FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

Letter from the Alumni Association President

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, it has been my distinct honor to serve as the president of the TCA Alumni Association. And, like those that came before me, I am stepping aside to bring on new leadership and ideas to this position. One of the things I was reminded of during my term as president is that change is constant. Looking back at my initial Trinity Today article from 2019, I am reminded of the goals that we wanted to accomplish for our Alumni Association over my two years as president, including a successful 50th-anniversary weekend celebration and the start of an internship program and job fair. Like any number of well-intentioned plans, we did not have the chance to follow through with what we envisioned due to an outside force that shifted our priorities. COVID-19 changed everything.

How many times have you been so sure about a plan only to watch it evaporate in front of your eyes due to circumstances that were out of your control? Life is full of these examples, and it is always interesting to have the benefit of hindsight.

Going through these past two years in my role at TCA, in my family life and at work has reaffirmed my faith. The saying “Let go, and let God” often comes to my head. Pride is one of the most pernicious sins. Its tentacles can envelop. Trying to control a situation in the face of inevitable change is some of the worst type of pride.

So the Alumni Association Board shifted its plans. We became a lot more self-reflective. We inspected everything and asked the question “Why” a great deal. We did surveys. We talked to people. We wanted to know how we could be of better service to the larger TCA community.

What do we need to be stronger moving forward? We need your involvement. If you have come this far in reading this, don’t let another day go by without reaching out to find a way to connect. We need your participation, and we need your ideas. We need people.

Speaking of people—the people whom I have had the pleasure of serving with have been of the highest character and quality. The men and women on the Alumni Association Board are from all different graduating classes from the very beginning to some of the most recent class years. They are all volunteers who thanklessly give so much of their time to make TCA a better place. I cannot thank each and every one whom I have had the opportunity to work with enough for their wisdom, love and sacrifice of time to serve on the board. The same goes for Beth Harwell, the director of alumni—a servant’s heart if I have ever seen one!

When you lead something, you hope that you left it better than you found it. Time will tell.

Again, it has been my utmost honor to have served in this capacity. Looking forward to what is next for the Alumni Association and our school!

LANE CONNER ’99

Alumni Association President