OUR MISSION DURING COVID-19

NOLES CARE

From L to R: Tim Giordano (B.S. '98) and Shannon Libbert (B.S. '93, M.S. '97) showed their school spirit and generosity by purchasing NOLES CARE face coverings in support of the association's CARE Scholarship.

602 packs of NOLES CARE face coverings were sold in support of the FSU Alumni Association’s First-Generation CARE Scholarship, which benefits students who are the first in their family to attend college.

$6,020

donated to the fund Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida State University shifted to remote operations, which continued through the close of the fiscal year. The Alumni Association was quick to adapt its approach to fulfilling our mission; keeping the university’s network of alumni connected when there was a scarcity of in-person interaction, was more important than ever.

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Acknowledging the needs of alumni and friends amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, our programming continued virtually, and inperson events were adapted to allow for social distancing. Attendees had many options to engage, whether live streaming, tuning in virtually, or joining us in person. With homecoming canceled in Fall 2020, the programs and outreach team tailored the Alumni Association’s offerings to suit virtual and hybrid formats for April 2021’s spring homecoming.

We continued to present Webinar Wednesday, which we launched at the onset of the pandemic and expanded our alumni outreach with the Three Torches Webinar Series. Through this platform, the association presented topics ranging from mental health to networking and diversity, equity and inclusion, while spotlighting outstanding alumni as well as many FSU colleges and departments.

Our volunteer-driven Seminole Clubs® and Chapters continued their mission of uniting alumni, friends, and fans of FSU in their shared geographic regions. This year, Seminole Clubs® nationwide placed much of their focus on outreach to future alumni such as the Unconquered Scholars and by allocating an increased number of financial resources to student scholarships.

1. During the height of the pandemic, FSU provided 300 COVID-19 vaccines daily to the Tallahassee Community at the university's Donald L Tucker Civic Center. 2. Webinar Wednesday was the first webinar series launched by the Alumni Association at the onset of the pandemic in early 2020. 3. The Three Torches Webinar Series episode titled The Versatility of Hospitality featured notable alumnus Brian Ford (B.S. ’89), Chief Operating Officer for the Super Bowl LV Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 4. (Opposite page) The Seminole Club of New York City won the Homegating 2020 garnet bracket for large clubs. Representing their local club, members shared their “Homegating” pictures on social media during football season for a chance to win prizes donated by the FSU Bookstore.

OUR MISSION DURING COVID-19

With more time spent online than ever, we made use of digital channels to engage alumni and friends. We leveraged our social media platforms to provide information on our programming and resources for alumni as well as to ensure that university messaging reached as many Noles as possible. In addition, we launched our podcast, Echoes, which quickly became a source of both information and entertainment for our alumni.

The last year was inarguably the most challenging in recent history and it is for that reason that the Alumni Association is so grateful that we were able to seamlessly carry out our mission, enriching the lives of the Seminole Family, during such a time. We are equally thankful for our volunteer leaders, indebted to our members, and so inspired by our alumni who all played vital roles in maintaining a strong and resilient community centered around their shared pride for FSU. As we navigate the ongoing uncertainties of the pandemic, the Alumni Association will continue to engage and support our constituents as we have done for over a century while exploring new ways to connect with each other both virtually and in person.

Top: Voice of the Seminoles, Gene Deckerhoff, in front of a green screen recording his emcee segments for the 69th Annual Kickoff Luncheon, presented virtually on September 20, 2020. Above: Ashley Folladori (B.S. ’04), a member of the Alumni Association's National Board, watching FSU Football Head Coach Mike Norvell deliver the luncheon’s keynote address. Virtual programming meant geographical location was no longer an obstacle for attending association events 68.25%

of total event attendees lived outside of Florida

50%

were first-time participants in Alumni Association hosted events