College of Business alumni encouraged to ‘reconnect and come home’

With the help of the Lewis College of Business' program, "Reconnect and Come Home," alumni have the opportunity to give back to the business school and motivate students.

The program asks alumni to send a business card and donate. It started after the Spring 2011 semester.

Sean Mayberry, member of the college's advisory board and participant in the program, said the program benefits both alumni and current students.

"Reconnect and Come Home was an idea that had two purposes," Mayberry said. "The first purpose was to re-engage more seasoned graduates, but also to allow recent graduates to stay connected to the business school. Objective two was to allow existing students to see all the opportunities available to them through the business school."

Chong Kim, dean of the college, said the money received would go to expenses incurred by the college.

"Right now we are using it toward maintenance of accreditations, and any expenses that we might have, such as helping our faculty research and travel money, if we have enough money accumulated from the fundraising," Kim said.

Miranda Rosiek, Kim's graduate assistant, said the program is a great way for the college to display alumni accomplishments.

"A big part that we want to capitalize on is that we want our alumni to know that we are proud of what they are doing and what they have accomplished," Rosiek said.

Rosiek said the college is working to create a display in the Corbly Hall lobby to showcase the business cards and is also planning to place the business cards received from more than 100 participants online.

Each participate was asked to donate $20.11 last year and is asked to donated $20.12 this year.

Frances Lazell can be contacted at lazell2@marshall.edu.