5Monique minutes with
My fellow Bulls, WHAT A WILD AND WONDERFUL SPRING it’s been for the USF community! After two years, we’ve been in person again for so many of our favorite events. Seeing all of you has felt like a VERY long overdue family reunion. You sold out the Alumni Association’s signature annual fundraiser, the Green & Gold Gala, which returned to The Florida Aquarium in March. More than 500 of you came out to reconnect and celebrate our great university. A big Horns Up to all who attended and those who helped make it a tremendous success by donating their time, talents and exciting auction items. When Bulls come together, we are a force! We’d hardly hung up our green and gold evening wear when it was time to pull out our Bulls ball caps for our Life Member Appreciation Baseball Game. After a twoyear pandemic hiatus, this popular get-together received an enthusiastic welcome back with lots of new faces; the
46
UNIVERSITY of SOUTH FLORIDA
Alumni Association’s Life Member roster has grown by a whopping 35% since last year. In July 2021, we instituted changes to better accommodate our rapidly growing alumni family. We began phasing out paid annual memberships and made every Bull a General Member upon graduation. We hope this free membership ensures all alumni feel included as they enjoy the support and engagement the Alumni Association has been providing since 1969. The Life Membership program remains an enduring gift to USF. A large portion of Life Members’ one-time association dues benefits student and alumni programming forever because it’s deposited into an endowed fund. The association works to help all Bulls succeed individually while supporting our great university. Our activities range from prestigious recognition awards for grads to professional development for students to rallying support for legislative initiatives. Life Members are crucial to USF’s success on so many levels. If you’re not already a Life Member, I hope you’ll join me in becoming one; visit usfalumni.org/membership. Here’s another way to make a difference. Our new mentorship program connects alumni and students online, matching individuals with shared professional interests. It provides a blueprint, so no one has to figure it out on their own, and it helps create lasting, rewarding relationships. You’ll soon be able to connect with a student online and make a difference with the next generation of community leaders. If you’re a planner like me, mark your calendar for Oct. 9-15, Homecoming! We’ll celebrate our 2022 USF Alumni Award recipients on Oct. 13, and enjoy the biggest USF reunion ever Oct. 14 at our alumni Welcome Home Party and parade watch. The big game is Oct. 15. Thank you for supporting USF and your Alumni Association through these tumultuous two years. I’m so proud to say that, in 2022, we’re stronger than ever. What a testament that is to the character of our incredible Bulls family and friends. Together. Forever. We make a difference. Go Bulls! Monique Hayes, ’01 Chair, USF Alumni Association Board of Directors Life Member No. 3536
