WSUAA Programs March Forward

2021 was a year of growth for Weber State’s Alumni Association (WSUAA).

New programs and initiatives encouraged community engagement, helped students connect with mentors and created a lasting legacy of shared stories.

WSU Alumni Board of Directors member and founder of Nurture the Creative Mind, a creative arts program for Ogden children, Amir Jackson, launched the Make Ogden Purple campaign with WSUAA to promote a college town culture in Ogden. The initiative encouraged the community to demonstrate Wildcat pride by finding creative ways to incorporate purple into their businesses, homes and activities.

“Weber State is as meaningful to Ogden as the railroad, the mountains and the historic downtown district,” Jackson said. “It was and is important to me that the university become as culturally significant to every community member as the winter snow. A strong college culture benefits WSU, but also encourages a strong economic, educational, health and entertainment boost for the whole community.”

The campaign launched on Oct. 1, 2021, coinciding with Weber State’s Homecoming Week celebrations, boosting community engagement in the festivities. The grassroots efforts included the Purple Paw Parade, where guests dressed their pets in WSU apparel for a stroll around Ogden on Oct. 16.

Continuing its outreach efforts, WSUAA launched the Mentoring Alumni Program & Scholarship program (MAPS), a new resource to help WSU students find mentors in the community. The new initiative is designed to help students achieve their academic goals. The program received 39 student applicants for its first year. As the program grows more alumni mentors and students will be added.

In the fall 2021 semester, five students were selected and matched with mentors who had shared interests and academic backgrounds. Each student received a $2,000 ’CATapult scholarship to help them reach graduation. They’re encouraged to meet with their mentors regularly to ask questions and discuss their educational progress.

WSUAA also undertook the Alumni Oral History Project in 2021, collecting thousands of personal stories from alumni all across the country. The submissions, which include everything from fond memories of campus life to touching tributes for beloved faculty and staff, will be made into a commemorative printed oral history and alumni directory. The book was completed in spring 2022.

WSUAA plans to continue building connections with alumni and the community in 2022.

“It is our goal to provide ways for our community to engage with the university,” said Nancy Collinwood BS ’94, Alumni Relations executive director. “By offering a variety of programs and experiences, the entire Weber State family can get involved and stay connected.”