The Gift of Your Time

The Clearly Furman campaign is officially underway, and we’ll hear a lot about big donations and headline projects. Of course, these are critical to the success of the campaign and Furman’s future. If you are able to give – in any amount – I hope you’ll do so. 

But other forms of engagement with Furman are important, too. In fact, having more alumni actively engaged with the university, students and each other is so important it informs the third goal of the campaign: to have 65% of alumni engage with the university during the duration of the campaign. 

What does that mean? It means giving Furman a little bit of your time, energy and expertise. Here are a few ideas: 

Update your contact information. It’s really that simple. Sharing your current address and employer is tremendously helpful and will allow the Alumni Office to keep you up to date on what’s relevant to you. Visit www.furman.edu/alumni/myinfo now.

Join your fellow alumni on social media. Keep up with what’s happening on campus and with our fellow alumni by following the Alumni Office’s channels on Facebook @FurmanAlumni, Instagram @Furman_ Alumni and Twitter @Furman_Alumni.

Engage locally. You don’t have to make it back to campus to make a difference. As an out-of-town alumnus in Washington, D.C., I know it may feel like all the fun is in Greenville. But there are more than 30 Furman Advantage Network (FAN) Clubs across the country. We’re always looking for alumni to help lead these groups, plan an outing or show up for a Dins Day happy hour. And, don’t forget to come out when one of Furman’s 18 Division 1 athletics teams competes in your town.

Attend professional development events. Yes, you can still learn things from Furman. The Alumni Learning Community at alumlc.org/furman includes regular lectures on a variety of topics. Recent topics have covered workplace leadership, crafting better sales presentations, mindfulness and more.

Volunteer to help today’s students. Last but not least, there are many opportunities to help today’s students. You may be surprised by how even just a few minutes of your time can make a huge impact. Speak on an alumni panel. Sign up to be a mentor to help students understand your industry better and what they should do to prepare for their own careers. Let the Internship Office know your company has open spots for talented students or hire a recent Furman graduate.

The list of opportunities to help Furman is nearly endless. Some just take a couple of clicks or taps. Others will take a bit more time. In either case, I can promise that reconnecting with our alma mater will benefit you, today’s students and future classes. 

Patrick Kerley ’04 is the senior vice president at Subject Matter, a communications, advertising and advocacy agency based in Washington, D.C. He begins a two-year term as president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors this summer.