Column: Terrence Leas, Riverland Comm. College

Another academic year will soon end, and we will celebrate commencement with our 2011 Riverland Community College graduates on May 13.

Last August, Riverland began its 70th academic year. This historic milestone has inspired us to take a nostalgic look at past years and kindled a renewed interest in reconnecting with our alumni.

As our state government continues to withdraw financial support for public higher education providers, Riverland’s alumni are more important than ever. A thread in the fabric of Riverland history, each alumnus contributes to our state and nation’s present and future. Riverland’s greatest achievement is the success of its former students. They are the skilled workers who may build our houses, fix our cars, care for our families in the hospital or protect our children. Most stay in our state and become taxpaying citizens who want to give back to the public education system that helped them become skilled workers.

You are a Riverland alumnus if you graduated or attended college in Austin, Albert Lea, or Owatonna at Riverland Community College or one of its predecessors. This includes Albert Lea Area Vocational Technical Institute, Albert Lea/Mankato Technical College, Albert Lea Technical College, Albert Lea Technical Institute, Austin Area Vocational School, Austin Community College, Austin Junior College, Austin State Junior College, Austin Technical College, Austin Technical Institute, Minnesota Riverland Technical College, Owatonna Extension Center/Austin State Junior College, Owatonna TTC, and South Central Technical College/Albert Lea.

Riverland also celebrates the financial contributions our alumni have made to the college. While sharing resources is important to the financial well-being of our current students, sharing your stories and successes is equally important. Your successes demonstrate our commitment to teaching and learning, and they become the foundation that encourages us to offer future students the same high-quality public education our alumni received. We invite our alumni to share their stories with us.

Back in the 1940s, Rueben Meland, dean of Austin Junior College, created the first alumni newsletter, “Alumnews.” It quickly became an important communiqué for our students, alumni and faculty by connecting those at home with those who served during World War II.

Our alumni association is now attempting to reconnect our graduates through a new Alumni Newsletter. Whether you graduated last year or have been away for a long time, we want your story. You may have the story that inspires a student to attend or complete college. To help us share your story, contact Marijo Alexander at 507-433-0606 or marijo.alexander@riverland.edu.

Riverland’s Alumni Association continues to provide opportunities to reconnect alumni with their alma mater. For example on May 6, the Riverland Community College Alumni Association, Riverland Foundation, and the Riverland Nursing Department are hosting a Nursing Alumni Reunion at the Hormel Historic Home.

This event includes great food, live music and dancing, plus a chance to tour Riverland’s world-class Health Science Simulation Lab. Current Riverland nursing students and past graduates of the Practical and Registered Nursing Programs are invited.

For more information, contact the Riverland Foundation at 507-433-0630.

Terrence Leas is the president of Riverland Community College.