UCSC Review Summer 1997
Alumni Association Councilors, 1997-98
Cowell Stephen Klein, President-Elect Michael Twombly
Stevenson Diana Reece,Vice President for Programs Heather Urquhart
Crown Michael Brown Linda Wilshusen, Vice President for Finance
Merrill Alan Acosta Ricky Bluthenthal, Past President
Porter Daren Lewis Linda Ziskin
Kresge Pamela Baer Jim Eicher
Oakes G. Chris Brown,Vice President for Membership Renee Martinez
College Eight Joanne Foxxe Robert Weiner, Vice President for Administration
At Large Mark Adams Carol Bradshaw Aimee Dudovitz Doug Foster Steven Jung, President John Laird Eric Thomas Kathryn Tobisch
Ex Officio Carolyn Christopherson, Executive Director Michael Cowan, Past Chair, Academic Senate Sara Dozier, Chair, Student Union Assembly Kathleen Flint, President, Graduate Student Association M.R.C. Greenwood, Chancellor
Alumni join with Admissions to reach out to new students
Reliving her days at UCSC--and to a rapt audience, no less--is not something that Gayle Michaelson (Kresge '94) gets to do often, especially now that she juggles a busy schedule working as a counselor and pursuing her master's degree at Pepperdine University. But last fall, when the Admissions Outreach Volunteer Program was launched with the help of the Alumni Office, Michaelson and over 60 other alumni volunteers had plenty of opportunities to share their UCSC experiences with prospective students and their parents throughout the state.
"I'm proud of the accomplishments that I had at UCSC," said Michaelson, who volunteered at several college fairs at southern California high schools and colleges. "I feel I got the best education possible."
Each fall, UCSC is invited to participate in more than 300 college fairs for high school and community college students--more fairs than the handful of UCSC staff counselors can possibly attend. "Finding volunteers to assist with these college fairs is our top priority," said Heidi Renteria, outreach volunteer coordinator for the Office of Admissions.
As well as extending UCSC's outreach, Rentería believes alumni are especially qualified to spread the word about the high-quality educational experience that UCSC has to offer.
Sierra Thai-Binh (Merrill '96) would agree. "I felt I was really able to give them an idea of what UCSC was like," said Thai-Binh, adding that she was particularly impressed with the quality of the students she met. "The kids were really together," she said. "They sounded like they were ready for the future."
What questions are asked most frequently by prospective students and their parents? "The parents ask about the academics, and the kids ask about the social life," said Michaelson.
Alumni interested in participating in UCSC recruiting efforts are encouraged to contact Rentería in the Admissions Office at (408) 459-5518 or via e-mail at hrrenter@cats.ucsc.edu.
New benefit worth cost of association membership
UCSC Extension has announced a new benefit available only to members of the Alumni Association: a discount of $35 on any class offered through UCSC Extension. With classes ranging from Web Design to Effective Business Writing to The One Minute Drawing Class, UCSC Extension offers an astonishing diversity of programs for professional development and personal growth.
Peter Kozelka is one alumnus who is finding extension's programs helpful. Kozelka graduated from UCSC last June with a Ph.D. in chemistry and in-depth technical expertise in water quality. But he had a difficult time finding a job outside the university setting. "Extension classes have really broadened my understanding of the environmental field," he said. "I'm learning how the business world works while taking classes with precisely the circle of people who can give me job leads."
Alumni Association members formerly received a 20 percent discount on a limited number of extension courses that didn't have enrollment restrictions. The new voucher, available to each Alumni Association member once a year, has no restrictions on its use. The new $35 extension class discount is equivalent to the cost of an annual Alumni Association membership. Annual members who take advantage of the discount will essentially get their Alumni Association membership for free.
To take advantage of this new benefit or for more information, call the Alumni Office at (800) 933-SLUG or (408) 459-2530.
Jessica Vodak reaches out to alumni in support of UCSC
She chose Santa Cruz in part because she heard about frequent deer sightings on campus. But she's stayed because "at UCSC you are taught to think on your own and come up with your own ideas. It's very self-motivating." Today, Jessica Vodak is a senior anthropology major at Merrill who loves UCSC and the job that helps keep her here: program supervisor for the campus's Annual Fund.
The UCSC Annual Fund is one of the university's major fund-raising programs, and it has provided Vodak with a job and a challenge. Student callers like Vodak are Annual Fund representatives who ask for donations that support educational excellence at UC Santa Cruz.
"It's a really hard job, so I wasn't that great when I first started," Vodak said. But she stuck with it. "I learned how to overcome objections and have a good conversation with people." The people she phoned made her job even easier. "I love talking to alumni and parents," she said. "I learned what the school used to be like, what to do for my major, what classes to take. The Annual Fund is a really good way for alumni to communicate with current students." Alumni have responded generously to Vodak and her fellow callers, donating about half of the $800,000 they raised in 1996-97 (parents of current students donated much of the rest).
Vodak started as a caller her freshman year and was promoted to lead caller as a sophomore and program supervisor as a junior. She spent the last academic year helping fellow callers understand the complexities of UCSC's financial situation. As one of the smaller UC campuses, UCSC depends heavily on the Annual Fund to sustain its quality programs. "If your belief in the program is high enough, if you know how badly we need the money," Vodak said, "it really comes across and helps you get support for the school."
The Annual Fund raises money for library books, computer labs, scholarship funds, and other programs. Donors are given the option of donating to any area on campus, and callers like Vodak see firsthand the difference these donations can make. "It's really a rewarding job being able to look around and say 'I helped do that. I helped raise that money.'"
And she certainly has helped raise a lot of money. Since joining the program in 1995, Vodak has raised more than $115,000 through her efforts for UCSC. Caller fund-raising is challenging, but the callers are up to the task. As Vodak emphatically said, "If you can do that, you can do anything.
Announcing the Alumni Association's World Wide Web site:
* Up-to-date information on alumni events * Services available to alumni * Volunteer opportunities * Links to regional chapter Web pages * Information about membership
The University of California Alumni Associations present the fourth annual Alumni Career Conference & Job Fair. The Keynote speech will be given by Jack Canfield, coauthor of the New York Times best- seller Chicken Soup for the Soul and the recent Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work. The event will also include:
--Workshops with top career professionals --Networking luncheon with alumni in your job field
The Job Fair will be held Saturday, September 20, 1997, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Cost (includes lunch): $60 Alumni Association members* and $75 Nonmembers
*Add $15 for registration after September 5
For more information, call the UCSC Alumni Association: (800) 933- slug