Western Oregon Journal

Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: News

Western alumni received on-screen recognition at the April 15 Blazers game. The Blazers game outing was a program offered by Western's Alumni Association.

Forty-five credits could equal a free ticket to the Oregon Zoo or a Portland Trail Blazers game.
Thanks to online advertising--email, the Western Alumni Web site and the Alumni Association's monthly E-News--Western's Alumni Association has offered several free events to alumni throughout the year, the most recent being a Portland Trail Blazers game, complete with a hot dog dinner.
Christopher Wheeler, director of Alumni Relations, said, "I wanted to offer a few free events to our alumni and their families during this difficult economic year. Consequently, the (Blazers game) turned out to be one of the largest alumni gatherings in recent years."
One hundred and nineteen alumni from 1967-2008 met in Portland at the Memorial Coliseum for the pre-game hot dog, then headed over to the Rose Garden to watch the game.
Wheeler said there are roughly 40,000 alumni in the Alumni Association Database, which has no dues and includes current students with 45 or more credits.
For events like the Blazers game, Wheeler said everyone has their own reasons for staying involved with Western.
"Some stay connected because they want to continue to support the programs that they earned their degrees in (by) offering scholarship support or internship opportunities to current students. Others want to reconnect with college friends and professors they may have lost touch with upon graduation," Wheeler said. "During this difficult economic environment, some alumni are seeking assistance in revising their resumes and securing employment that the Service Learning and Career Development Center can provide for free to alumni via the Alumni Association," Wheeler said.
Elizabeth Way of Monmouth, a 2003 Western graduate, attended both the Blazers game and the zoo trip in March.
Way said it was nice to be offered a free event in light of the economy.
"However, what was even nicer was that this event felt like an event that a vast majority of the alum were interested in and excited to be at," she said.
Wheeler said his favorite part of the evening was "seeing so many alumni from various classes, 1967-2008, attend the same event. The crowd was a great mix of alumni across varying professions and lifestyles."
The Alumni Association will continue to host events, beginning with the Senior Send-Off on June 12 and continuing with other events over the summer in Salem and Portland.

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