Greetings to the Bison Herd,

I think many will agree that when it comes to community, it’s all about connections. Connection is exactly what we in the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement will focus on over the next few years.

If you haven’t read it already, be sure to read about Lipscomb’s Impact 360 strategic plan, on pages 12-15, and you’ll understand exactly what I mean. Connections with communities, organizations and alumni are so important to Lipscomb’s future, that it has its own Impact 360 goal: to expand our engagement, influence and impact by forging deep connections with communities, organizations and most importantly you—our alumni.

In the next few years, we will expand the reach and enhance our alumni programs to become an even stronger connector between you and Lipscomb and you and your fellow alumni.

One of the first steps we are taking to make that happen is to expand our reach of the Lifelong Learning program. Lifelong Learning’s accessible, non-credit academic courses have proven to be a successful “front-door” to the university for cultivating and strengthening relationships beyond the alumni audience and have broadened the university’s presence in the Greater Nashville area. We are excited to continue to diversify our class offerings, increase our special opportunities, and continue to offer exciting travel opportunities.

Other ways that Lipscomb plans to deepen its community and alumni connections is to leverage the power of technology, expand career services offerings, create affinity groups for alumni and elevate important university traditions and events. Make sure to be on the lookout for information from our office this year regarding “Lipscomb Connect.” This new technology platform will make it easier than ever to connect with previous classmates and current students and provide an online community for career support.