This story originally appeared in the September 2019 issue of the GeDUNK, Grove City College's alumni magazine.
By Melissa (Trifaro ’96) MacLeod
Senior Director of Alumni and College Relations
Summertime always brings reminders of what’s really important in life. We tend to slow down a bit. We make time for family and friends – summer cookouts, pool parties, and family reunions, anyone? We travel and explore, tackle home projects, and finally read those books long sitting on our nightstands. We linger just a little longer, savor the daylight, and rejoice in the warmth of this season. In so many ways, we expect summer to deliver on its promises to renew and recharge us.
Here at Grove City College, summertime finds us not only planning for the academic year ahead, but also longing to renew and recharge our ties with YOU, our alumni family, in new and deeper ways.
And we really are a family! Families are where lifelong connections are forged. They’re the place where we learn to give the best of ourselves to support and encourage others. We walk alongside each other through trials and struggles, learning and growing together in the process. Celebrating life’s sweet moments and creating shared memories are the hallmarks of the kind of family life we all long for.
The Grove City College Alumni Association truly is a family like that, and the good news is, you already have a “Seat at Our Table!” By virtue of being a graduate of the College, you automatically belong to the Alumni Association and are a vital part of this alumni family. There are no dues and no fees, just powerful, lasting ties to people who walked before you, alongside you, and after you through the halls of this campus and through their adult lives. They bear the same name you do: Grove City College Alumni.
Though GCC alumni now number over 29,000, the relationships you’ve built and the memories you share still have such a personal feel, such a meaningful place in your life. You are not just a number here. Grove City College is still “home” – and we’ll always be here, ready to welcome you back. Sometimes “coming home” means visiting a place you love, but just as powerfully, “coming home” can simply mean remembering who you are and how your personal story took shape.
I’m here to remind you who you are – a Grove City College graduate, and that your place in this alumni family is special and valued. There is a seat at our table that only you can fill, contributions that only you can make. There’s a place card at your seat with YOUR name, a spot reserved for no one but you. You’re a part of our history, but just as importantly, a part of our future. Every single member of the Grove City College alumni family is needed. Your input, your voice, and your involvement are what make our family strong and what help us to be the best College and Alumni Association we can be.
We’re excited to present to our alumni family a new framework that helps to define the GCC alumni experience. Soon you will see the phrase “A Seat at Our Table” everywhere – in this magazine, in emails, on the alumni website, and on event invitations. Our goal is to remind you that you always have a home here, a Seat at Our Table, and that like all families, you have an important role to play.
We invite our alumni to Connect, Give, and Celebrate. These are certainly the things that families do best, and our alumni family is no exception. We have so much to offer, and so do you. Your relationship with Grove City College is a two-way street – we hope you will choose to connect in new and exciting ways with your fellow alumni and the College, give back (or pay it forward) to the next generation of alumni, and celebrate all the successes and joyful moments born out of your relationship with your alma mater.
In the coming months, you’ll be hearing about new ways you can Connect, Give, and Celebrate as we launch new initiatives and inspire you to take your Seat at Our Table.
Your seat is waiting. Pull up a chair and join the conversation. You’ll be so glad you did.
For more about A Seat at Our Table, check out the latest issue of the GeDUNK online.