It is Time For COA To Seat the COA Alumni at the Head Table

by Frank Twohill
class of 1980

 

I graduated from COA in January, 1980; I was a member of the second class entering COA in the Fall of 1973.  I am proud of the progress I have seen that COA has made over the years.  I am also astounded to see that the same great spirit exists among the members of the COA on-campus community.

 

I have been on the COAAA Governing Board since June, 2005.  In my opinion,

it is now time for COA to seat the alumni at the head table.  Let me explain.  If you do not consider my request to be p.c. (politically correct) please read on and at least hear me out.

 

When I returned to the COA campus in June, 2005, to attend the Black Fly reunion and graduation, this was my 25th "reunion" year.  I looked forward to "reconnect" with my classmates and assumed that many would return to MDI.   Instead, no one came back from my class at all.  In fact, of the 1200 COA graduates to date and the additional 800 students that have attended COA but did not graduate, only a handfull returned for "Black Fly" in 2005.

 

In 2006, again I returned to campus for the June "Black Fly" reunion and graduation weekend.  Again, virtually no one attended the annual "reunion" outside of the COAAA Governing Board members.  It clearly dawned on me that the COA alumni program was not working for us at all.

 

This year, the COAAA Governing Board has moved the annual reunion event to the April 21 and 22 Earth Day weekend.  Hopefully more alums will return to campus for this event.

 

I have been looking at some of the things that other schools are doing to stay in touch with their alums.  I get monthly alumni emails from my other schools; these inform me of what is going on on-campus and off that alumni are invited to.  Besides these monthly emails I also receive quarterly magazines.  In these, a hefty portion contain "class notes."  A "reporter" is chosen for each class and that reporter tries to stay current with classmates and their news gets posted.  It is traditional, like grades, paying tuition, etc. and it works.  One stays in better touch with classmates this way.  COA needs to add this to the alumni program.  I never hear anything about anyone that I knew at COA from COA communications.  Other alumni that I have spoken with these last two years agree.  There is no communication.

 

Finally, we are the graduates, the "educational product" of COA.  We need to be treated accordingly.  An example: I was on campus last year, Oct. 6-8 for President Hales' installation.  I heard that David suggested that an alumni event be scheduled for us that weekend, which it was.  This was a great idea!  We alumni had a great party that I attended at Davis on Friday evening.  However, the next morning I saw a gigantic tent on the north lawn.   I asked what that was for, as the Hales Presidential installation would be in the gigantic south lawn tent.  I was told that on Friday evening an elaborate catered dinner was held in the north lawn tent for the trustees and other COA VIP's.  I felt hurt that we alumni were not invited.  As great as the Davis party was, I could have "fit in" the Friday dinner. I would have paid for it gladly.  I drove up over 500 miles to attend the weekend.  My college didn't think that I was a VIP?

 

COA does have an email events announcement titled "This Week at COA."  At present it goes only to the Trustees and COAAA Governing Board members.  Why not make it available to all interested alumni?  It would cost COA nothing.

 

The emphasis on "wining and dining" the Trustees has worked fabulously for COA.  I am sure that the wonderful Trustees have, over the years, donated millions to our beloved college.  In the beginning COA only had the Trustees to turn to for donations.  Now, however, as we, the alumni, have grown "in the world" we can contribute, as well.  Some of us already are donating generously, with matching grants.  It is time to end the "special" attention lavished on the Trustees.  Make room for us at the table.  "Wine and dine" us as well.

 

I am optimistic that alumni relations will improve.  Milja, our new COA Alumni Coordinator, is an enthusiastic dynamo that has told me that she will do "whatever it takes" to improve alumni relations.  She organized this past year's "reunion" and is organizng the 2008 event April 18-20, with many events.  Also, I had a brief conversation with President Hales in October last year, right before he was installed as COA President.  He told me how much he wants all alumni to be better connected to COA.

 

I have heard that a new permanent alumni office is contemplated on campus.  This would accommodate Milja and also have space for us when we "come back to campus."  A most welcome step forward in COA alumni affairs!

 

COA must do more for the alumni.  Make us feel special, invited, welcomed.  We must be better connected to each other.  Have special events for specific classes.  Hold these on campus and throughout the country.  Beef up the COA Alumni effort.  It is now time as COA approaches its 40th year on MDI.  The benefits would be tremendous for everyone!

 

Frank Twohill, COA '80

 

Frank Twohill '80, continues to practice law in Connecticut and received his J.D. from Vermont Law School.  In private practice, he is busy as a Special Public Defender at the Bridgeport Criminal Court and does habeas corpus work for Connecticut prisoners.  Recently, Frank has returned to juvenile law, an area of practice that he loves, at the Waterford, CT, Juvenile Court. Frank has been an elected member of the Branford, CT, Representative Town Meeting since 1990.  Since 2005, Frank has been on the COA Alumni Association Governing Board; he is very interested in improving COA alumni affairs and relations.  He occasionally writes his "COA News, Views & Gossip Column" available through the COA Tribe Yahoo Group.  Anyone passing through Southern Connecticut is welcome to visit him.  Email: franktwohill@hotmail.com, cell: 203-982-3099.