A Message From The President
I am honored to serve our Alumni Association as president, especially in this, the 75th year of Old Dominion University. I look forward to the many opportunities we have to serve our alma mater.

The mission of the university promotes the advancement of knowledge and the pursuit of truth locally, nationally and internationally. It develops in students a respect for the dignity and worth of the individual, a capacity for critical reasoning and a genuine desire for learning. It fosters the extension of the boundaries of knowledge through research and scholarship and is committed to the preservation and dissemination of a rich cultural heritage. ODU has been successful in this mission and you have been part of that success!

The mission of the Alumni Association is to “promote the well-being of Old Dominion University through leadership and service by reinforcing the importance of partnership with her while enhancing the intellectual and emotional ties amongst alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students and friends of the university.” In so many meaningful ways we have succeeded in achieving our mission, and you again have played an integral part in that accomplishment.

The buzz around campus this fall is palpable and we are looking forward to being a big part of that growing excitement. The President's Lecture Series, Founders’ Day, the pursuit of football, Homecoming, academic initiatives, Changing Lives: The Campaign for Old Dominion University and mentoring are among the many remarkable activities, events and programs the Alumni Association is working on. They all provide opportunity for you to participate in the life of your alma mater, and we invite you to do just that!

As we help launch this 75th year, it is appropriate to express gratitude to the board of directors, past and present, for bringing the Alumni Association to this point. I look forward to working with each of you as we continue to promote our great university.

Go Monarchs!
–Lauren Lenz Conner ’79

Conner, who earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, is a Realtor with William E. Wood and Associates in downtown Norfolk, specializing in South Hampton Roads. A Norfolk resident, she has served on the Alumni Association board since 2001.