June 30, 2018, marked the end of my year as volunteer president of the Mizzou Alumni Association. It has been a terrific experience, and I want to share a few highlights with you as I leave.
The association’s mission is to “proudly support the best interests and traditions of Missouri’s flagship university and its alumni nationwide.” To do that, one needs to be on board with the university’s vision and leadership. The events of 2015 shook us all. Frankly, serving on the association’s board at the time, I wondered what in the world I had gotten myself in to. In the end, however, my involvement with the alumni association has surpassed all expectations, and I am proud of having been an advocate for alumni and the university.
As your volunteer president this past year, I visited Columbia at least monthly and traveled to events nationwide. These interactions with university stakeholders of all kinds have given me a fresh perspective not only to MU’s present but also its possibilities.
First and foremost, our new university leadership team is remarkable. MU Chancellor Alex Cartwright and University of Missouri System President Mun Choi understand higher education’s new landscape.
They are tireless workers who proactively engage with alumni and other stakeholders. Both men could not have been more welcoming to me personally, and they see alumni as true partners. Few people know that the majority of Mizzou’s deans and many UM System leaders arrived during the past two to three years. These individuals could have gone anywhere in the nation, but they saw Mizzou’s quality and potential, and they chose to apply their talents here. They are leaders who understand the importance of listening, learning and making changes, and they are committed to moving forward. As illustrated by record donations and rebounding freshman enrollment, the results of everyone’s work are beginning to show. Although challenges remain, the future is indeed bright.
If you are a member of the association, I thank you. If not, please join us to help make Make Mizzou Stronger. The association is your connection to the university — your channel to remaining informed and involved. I wish the very best to Andrea Allison-Putnam as she steps into the association president’s role. She is a terrific leader and will represent our members in a first-class manner.
It has been an honor to serve as your president. MIZ…
E. Bruce McKinney, BS BA ’74
Immediate Past President, Mizzou Alumni Association