Arkansas native Jesse Thill has been hired as the director of Alumni Services. He succeeds Jan Newcomer in this position and started in February of this year.
Thill is a family man first and foremost. He values hard work and integrity. “I am very excited to be part of the UCA community. I believe that now, more than ever, a strong alumni association is key to the mission of the university. Together, we will continue to build an alumni association that fosters the connection between graduates, former students, friends and the university. I sincerely believe we will accomplish some special things at UCA,” he said.
In addition to Thill, Aaron Knight, assistant director of membership and marketing, and Heather Harper, assistant director for student and young alumni engagement, make up the Alumni Services staff. Alumni Services is governed by the Alumni Association Board of Directors. The 15-member volunteer board is elected by dues-paying members of the Alumni Association.
The Alumni Association had many successes in 2014. The recent Bear Your Stripes campaign, the first campaign of its kind directed at increasing association membership, yielded 357 new memberships. The Alumni Association has 367 life memberships. UCA has eight active affinity alumni chapters, including Young Alumni, Band Alumni and Black Alumni.
The Association of Future Alumni (AFA) was created in an effort to involve current UCA students with alumni and the institution. Students who participate in AFA have been through an application and selection process and must meet a minimum GPA to remain in the group. AFA focuses on alumni events such as tailgates and the homecoming parade. Additionally, AFA presents each freshman with a UCA lapel pin and a UCA Traditions and History book during Welcome Week.
Thill was raised in Fayetteville. After high school, he attended Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kan., on a track and cross-country scholarship. He went on to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where he completed his undergraduate degree in history and his graduate degree in learning systems technology. Thill and his wife, Elizabeth, have two sons, Chance and Cooper.
He came to UCA from the University of Florida Alumni Association where he served as associate director of membership and philanthropy. While in Florida, Thill implemented a membership campaign that resulted in more than 1,000 new alumni members in 30 days and he created an annual plan to grow life memberships to 18,000 members. His duties included increasing total memberships, annual giving and working with young alumni to increase their philanthropic support.
It’s easy to join the Alumni Association. It’s open to alumni and friends. One can join online at uca.edu/alumni/membership. The cost for an individual membership is $35; couples can join for $50. A life membership, which includes a certificate, personalized brick in the Legacy Walk, free admission to Alumni and Friends tailgate parties and exclusive invitations to special events, is $500.