A L U M N E W S
AlumNet Turns 20!
L
ast September, AlumNet, the Trinity University electronic newsletter, celebrated its 20-year anniversary. Begun by biology professor Bob Blystone with the help of Steve Curry ’84, then the academic programmer in the Computing Center (now Information Technology Services), AlumNet debuted on Sept. 2, 1992, and was sent to 16 alumni for whom Blystone had e-mail addresses. At the time, Trinity subscribed to an electronic service called BitNet that connected schools, and Trinity became the first private university in San Antonio to go online. (Initially, the Internet was limited to non-profit use.) Blystone knew that if AlumNet was going to take off, it had to be on a regular schedule. He decided it would be a weekly, and AlumNet #2 was transmitted on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 1992. As word spread, more and more alumni signed up. In October of 1993, AlumNet was featured as an innovative
new use of the Internet at the EduCOM conference in Philadelphia, and the following year it was still the only electronic alumni newsletter in the world. By 1995, more than 300 alumni were signed up. On Jan. 1, 1996, everything changed. The IBM grant funding BitNet ran out as well as other grants that were funding other bits and pieces of what had become the Internet. In order to continue, the non-profit restriction was lifted. During the spring of 1996, the Internet grew at 18,000 percent per month for three consecutive months. From the beginning, Blystone kept the Alumni Relations office informed. A draft of each issue was sent to them for review prior to transmission. But, in 1996, interest in the newsletter exploded. Subscriptions shot up from 300 to nearly 1,200. It became clear that AlumNet was going to have to evolve. It had become too big for two volunteers to support on a weekly basis. Four years after its creation, AlumNet became an official
monthly publication of Trinity University, and the offices of Alumni Relations and University Communications took over editorship. Today, AlumNet is transmitted to some 17,000 subscribers every month. New technologies have dressed it up with pictures and colors beyond the simple text-only format of AlumNet #1; however, the original issues in print can be viewed in the Archives at Coates Library. But it’s nice to know that Blystone’s legacy fills an important if little-known niche in history as the oldest university e-publication on earth. Happy 20th birthday, AlumNet. Steve Curry ’84 Editor’s note: Stephen Curry recently joined Trinity United Methodist Church in San Antonio as a student pastor. This internship will complete his seminary studies leading to a Master’s of Divinity at the Perkins School of Theology. Curry was a systems programmer at Trinity for 27 years.
Faculty, alumnus provide support, unity, and mentoring
Marshal, Sponsor Named for Class of 2016
K
imberlyn Montford, associate professor of music, and Jim Boelens ‘76, a retired U.S. Army chaplain, have been named Class Marshal and Alumni Sponsor, respectively, for the Class of 2016. The duo will frame the college experience for the class, offering to help students see where they are, where they have been, and where they are headed. A New Jersey native, Montford holds a Bachelor of Music from Westminster Choir College, a Master of Music from Northwestern University, and a doctorate from Rutgers University. She teaches courses ranging from hip hop culture to operas of Verdi and Wagner and researches documents containing the musical activities of nuns, which are housed in the Vatican archives. As Class Marshal, Montford will serve as a welcoming and personal representative of the faculty and advise the class on academic and personal matters.
50 Trinity
Kimberlyn Montford
Jim Boelens ’76
Boelens graduated from Trinity with B.A.s in journalism and English. An ordained Presbyterian minister, he earned his Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and served congregations in Omaha and Austin, prior to entering active duty as a chaplain with
the Army. Retired after 24 years, Boelens volunteers at the TSA Canine Breeding and Development Center, working with Labrador retriever puppies. As Alumni Sponsor, he will serve as a consistent presence and resource for students as they engage in the San Antonio community and off-campus issues.