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A new era: Alumni Association becomes the WWU Alumni Foundation

At the WWU Alumni Association’s annual business meeting, held during homecoming weekend in April, alumni voted on a proposal put forth by the officers of the Association to change the name of the organization to the Walla Walla University Alumni Foundation.

The change was prompted by the officers’ desire to have the name more accurately reflect the role the organization plays in managing the alumni endowment funds, which currently total just over three million dollars. The Foundation will continue to maintain its status as a nonprofit organization, separate from the university. The mission of the organization remains unchanged: they are charged with stewarding revenue from endowment dollars to support the university—in particular providing scholarships for students, funding Havstad Alumni Center’s continuing operations, and supporting alumni engagement with WWU.

This change brings better alignment with current practices of peer institutions, where traditional alumni engagement and services are managed from within the university itself.

After two years of planning, the Alumni Association’s board unanimously agreed it was time to move forward with the new model. The new Foundation’s board is committed to collaborate with the office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement to support the ongoing ministry of Walla Walla University.

The structure of the Foundation’s board will remain much the same as the Association’s, with officers and board members continuing to be pulled from and elected by members of WWU alumni. The one significant change is the previous rotating roles of president-elect, president, and board chair are being replaced with a single three-year presidential/board chair. Secretary and treasurer roles will also bump from two to three years, alongside elected at-large board members.

Current officers

Board Chair / President: Jerry Woods '97

Secretary: Lorraine Jacobs '89

Treasurer: Jimmy Johnson '97

Board members

Karli Hart '18

Joy Veverka '04

Brad Brown '98

Sue Huett '75

Danielle Craigg '11

Bill Gerber '84

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