NEWS & VIEWS - FALL 2009

In this issue:

• Welcome from alumni board president
• New alumni board members elected
• New Alumni Tuition Grant Program recipients named
• Diversity weekend
  
• Minneapolis alumni event
• Mentor corner
  
• Alumni survey
• Career services
  
• Alumni Association news

In each issue:

• Institute social networking sites
• Alumni notes
• Calendar
• Update your contact information
• Past issues of News & Views
• Ways to get involved
• Submit news for the next issue

A letter from Alumni Board president, Misty Heggeness (MPP ’00)

Hello alumni and welcome new graduates! The Humphrey School Alumni Society is an active, engaging group of talented individuals. We are lucky and excited to have a new cohort of intelligent, active graduates join us, and we welcome you to the alumni family.

Taking advantage of the change of season, I would like to update you on many new and exciting changes taking place with the Humphrey School Alumni Society.

First and foremost, the Humphrey School’s alumni board of directors worked diligently last year to update and improve the alumni society’s mission and bylaws

We have clarified our role within the Humphrey School, with our primary objective to serve the needs of Institute alumni and engage alumni with the Institute. This is a more focused and engaging mission. We hope you share our excitement in the clarified direction the alumni society will take this year. Please share your ideas for how we can best serve alumni here.

Our career services office already has provided leadership in accomplishing this mission by offering workshops to alumni and recent grads last spring. Another new development is the strategic shift in name and structure of our financial support to current students. The Humphrey Alumni Tuition Grant Program (ATGP), founded in 1990, changed its name to the Humphrey Alumni Scholarship. Additionally, we have developed the Humphrey Alumni Leadership Circle, where alumni and friends giving annual gifts of $1,000 or more are recognized. This prestigious group’s commitment to Institute students serves to inspire others. Humphrey Alumni Leadership Circle members are invited to special gatherings with Institute leadership, sent periodic updates on Humphrey School issues and priorities, and recognized in donor lists. But, most importantly, they provide substantial, critical support to students whose financial needs increase dramatically every year. To give a gift or become a member of the Humphrey Alumni Leadership Circle today, click here.

Finally, the alumni society continues to engage alumni in meaningful exchange with current Humphrey students via our mentor program. The mentor program not only benefits students by allowing them an opportunity to interact with a seasoned professional doing the work they aspire to do someday, but it also gives Institute alumni the chance to give back to the Humphrey community and stay engaged with the youthfulness and energy that an academic setting gives to all of us. The mentor program has grown exponentially in recent years, and we are always looking for good, qualified mentors to work with impressive, energetic Humphrey students. Please consider becoming a mentor! For more information, visit the mentor program web site.

Leadership takes place in many forms. This spring we will be looking for new leaders to take positions on the Humphrey School alumni board of directors. I invite you to think about this volunteer opportunity and consider participating on a committee this year to get first-hand experience working with the alumni board. Watch for the nomination announcement this spring. Welcome to a new fall full of change and beauty, not only outside, but also, here, within our own alumni community. Thank you for everything you do and the many ways in which each of you continue to give to the Humphrey community. We are proud to represent you.

Best wishes,

Misty L. Heggeness (MPP ’00)
President, Humphrey School Alumni Board of Directors

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New alumni board members elected

The 2009–10 alumni board began its term on July 1. The Institute is proud to welcome the following new and re-elected members:

Deena Anders (MPA ’04)
Eric Anderson (MA ’85)
Deborah Bednarz (MA ’87)
Jasna Burza (MPP ’04)
Todd Graham (MP ’94)
Paula Mazzacano (MA ’80)
Kiyoshi Nakasaka* (MA ’89)
Alexander Oftelie (MPP ’03)
Mary Orr (MA ’82)
Mary Vidas* (MPA ’03)

*Elected to a second term

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Humphrey Alumni Scholarship (formerly the Alumni Tuition Grant Program)

Congratulations to the 2009–10 Alumni Tuition Grant Program recipients.

Thanks to the generous gifts from Institute alumni, nine second-year students have received grants to help them complete their public affairs degrees. To see photos and read profiles of these talented recipients, please click here.

The name may have changed, but the intent remains the same: to assist second-year Humphrey School students in completing their degree programs. This academic year, 10 students are receiving HAS awards totaling $42,750. Those awards are possible through the ongoing generosity of Humphrey School alumni.

The campaign to generate scholarship funds for academic year 2010—11 began July 1. Between then and October 30, 2009, nearly 90 alumni and friends have contributed.$8,065. The chart below indicates the level of participation by alumni by the decades in which they were students.

The Humphrey Alumni Leadership Circle is a new giving recognition program established by the alumni board. Annual gifts to the Humphrey Alumni Scholarship of $1,000 or more provide critical resources to help students meet the raising costs of tuition and fees and become the next generation of leaders who will shape our world.

In gratitude for support at the leadership circle level, members will receive a small token of appreciation, invitations to special gatherings at local and regional events, periodic updates on Humphrey School issues and priorities, and recognition  in donor lists.

