitement, change, and a commitment to driving our vision to action. Without a doubt, our experiences met those expectations.
It is with great appreciation that we thank University President Michael E. Engh, S.J., for his dedication to Santa Clara. SCU has experienced 10 years of transformational change under his leadership, and we will continue to see the benefits of his influence for years to come. It is with equal excitement that we welcome incoming president Kevin O’Brien, S.J., as the 29th President of Santa Clara University and offer the full support of our Alumni Association Board of Directors.
As we close out an eventful year, I would like to thank the members of the Board of Directors. They have provided thoughtful leadership and tirelessly supported the Alumni Relations Office—while focusing on better engaging all members of our alumni family. This year we revised our constitution to extend the term of President of the Alumni Associations Board of Directors to two years. This change allows improved alignment with SCU’s Integrated Strategic Plan, and provides continuity with other University volunteer boards. I wish to offer a personal note of thanks to Melina Johnson ’00 and Scot Asher’ 87 who will provide leadership to the Alumni Board during this upcoming period of transition.
As I reflect on the past year, much has transpired, but one of the most defining moments was the renaming of our alumni home to the Bannan Alumni House on March 23rd. This celebration and gathering of the Bannan family, who has shared their time, treasure, and love of SCU for more than 100 years, highlights how Santa Clara—with the assistance of our 100,000+ alumni—can look ahead to a bright future while simultaneously embracing our history and honoring the contributions of myriad individuals and families to the Santa Clara spirit.
Go Broncos!
Ryan Joy ’00
Dear Santa Clara Alumni Family,
I am Ryan Joy, proud member of the Class of 2000. For 2018-19, I am honored to serve as president of Santa Clara University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors, which represents over 100,000 undergraduate and graduate alumni in all 50 states and more than 120 countries around the world. With a new University President to be named and the public launch of SCU’s comprehensive capital campaign, the year ahead promises to be exciting. As such, the Alumni Board is enthusiastic and committed to implementing the Association’s vision of inspiring our alumni, supporting our University, and bettering our world.
This year we ambitiously set out to fulfill our commitment of achieving one million points of alumni engagement during the next four years. With the support of those who came before and in conjunction with the Alumni Relations Office, we start this journey with a focus on:
- Spirit, Pride, History, and Tradition: We will reinforce a culture of commitment to our alma mater and accelerate our efforts to deepen our sense of school spirit and pride in our history and traditions.
- One Family: With graduate and international alumni comprising 47% of our population, we aim to strengthen our engagement of all alumni in the Santa Clara family.
- Diversity and Inclusion: We will affirm the value of all members of the SCU family and pursue new programs to connect with alumni of different cultures, as well as those with diverse identities, affinities, and interests.
- Professional Connections: We will create valuable relationships with alumni around industry-based knowledge sharing and network-building programs.
- Alumni Stories:We are a community of diverse, interesting, and caring individuals living the University’s mission with compassion, competence, and conscience. With pride we will highlight and share our collective stories.
As alumni, we are lifelong stakeholders in our University. Whether you live close or just want to remain close to SCU, your Alumni Association Board of Directors encourages you to stay connected. Visit campus, attend an event in your area, watch a career webinar, join a geographic, identity, or industry group, check out our Online Classroom, and join any of our online communities.
We’re confident you’ll find many ways to engage with SCU and your fellow alumni as we strive to stay surprisingly relevant and wildly useful in your life.
Once a Bronco, Always a Bronco,
Ryan
Ryan Joy ‘00
President
Alumni Association Board of Directors
This past September, when we kicked off my term as president of your Alumni Association, we set a simple but ambitious goal for our year: tell the stories of our nearly 100,000 Santa Clara University alumni. A quote from the author, Sue Monk Kidd, aptly captured the rationale for our goal: “Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here.” As Broncos, we know who we are and we remember why we are here: to be people of competence, conscience, and compassion, with and for others, in order to create a more humane, just and sustainable world. So that we never lose this identity, we felt compelled to commit our time and talent to do a better job of telling your stories.
