USD Magazine Fall 2006

October 6-8 USD: Homecoming/ Reunion Weekend Join old friends during this week- end’s festivities, which include reunions for the classes of 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006. Events and activities such as a golf tournament, a welcome reception, an alumni Mass, dinner with university president Mary E. Lyons and a tailgate party are among the many events that are certain to reconnect alums with USD friends and family. For more information, go to www.sandiego.edu/homecoming. October 15 Dallas: State Fair Get together with fellow Toreros at USD Day at the Texas State Fair. It’s guaranteed to be a mem- orable chance to hang out with old friends and make new ones while enjoying events like pig racing, speed-eating competi- tions, an auto show and a mid- way packed with more than 70 rides and shows But of course, the real excitement comes from the food booths; last year’s big seller was the fried peanut butter, banana and jelly sandwich. Yum. January 8 Bay Area: Men’s Basketball Root on the Toreros as they face the University of San Francisco Dons at theWar Memorial Gym- nasium in San Francisco. When the two teams faced each other in March 2006 at theWCC tourna- ment, USD scored a 62-52 victory in an exciting finish that saw the win sealed with a pair of free throws after the Dons got hit with a goal-tending call. The above events are just a sampling of dozens of upcoming regional get-togethers. To find out if there’s one near you, contact David Stephens at (619) 260-4819 or go to www.sandiego.edu/alumni and click on Regional Programs. CITY S P O T L I G H T

GIVING BACK Alumni board member Shannon Smith is on a mission to increase participation [ g u n g h o ] S hannon Smith sees her involvement with the National Alumni Board and

alumni to speak at or participate in events like Finals Feeding Frenzy. “Alums can quell our fears,”says Morgan.“It’s reassuring to hear howwell they’ve done with a wide range of degrees.” Still, many students are over- whelmed about landing that precious first job. Fortunately, alumni are around to offer a leg up. According to Linda Scales, director of career services, a significant number of jobs and internships posted on ToreroLink come from alumni. Megan Turner ’03 mentors grads through the Alumni Online Community. As royalties supervisor for BMG Publishing, she’s done informational interviews for students looking to break into the industry.“I recommend they come to L.A. for a summer and see if they like it,”says Turner.“If they haven’t been on a film set, they don’t know what it’s like to work 16 hours and then go home and do laundry.” What could be a more tangible way to shape the future than by helping to recruit the brightest students? Members of the Volun- teer Alumni Network represent USD at recruiting events nation- wide. According to undergraduate admissions director Steve Pultz, competition is fierce. “Alumni are critical to attracting a more diverse and more highly qualified student body,” says Pultz. “They’re giving back to the school in a way that’s very important.” Last year, the admissions office began a pilot program in which alumni interviewed student appli- cants in the Chicago area. Maureen Partynski ’82, a retired bank CEO, was on hand, along with Paul Pur- cell ’97, partner at a hedge fund. “These kids were serious about going to USD, but they might not have been able to afford the trip for a personal interview,”says Partynski. And what do alumni get from this experience? Institu- tional pride, says Purcell:“USD was a very special place for me. I do this because I believe in USD and I want USD to succeed.”

2005, talking to alumni and telling them what the Alumni Association was up to. “That was my first homecoming in 10 years,” she says. “Getting back in the spirit of Homecoming was really great for me.” Having lived in NewYork for 11 years, Smith had never attend- ed the other big alumni event, Alumni Honors. But last year, she jumped right in, working with her aunt, longtime trustee Patricia Howe, to increase participation by the board. “We had the biggest attendance of trustees ever at the event,” she says. “It was really just well-rounded support for our biggest event of the year outside of Homecoming.” Smith’s goal on the Alumni Board has been to encourage others to join her in making donations. She notes that even small donations can buy a lot of books for scholarship students. “While I have a small voice in what I’ve given back, at the end of the day I’ve seen the impact,” she says. “In aggregate, our alumni voice can be huge if everyone is participating.”

the donations she makes to the university as a way to honor the return she’s seen on one of her best investments: her education. “For me, it’s been really easy to give back to USD,” says Smith, a 1986 business and international relations graduate who’s made a career in mortgage banking. “The value of my diploma has increased substantially. I believe in my investment.” Smith herself got the ball rolling on one of the latest ventures for the Alumni Board, making the inaugural donation in July to the Alumni Fund. This new fund offers alumni a chance to have a more tailored place for their donations. The donated monies primarily will benefit two scholarships set up by alumni, the ThereseWhitcomb Alumni Scholarship and the Kyle O’Connell Memorial Scholarship. During what she calls her“rookie year”on the National Alumni Board, Smith cut her teeth helping out on two major events. She worked the tent at Homecoming

VICKY RABINOWICZ/CORBIS

TIM MANTOANI

31

FALL 2006