The University of Central Arkansas? student alumni group, Association of Future Alumni, brought home one-third of the six awards presented at the Association of Student Advancement Programs District 4 conference last weekend in San Marcos, Texas.
UCA?s AFA adviser Jan Newcomer was recognized as an outstanding adviser and AFA president Melissa Nix, a UCA senior, received the outstanding student leader award. The awards were particularly special because this is the first year UCA had a student alumni program.
?The award was so special to me because one of my former students from ULM [University of Louisiana at Monroe] presented me with the award for outstanding adviser for this new student alumni program at UCA,? Newcomer said. ?I was nearly in tears when she called my name.?
Nix said while she hoped to bring back a lot of ideas, she had no idea she would bring back an award too. ?Honestly, I did not expect that at all,? she said. ?I mean, there were other students who?d been a part of more established organizations for four years, and they got nominated this year. It really humbled me to receive this award since it was our first year.?
Nix said each of the nine AFA members who attended the conference returned with new ideas and a renewed interested in the organization. ?The conference re-ignited their enthusiasm and helped several of the members realize that there are other student alumni organizations who are doing the same types of things we?re doing.?
In their first year, the group welcomed freshmen to UCA with a freshman convocation; raised money by selling more than 500 Freshman Welcome Kits, buckets filled with goodies donated from local merchants to welcome freshmen to UCA and Conway; and sold more than 200 roses to proud family members at graduation. The group also assisted with alumni association tailgates and other events.
The AFA became best known on campus earlier this month when they sponsored ?Trading Places,? a program that allowed several students to trade places with faculty, staff and administrators for a day.
Members of the Association of Future Alumni serve as ambassadors between the student body and the alumni association.
More than 180 students and advisers representing 18 southwestern universities attended the conference. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education sponsors the ASAP program and conference.
-Jennifer Boyett