I invite you to see samples of the dozens of stories our Board collected over the course of the year. These are stories about Spirit, Pride, History & Tradition, Professional Connections, and One Family, three themes from our Alumni Association’s new Strategic Plan, “Inspiring Our Alumni. Supporting Our University. Bettering Our World.” My personal favorite is the story of Ed Rotticci ‘52, the last living member of the SCU football team which won the 1950 Orange Bowl – his spirit jumps off the screen, and his pride in his Bronco identity is genuinely contagious. It is worth noting that the interview of Mr. Rotticci was filmed at this past January’s Pasta Feed and Bronco Legends Night, where the Alumni Association, the SCU Athletics Department, and a record crowd honored the coaching legacy of Pat ’53 and Terry Malley ’76.
More than anything, I also invite you to continue to make and to share your Bronco stories. My friend and our outstanding head of Alumni Relations, Kathy Kale ’86, loves to say: a strong Santa Clara family makes the world a better place. She is so right. And our strength, I believe, comes from our competence, conscience, and compassion and the real life stories those qualities inspire.
As I hand over the reins, I want to welcome your next president, Ryan Joy ’00, your next president-elect, Melina Johnson ’01, M.A. ’03, and your incoming vice president, Scot Asher ‘87. The Alumni Association is truly in great hands. Finally, I want to thank Michael Engh, S.J., for his leadership and incredible support of the work of the Alumni Association.
I wish you a wonderful and peaceful summer!
Go Broncos!
JT
John Torrey
President, 2017-18
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
Generally speaking, I have no complaints. This is a lesson I’ve learned over the course of my life, in large part due to my Catholic faith, my parents’ examples, the incredible blessings of my wife, Juliette (SCU class of 1993), and our kids, and the amount of business travel I’ve completed without incident over the course of my career — all of which have taught me well to be, as much as anything else, grateful.
In my experience, however, things, especially bad things, tend to happen in threes. So, I was more than a little terrified of what might happen next after those four trying days. Sadly, it didn’t take long for me to learn. On the 9th of December, Santa Clara University lost one of its own, and one of its very best. Michael Zareski, a beloved veterinarian from the class of 1993, died tragically in a plane crash near his home in San Diego County. He is survived by his wife, Shanna, and their four children, ages 3 through 7.
Mike Z was simply one of those people who made everyone better. Funny, charming, deeply caring, kind, interested, interesting, inspiring, humble — a man of unquestionable compassion, competence, and conscience. Everyone who knew him, I’m sure, has a Mike Z story — he didn’t just pass through people’s lives, he constructively changed them.
So, as we begin a new year, and in honor of Mike, I am reminded and challenged to be more kind, to take more time with people, to show more compassion to everyone, to be a better friend, to make new friends, to help more people (and animals), to be more patient, to try to make a positive difference — ultimately, to love more, in an honest effort to be more like Mike.
Take care,
JT
Class of 1993
National Alumni Association President
I am John Torrey, and on behalf of 98,000 undergraduate and graduate alumni of SCU, I am privileged to serve as the 2017-18 President of SCU’s Alumni Association and its Board of Directors. We enter this upcoming year with incredible momentum and energy from the Alumni Association’s recently approved Strategic Plan, “Inspiring Our Alumni. Supporting Our University. Bettering Our World.” This new multi-year plan defines the key priorities of the Alumni Association while contributing meaningfully to the success of the University’s Integrated Strategic Plan and responding to the feedback and current attitudes of our large and diverse Bronco family. We look forward to sharing it with you soon.
While we will make progress against all of the plan’s key priorities in 2017-18, we will especially focus on four of them:
- Spirit, Pride, History & Tradition: we will accelerate our efforts to foster a deep sense of school spirit, history & tradition among students and alumni.
- One Family: with graduate and international alumni comprising 47% of our alumni population, we will launch an integrated approach to engage all alumni in the Santa Clara family.
- Diversity & Inclusion: following in the footsteps of Pope Francis’ Holy Year of Mercy and His call “to give consolation to every man and woman of our time,” we will pursue new programs with fresh focus on underrepresented or underserved groups.
