A Message From The Alumni Association President It is a pleasure and honor for me to serve as president of the Old Dominion University Alumni Association. The most effective alumni associations do more than “cheer.” In 2004-05, your Alumni Association will focus on three priorities. First, we’ll give the association’s activities and programs a “disappearance test,” using a comprehensive, self-study process. We’ll analyze goals, objectives, programs and structure to ensure that we’re not only doing things right … but doing the right things. The desired outcome is an optimally prepared, organized and energized alumni association. The process should refine our mission, update our strategic focus and direction, and suggest any additional steps required to be sure the Alumni Association remains relevant. Secondly, we plan to “Connect and Involve” alumni and their association more actively and meaningfully in the academic and intellectual life of our university. We intend to utilize the self-study process to initiate conversation with academic leadership to explore potential roles, partnerships and collaborations to bring alumni and their association closer to the core and essence of the university – its academic mission and programs. Finally, your Alumni Association will look beyond immediate, alumni-related projects and fund-raising goals to explore other opportunities to assist President Roseann Runte, Vice President for Development Alonzo Brandon ’90, and other university representatives and volunteers in support of meeting and, hopefully, exceeding Capital Campaign fund-raising goals. As we work together this year we plan to be guided by the following Chinese proverb: Tell me, I may forget. Show me, I may remember. Involve me and I will understand. I invite each of you to consider investing your cognitive, temporal and financial resources in support of our alma mater and its Alumni Association in the upcoming year. I guarantee a positive return on investment (ROI)! Yours for Old Dominion, Gordon McDougall ’80 ODU80@aol.com McDougall, who earned his bachelor’s degree in history and served one year as president of the Student Senate, is vice president/sales for Alumni Holidays International Corp. He served as ODU alumni director from 1982-88 (concurrently as secretary to the Board of Visitors from 1986-88). A resident of Bartlett, Ill., he has been a member of the Alumni Association board of directors since 2001.