For many students, graduating college means being pushed into the real world and out of their comfort zones.
Many find themselves in a new state, away from their friends and families, struggling to stay connected. To deal with these issues, thousands of Spartan alumni have turned to the MSU Alumni Association, or MSUAA, for help with the daily struggles they encounter after graduation.
“There’s half a million Spartans that we can connect you with and that message has really resonated with our members,” said Scott Westerman, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations and MSUAA Executive Director.
Although MSUAA has been helping students after graduation for decades, Westerman noted that the association is in the process of undergoing some big changes.
“We’ve decided to morph it more into a service organization,” Westerman said.
“It’s your personal network for life, and it can help you with whatever it is you need.”
He said some changes were made to do more for alumni than offer discounts.
“For many years, the association has been an affinity organization, meaning you would join because you got discounts,” Westerman said.
“We’ve decided that that’s not what our members need. We want to know where it hurts and how we can help. I want to know what it is you need as you go through your career and how we can help you.”
Special education senior Jessica LaCourse said she will join MSUAA after she graduates and will gladly accept its services.
“It’s free, so why not join?” LaCourse said.
“You can only benefit from what they have to offer, like help with problems after graduating and staying connected with fellow Spartans.”
Westerman said joining an alumni association such as MSUAA can provide graduating students with valuable services they might not find elsewhere.
“When you graduate, we’ll help you find a new career,” Westerman said.
“If you’re mid-career and looking for a job, our career services can help you reinvent yourself to find a new passion. If you need a friend, there’s 500,000 friends out there and we can help you find them.”
Although annual membership for MSUAA is $45, Westerman said membership for the first year is free for all graduating seniors, and if an MSU alumnus is out of work, he or she would be able to receive MSUAA membership for free until a job is found.
“Whatever age you are, if you are alumni and out of a job, until you get a job, your membership is free,” Westerman said.
“The reality is we’ll help Spartans everywhere.”
Cassey Parrish who graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, said she decided to wait to join MSUAA.
“I’m in nursing school right now and really don’t have the time to take advantage of MSUAA and what it can do for me,” Parrish said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Although she will wait to join, Parrish said she looks forward to the benefits MSUAA can provide for her.
“I find it very comforting to be part of such a large circle,” Parrish said.
“There’s so many possibilities for what being a part of an alumni association can do for me: get me career contacts, discounts and it could even help me with social networking. You’re still connected to the university long after you leave it.”
