Alumni Digest

Beer Truck Bureaucracy

Ah, the Reunion Weekend hospitality tent, that island of well-lubricated conviviality. Would that it could remain forever unchanged.

Alas, in order to comply with Ohio law, the College will have to tweak hospitality-tent procedures this year. Changes include: (1) the issuing of drink tickets, which are included with Reunion attendee registration and can be remitted for beer or wine; (2) the serving of such beverages to you by a friendly bartender; and (3) demarcating the hospitality area with some clearly defined fencing.

"None of us wishes we had to go this route," said Director of Alumni and Parent Programs Scott R. Baker '94, "but in order to be in compliance with the law, this is our only course. We'll be providing ten drink tickets for alcoholic beverages to each adult registrant, and additional tickets will be made available for a nominal charge.

"Surely this added bit of complexity pleases no one," Baker said. "But did I mention we're also upgrading the reunion weekend towels?" For real. Small consolation, perhaps, but if the regulations are hard, at least the towels will be soft.

Representing You

You've voted, and now the results for the 2012-13 Alumni Council and alumni trustee election are in. Joining Alumni Council for three-year terms are Larry Friedberg '84, Leslie Hough '80, David Lilly '94, and Rebecca Yarbrough '09. Elected to four-year terms as alumni trustees are Rose Brintlinger Fealy '84 and Ashley Rowatt Karpinos '03.

The election process begins again for the 2013-14 academic year. Alumni Council invites all alumni to nominate one or more candidates for election to the council for a three-year term or to the Board of Trustees for a four-year term beginning in 2013. You may nominate a friend, a classmate, or yourself. All suggestions receive careful consideration by Alumni Council.

Alumni Council meets at Kenyon three times a year to discuss programs and issues that directly affect the College and its alumni. The group provides direct feedback to the Kenyon administration regarding alumni issues, determines the slate of candidates for the annual elections, and determines the award recipients recognized at the annual awards luncheon during Reunion Weekend.

The Board of Trustees also meets at Kenyon three times each year and provides strategic direction to the College. The work of both groups is conducted in committees.

Please send nominations and supporting information to Scott R. Baker '94, director of alumni and parent programs, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, 43022-9623 or by e-mail to bakersr@kenyon.edu by July 30, 2012.

For additional information on the activities of the Alumni Council, visit www.kenyon.edu/alumnicouncil.

Tuition Savings

Are you wondering how you will be able to afford college tuition for your child? Kenyon is participating in a prepaid college tuition plan that allows families to save substantially on the cost of higher education at 270 private colleges and universities nationwide. Called the Private College 529 Plan, the program offers families the ability to pay for college at a private institution without worrying about investment risk or tuition inflation, according to Teri Blanchard, Kenyon's associate vice president for finance.

Under the Private College 529 Plan, families in effect prepay tuition, in part or whole, by purchasing tuition certificates. The certificates can be used in the future at any of the participating institutions, assuming the student is admitted. The value of the certificate is not dependent on the performance of the stock or bond market: the plan guarantees a specified tuition benefit at each member institution.
An example illustrates the advantages of the plan. Assume that the current tuition of College A is $30,000 and the current tuition of College B is $10,000. A person who contributes $10,000 to the Private College 529 Plan this year would receive a tuition certificate that would cover 33.3 percent of a year's tuition at College A or an entire year's tuition at College B, regardless of how high tuition may be at the time the student eventually chooses to use the certificate.

State-sponsored "529 plans," named for the Internal Revenue Service code that defines them, have become popular in recent years. The Private College 529 Plan is the first such plan for private colleges and universities. Member institutions are located in thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia.
The plan is sponsored and maintained by the Tuition Plan Consortium, a nonprofit group established in 1996. OFI Private Investments, Inc., a subsidiary of Oppenheimer Funds, administers the plan. More information is available on the Web at www.privatecollege529.com.

The new alumni.kenyon.edu

How do I register? Where can I find my alumni ID?
Alumni IDs were mailed on an oversized post card in January. Your alumni ID is also shown above the address on the back cover of this issue of the Bulletin (assuming you are not sharing a household with another Kenyon alumnus or alumna). Omit the preceding zeros when entering your alumni ID at registration. Also note that your alumni ID is not your former student ID number. When registering at alumni.kenyon.edu, please ensure that you are on the "New User-Register Now!" page and not the "Login/Logout" page. (Click the lower half of the big purple button.) Need assistance or help finding your alumni ID? Call the Office of Alumni and Parent Programs at 740-427-5147 or e-mail shriverj@kenyon.edu.

I've registered. Now what?
Click on the "My Account" link. Here you will find multiple tabs of personal information that you may wish to update for the College records, as well as your online profile, including post-undergraduate education information.

The "Mentoring Information" tab includes specifics on your willingness to participate in the Kenyon Career Network, including: being contacted for mentoring; providing internships, job leads, externships for Kenyon students, or career programs and workshops; and being willing to conduct mock interviews.

What's the difference between "My Account" and "My Alumni Profile"?
The "My Account" section is where you can update all of your personal information with the College. The "My Alumni Profile" section is where you control what personal information you wish to be made public.

Please note: Phone number and e-mail address information is turned OFF by default. Only mailing address information is public in the online directory unless you have previously told the College otherwise. You may, however, contact another alumnus or alumna through the system via e-mail (which does not reveal the recipient's e-mail address).

A plethora of other options for customizing your profile exists in the "My Alumni Profile" section, including friends lists, groups, photo uploads, and class notes. At the bottom of your profile page in this section is an "+Add Content" link that allows you to add widgets that feed from a multitude of social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

Does the Kenyon Career Network serve alumni?
Absolutely! Many job postings require experience. Alumni can post career opportunities for students or alumni. Head over to kcn.kenyon.edu to learn more.

We'll be answering additional questions about the new alumni.kenyon.edu, and in an upcoming issue of the Bulletin we'll introduce new features of the site. Do you have a question? Send it to Scott Baker '94, director of alumni and parent programs, at bakersr@kenyon.edu.

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