Interview with Sam Stark '91

2011-12 President, Rollins Alumni Association Board of Directors

1) Why do you serve on the Alumni Association Board of Directors?

I am a big believer in giving back and my Rollins experience gave me the foundation for my professional life. The Rollins experience is so special and unique and I hope all students get out of it what I did.

2) What are your goals as Alumni Board President for 2010-11?

We have four goals for this academic year:

• Support and enhance alumni regional chapters: This is a critical step for the Alumni Board to fulfill our mission of being connected for life with the College and with fellow alumni. The active chapters are doing great things and we need to support their efforts. We also need to grow and develop chapters in other key markets.
• Partnerships: It is important to the Alumni Board to get consistent and heartfelt buy-in from other constituent groups on campus. In particular, we look forward to some compelling partnerships with Athletics, Career Services, Admission and the entire faculty. Truthfully, I believe our faculty can be the best “champions” for the College and we need to work closer with that distinguished body.
• Finance and Fundraising: In order to be successful over the long-term, the Alumni Board needs to explore and create consistent revenue streams so we can function and accomplish our goals. We are exploring some exciting ideas that will give our alumni tangible benefits while financially supporting our Board initiatives.
• Governance: It is important to run our organization as efficiently as possible and part of that includes refining policies and procedures.

3) How will the establishment of regional chapters enhance the Alumni Association? What do you envision for your hometown chapter, the Rollins Club of Central Florida?

Regional chapters are the key to our long-term success. Active and engaged chapters will help the College in many ways, including student recruitment and retention, annual giving, career development and more. Without a doubt, the Central Florida chapter needs to be a model and thus far, I would say that is!

4) What is the future of the Rollins Alumni Association?

Thanks to great leadership from my predecessors, Barbara Doolittle Ray '89, Kurt Wells '95, Jim Chanin '87 and other past presidents, the foundation is set for the Association to grow like Rollins has never seen. If we can get even more support from all constituent groups on campus, the Alumni Association will be incredibly valuable to the entire Rollins experience.

Q&A with Jim Chanin '87

Rollins College Board of Trustees
2010-11 President, Rollins Alumni Association Board of Directors

1) Why do you serve on the Alumni Association Board of Directors?

Serving on the Alumni Board has given me the very privileged experience of serving our alma mater on a national level. Having participated in and hosted local events in Colorado, I felt it was a logical step to join the Board when asked in September 2004. Rollins has given me and our fellow alumni so much and inculcated in us the desire to give back and participate in the College, our local communities and the world around us. As a natural extension of this learning experience it was an easy choice to join the Alumni Board.

2) What are your goals as Alumni Board President for 2010-11?

My goals and those of the Alumni Board for 2010-11 are largely based on beginning to implement and execute the 2010-13 Alumni Association Strategic Plan that was developed over the past two years. Through the leadership of past President Kurt Wells ’95, the Alumni Board was able to develop the Alumni Association’s purpose, guiding principles and vision, which will increase our ability to better serve Rollins. The current academic year will see the rollout of new priorities and initiatives and will be pivotal in accomplishing the Alumni Association’s strategic directives. 

3) How will the establishment of regional chapters enhance the Alumni Association? What do you envision for your hometown chapter, the Rollins Club of Colorado?

Regional chapters will give Rollins the infrastructure and network necessary to reach out to the alumni community on a national basis. These chapters are integral to the implementation of the broader Strategic Plan and the Alumni Association’s purpose to support and advance Rollins by keeping alumni connected for life. I look forward to each chapter, including the Rollins Club of Colorado, taking on the character of its local region and furthering its connection to Rollins.

4) What is the future of the Rollins Alumni Association?

Our Alumni Association, like Rollins itself, has a very bright future ahead. All of the Directors who comprise the Alumni Board are very motivated people who have a sincere love and affection for Rollins and a devotion to see Rollins excel in the future.

Two years ago, President Duncan charged the Alumni Board with three responsibilities: help build morale among students while they are at Rollins, help them transition from college to the outside world and assist them in finding jobs, and keep them connected for life to one another and Rollins for years to come. I am completely confident that the Directors who serve on the Alumni Board are the right people to deliver on this mandate and advance the prestige of Rollins. 

Remarks from Kurt Wells '95

Rollins College Board of Trustees
2008-10 President, Rollins Alumni Association Board of Directors

It is with great pride and pleasure that I welcome you to your Alumni Association.

It has been my honor and privilege to lead the Alumni Association as president for the past two years. As alumni of Rollins, we have great reason to be proud of our alma mater, the experiences we’ve shared, and the benefits we continue to receive through our affiliation with the College. Consider the countless times your Rollins connections have earned you special recognition, landed you that job interview, or connected you to a new friend or colleague. And many, like me, even found their significant other on campus.

Over the last year our Alumni Board of Directors has developed an exciting strategic plan that we will begin to implement this year, Rollins’ 125th anniversary year. It is the Alumni Associations’ purpose to support and advance Rollins by keeping alumni connected for life. Becoming great alumni starts with the student experience, carries forward through the transition from college, and develops over a lifetime. The Alumni Association is committed to developing great alumni by partnering with the College in supporting this Rollins experience.

Considering what Rollins has done for us, we all might ask what we can do for Rollins.

Indeed, making a financial commitment to Rollins is critical to sustaining the College as a world-class institution. Especially in this economy, it’s more important than ever to consider Rollins in your annual giving. Any monetary amount makes a difference, and you can feel confident that a gift to The Rollins Fund supports the College’s priorities that enable students to experience the Rollins we know and love.

Certainly, not all alumni have the financial resources to contribute as much as they would like. Fortunately, there are numerous other opportunities to support Rollins. For example, you can promote Rollins to prospective students by participating in the Rollins Admissions Network (RAN) and attending a local high school career fair. You can mentor and help graduating seniors and young alumni by joining Rollins’ Career Connections, sponsoring an internship, or hiring a Rollins graduate. You can serve as a panelist or network at a regional alumni event. You can reconnect with fellow alumni by coming to Reunion and traveling abroad with fellow alumni through the Association’s Travel Program. You can help the Association to form a Regional Chapter that may be coming soon to your geographical area. Regardless of how much time you have to offer, there is something for everyone and with more than 30,000 Rollins alumni across the globe, you shouldn’t underestimate the networking power of your Rollins degree and connection. Get involved and stay connected!

Be mindful of your Rollins roots and seek out ways to contribute to the College. As always, feel free to contact your Alumni Association at alumni@rollins.edu or toll-free at 800-799-ALUM (2586) for ideas and suggestions.

You can make a difference in the future of Rollins. I encourage you to give back and live out your Rollins experience!