“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.”
-Maya Angelou
As my term as your national alumni president comes to an end, this quote from Maya Angelou could not ring more true for me. The past five years on the board, two as a director and three as president, have been nothing short of fulfilling. As I self-reflect, what has become tremendously clear is that the spirit and practice of philanthropy is something that I believe collectively improves the human condition. It is not merely the giving of financial resources, but giving of one’s expertise, passion, talent, and experience. So, in other words, anyone can be a philanthropist. We all come from varying walks of life, which contributes to the uniqueness of how we view the world and how and why we choose to make an impact. I firmly believe that deep down, we all want to make the world a little better than the condition it was in when we entered it. This has been my motivation these past five years.
I would like to thank all of you for this honor and privilege. I have enjoyed meeting many of you who have attended university events on- and off-campus. The memories and friendships made will be with me forever. I also want to thank our national alumni board for their support and leadership to your Alumni Association. Your love of CSU through the giving of your time and talents were evident each time an event required your presence and participation. We had fun at the many alumni gatherings, whether it was at a chapter event, participating in Homecoming festivities, attending an Almost Alumni Dinner with students, or just coming together for our Alumni Association meeting. As I turn over the board presidency to Lauren Rudman in July, I am confident that we will continue to move the Alumni Association forward. Lauren is a true Viking and her dedication and love of CSU is evident over her years of service with the national alumni board.
In closing, I would like to challenge you to think of ways you can give back to CSU to whatever degree you are comfortable. And I do not mean just monetarily, though that is, of course, always welcome. There are many ways to give back, from career and academic mentoring to volunteering time at on- and off-campus events to simply attending academic and social events. And let’s not forget athletics. Rooting for the Vikings in whatever sports appeal to you is always a fun and exciting time and a great way to connect and reconnect with old friends. As you will find, giving back has another benefit: it feels good.
With sincere gratitude,
Nikki Byrd
President, Alumni Association Board
P.S. Please be sure to keep CSU updated with your contact information so we can keep you informed of the events and programs organized near you.