We are pleased to acknowledge the first leadership circle donor for this year in the list below. An asterisk (*) next to a name on the list below denotes a leadership circle gift.

Contributions to the Humphrey Alumni Scholarship fund (makes checks payable to the University of Minnesota Foundation and note the gift is for the Humphrey Alumni Scholarship on the memo section of the check) can be sent to:

Humphrey Alumni Scholarship
Development Office
300 Humphrey School
301 19th Ave S
Minneapolis MN 55455

For further information contact a member of the Humphrey alumni board development committee:  Jim Jernberg, Paula Mazzacano, Gwen Freed, Brad Moore or Jim Lewis, Institute development associate, or call 612-625-2099. 

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Diversity Weekend

Call for volunteers
The Graduate Student Services office is planning the Second Annual Diversity weekend and we need your help! We’re looking for students, alumni, and staff to host prospective students and/or serve as general volunteers.

Prospective students are coming from all across the country to learn more about the Humphrey School and the Twin Cities. This is a great way to get involved with the Humphrey community, and we invite all to participate.

As a host, we only expect that you provide our student guest(s) with a place to sleep and shower. We have activities from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on November 12 and 13. We hope you will share your experiences and encourage these potential students to consider the Humphrey School.

As a volunteer, you can help by: picking up students from the airport (via light-rail or car), serving on an alumni panel, helping with registration, leading tours of the Institute and West Bank, setting up and cleaning up for meals (free food possibilities), or by being a floater to help us with tasks as they come up during the events.

Social events: On November 12, mix and mingle with prospective students from across the country by attending Humph Night at Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis. On November 13, join them for salsa dancing at Picosa in Minneapolis. To volunteer, please contact Teresa Michelle Obrero (MPP/MSW ’08).

Save the date: Minneapolis alumni networking December 10
Join other alumni who live and/or work in Minneapolis at the Institute to discuss policy issues affecting the city and to talk with fellow grads.

Thursday, December 10
5 to 7 p.m.
Humphrey School Atrium

Remarks by Minnesota State Senator Patricia Torres Ray (MPA ’02) at 6 p.m.
$5/person

Registration details available soon.

This event is hosted by the Humphrey School alumni board’s alumni relations committee.

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Mentor corner

This year’s program is the biggest ever, with 121 students matched with local mentors. The mentor program staff wishes to thank all of the generous Institute alumni and friends this year for volunteering to mentor a student:

Thank you mentors!

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Career Services

Career support for alumni
The Humphrey School Office of Career Services offers support to alumni at every stage of their careers. You can make an appointment to speak in person or by phone with either Lynne Schuman or Martha Krohn at www.hhh.umn.edu/career, by clicking on “Make an Appointment.” If you want access to our job blogs, contact Jane Vega at jvega@umn.edu and ask for the user name and password. Note the variety of resources for resumes, cover letters, interviewing skills, and salary negotiation on our website, as well as access to online workshops on career topics. All these resources are free to alumni and available at any time.

We need your job and internship leads!
Know of a job or internship that would fit Institute students or alumni?  Please send details to Lynne Schuman at lschuman@umn.edu. A large percentage of the opportunities we post come through alumni. We appreciate it!

Develop an ongoing internship program for your organization
Would your organization benefit from working with graduate-level talent? We would be glad to help you structure an effective internship program and connect you to the talent at the Humphrey School. Just contact our internship coordinator, Martha Krohn, at mkrohn@umn.edu.

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University of Minnesota Alumni Association
The University of Minnesota Alumni Association launched its new website at www.minnesotaalumni.org. One of the many new features is an online alumni database. We encourage you to make sure your contact information is up-to-date and access the database to reconnect with others.

SAVE the DATE!
Make it a priority to attend the 2010 Legislative Briefing and Reception on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the McNamara Alumni Center. University of Minnesota President Bruininks will preview the U’s 2010 legislative request and talk about the challenges higher education faces in these trying economic times.

We’re counting on our guests to help us build on last year’s success where participants wrote 400 personalized letters to legislators. With your support, we can do even more this year. Bring your cell phone (for calling and text messaging) and your passion to the briefing, and be ready to speak up for the University of Minnesota. Registration information will be posted soon on the legislative network’s website at www.supporttheU.umn.edu.

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Alumni notes

Do you wonder what your classmates and fellow Humphrey School alumni are doing these days? Click here to find out.

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Institute social networking sites

Connect with other alumni and the Humphrey School through LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Find out more here.

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Calendar

Keep informed about public events at the Institute. View upcoming events or sign up for the events listserv.

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Update your contact information

Have you moved or changed jobs? Have you got a new e-mail address or telephone number? We would like to know! Update your information.

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Past issues of News & Views

Read past issues of News & Views on the alumni web site.

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Ways to get involved

Interested in getting involved at the Humphrey School? Tell us how you would like to be engaged.

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Submit news for next issue

Do you have news to share with your classmates? Please submit entries for the next issue of the alumni newsletter by May 15, 2009.

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