- Professional Connections: we will engage alumni around industry-based knowledge sharing and network-building programs.
In short, we will activate our Bronco tribe. And, we will set the bar very high, targeting 1 million points of engagement with our alumni family over the life of the plan.
As we introduce and execute the plan, I want to thank Fr. Michael Engh, Kathy Kale, the entire University administration, and my fellow Alumni Board members for all of their support and partnership. We gratefully stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, and we are fortunate to have so much good work in front of us. Just keep swimming.
Go Broncos!
JT
John Torrey
President, 2017-18
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
Aloha!
It is with deep gratitude and warm regards that I greet you in my last communication as the 2016-17 National President of the Santa Clara University Alumni Association and its Board of Directors that represents all 97,000+ living alumni around the world. The Alumni Board members advise and guide the Alumni Office staff in fulfilling the mission of the Association and the University. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to represent and serve you.
It has been a particularly productive and historic year for the Board of Directors and the Alumni Association:
- The Board approved one of the largest single-year expansions in the history of the Alumni Association with the establishment of new regional chapters in Hong Kong, Manila, and Guam.
- The Board has made an important step in recognizing and supporting the LGBTQ+ members of our Alumni Family with the creation of the LGBTQ+ Alumni Identity Group.
- For the first time in the Alumni Association’s one hundred thirty-six year history, the Board of Directors made a historic vote to adopt a formal Resolution Advancing Diversity and Inclusion.
- And finally, the Board has approved a new strategic direction for the Alumni Association that will guide the association and inform its activities into the next decade. We look forward to sharing more about this exciting new direction in the coming year.
This year, we had the most diverse board membership in the history of the Alumni Association with representation across racial, age, gender, and geographical metrics, and we look forward to having even more diversity next year.
Despite our achievements, there is still more work to be done. And I leave you with a challenge to be engaged with our Alumni Family – at our mission campus and in your own communities – and inspire our future alumni to make the world a better place. I bid you a fond “aloha a hui hou,” until we meet again.
It’s always a great day to be a Bronco!
Brent
Brent K. Izutsu ‘05
2016-17 National President
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
Aloha!
It is with the warm and fond greeting of my home state of Hawai’i that I welcome you to the beginning of a new academic year. I am Brent Izutsu ’05, and I am serving as the 2016-17 national president of the Santa Clara University Alumni Association Board of Directors that represents all 94,000+ living alumni around the world. The alumni board is made up of over 30 fellow Broncos who advise and guide the staff within the Alumni Office to fulfill the mission of the association and the University. It is both an honor and a privilege to be your voice for the next year.
Some of the key areas that the Alumni Association and board of directors will focus on this year include:
- Engaging current students earlier with more meaningful interactions and experiences with the Alumni Office and the alumni family;
- Providing more opportunities for professional networking both online and in person;
- Strengthening our alumni community by joining with and amplifying broader University dialogue and efforts around diversity and inclusiveness;
- Reinforcing the board’s connection to each of the alumni chapters with enhanced dialogue and coordination; and
- Aligning the association’s strategic plan with the University’s long-term vision.
These are ambitious albeit important goals that will help the Alumni Association and the University better serve and engage all alumni. Much time and effort has been invested in building programs and offerings in these areas, but there is still more work to be done.
If you have suggestions or ideas for how you would like to engage with us and your fellow alumni, and how Santa Clara can be relevant in your life today, please share them with us. We’d love to hear from you.
I am looking forward to the coming year, and I hope that we’ll see you back on campus or at an alumni event near you.
It’s always a great day to be a Bronco!
Warm Regards,
Brent K. Izutsu ’05
2016-17 National President
Santa Clara University Alumni Association
SCU Needs You
Alumni giving participation is down eight years running. But you can change that.
Fellow Broncos, I’ll put it plainly: SCU needs your help. Notice the benchmark chart depicting alumni giving participation at some of our peer institutions. The numbers reflect the percentage of undergraduate alumni who make a financial gift of any size to their alma mater each year. As I’m sure you are well aware, the contributions of alumni are critical to the success, sustainability, and prominence of all universities. Note, if you will, Santa Clara’s position at the very bottom of the list.
