Why We Need an Alumni Center

An Alumni Center for San Diego State. Why?

Having primarily focused my professional life for the past decade on this quest I thought I should be able to answer the question.

When we think about San Diego State what comes to mind? A university growing with the times and our region to produce the workforce we need in business, education and science? A massive State school which delivers quality education for bargain tuition? Perhaps an all grown up Cal State commuter school with a burgeoning research effort struggling for an identity in the shadow of the UCs? Or maybe a once proud football program attempting yet another return to glory with Brady Hoke as coach?

We have heard plenty of this and much more over here on the Mesa. Certainly there is much to be proud of in the product of SDSU. But there is much to be done to help elevate the university’s standing among institutions of higher learning and in the community we serve. A big part of that job is raising awareness of San Diego State and encouraging greater involvement among its alumni.

Increasing support for the university through strong alumni relations builds the foundation for a better institution. You can’t build a powerful organization without a strong base and at the Alumni Association, everything we do is directed toward strengthening the university’s base.

There are more than 200,000 SDSU alumni. Presently, fewer than 8,000 are Alumni Association members. Growing Alumni Association membership is the first step in a process that ultimately leads to enhancing the university’s prestige. The more engaged and involved the alumni are, the stronger the university becomes as a result.

So what, then, is the role of the new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center in helping to strengthen our base? First, it serves as a literal touchstone for Aztec alumni all over the world. If you want to reconnect with the university, this is the place to do it.

Want to come to campus, but you’re not quite sure where to go? Check in here. You’ll be welcome.

Do you have questions about university programs or events? This is the place to call if you don’t know exactly where to plug in. We’re happy to help you.

This is your home. It’s the one place on campus you will always belong no matter how the campus has changed or how long it’s been since your last visit.

The Alumni Center is also the physical location where our common experience as Aztecs may be shared and remembered. It’s where we’ll celebrate our collective triumphs and mourn our tragedies. Our traditions will be honored here.

And even as our rich history is revered in this place, so is our future planned and prepared for. Various boards and committees representing the university and its alumni will meet here. They will imagine, they’ll dream, and draw on their talents, educations and experiences for ideas to help make SDSU a stronger institution in the years to come.

In the end, what will this new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center mean for San Diego State? It’s hard to say exactly. We’ve never had anything quite like it before. But the possibilities are thrilling.

So we invite you to come check it out at 11:00 a.m. on October 17 or any time after that when you’re in the neighborhood. Ultimately, my fellow Aztecs, the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center is all about you.