At the top there’s Holy Cross, a Jesuit institution much like our own. Can you think of any good reason why the Crusaders from Worcester, Mass., have more than three times the level of alumni giving participation as your own beloved alma mater? Georgetown and Boston College also put us to shame. Even Gonzaga, our West Coast Conference rival, comes out ahead of us.
Note also the chart that documents the direction of alumni giving at Santa Clara during the past seven years. There was a time, not so long ago, when SCU alumni stepped up in far greater numbers than today. That participation fueled the astounding growth and improvements visible to everyone who sets foot on our campus, engages with our community, or reads about the increased recognitions and accomplishments of the University.
As you’ve flipped through this magazine, you’ve no doubt been reminded of your own experience as a student—an experience that was supported in part by the generosity of those who preceded you. Some of you made it through to graduation only with comprehensive financial assistance. But did you know that even a student paying full tuition at Santa Clara is covering only 75 percent of the actual cost of his or her education? Alumni donations are crucial in bridging this gap.
Today, the global financial crisis has affected many of our students and their families. These students are worthy and desiring of the same Santa Clara education that we were able to receive. But to keep those dreams alive, their need for support is even greater.
Any contribution you make will help. The bottom line is that alumni gifts great and small sustain Santa Clara University. Collectively, thousands of individual gifts enable us to provide much-needed scholarships, services, programs, and facilities.
You may think you’re not well-heeled enough to make a difference. You’ve seen the buildings on campus named after this or that donor, and you think, “I can’t give enough to have even a water fountain named after me.” But consider: If every Santa Clara grad contributed a mere $25, more than $1 million would be raised to benefit today’s students. Last year, gifts of $500 or less totaled more than $2 million.
Even a modest donation can give a valuable boost to Santa Clara’s national standing. Because alumni giving participation rate is regarded as one of the ways to measure alumni satisfaction with their alma mater, many foundations consider alumni giving participation when awarding grants for research and student programs. Will Boston College or (perish the thought) Gonzaga receive additional funding because we at Santa Clara failed to rally enough alumni support?
SCU needs our help. Many of us have let this go for too long. Please support SCU with a donation at www.scu.edu/give. Even $25 will be gratefully received. Dig a bit deeper, and maybe we’ll have a talk about that water fountain.
Go Broncos,
Catherine Horan-Walker ’69
National President of the SCU Alumni Association for 2009–10
Reaching out in times of need
A letter from your National Alumni Association President
In the last half year in particular, the global economic landscape has changed dramatically. Financial instability, job cuts, and a weakened housing market have led to fear and uncertainty for millions of people—including many of our fellow Broncos and their families. In difficult times such as this, it is helpful to remember the special connection we share as members of the Santa Clara family and the University community.
The SCU Alumni Association would like to remind you of the many benefits we offer that may be of use to you in the months ahead:
- Career Center resources
- Online job and networking tools
- Continuing education opportunities
- Temporary health insurance
- Learning Commons, Technology Center, and Library services
Please visit the Alumni Association Web site at www.scu.edu/alumni for more information on how you can take full advantage of these support services.
If you need additional assistance leveraging your SCU Alumni network, please feel free to e-mail or call the Alumni Office (alumupdate@scu.edu, 408-554-6800) or to contact Anne Oja in the Career Center (aoja@scu.edu, 408 554-4860).
Santa Clara is committed to instilling values of competence, conscience, and compassion, and we hope all Broncos will be mindful of fellow alumni challenged by these unprecedented times. We would like to encourage those of you who are in a position to help to strengthen our SCU offerings by posting employment opportunities, networking with fellow alumni, granting informational interviews, reviewing résumés, and facilitating connections with fellow grads where possible.
It’s difficult to know how long this downturn will last. However, we should take great strength and comfort in knowing we are all in this together. By leveraging the talents and resources of the 74,000 alumni that make up our Santa Clara family, we can try to ease the burdens of those most vulnerable and hurt by the financial crisis.
Go Broncos,
Steve Philpott ’97
National Alumni Association President
