A Conversation With ... Jeremiah Mee

The Alumni Association is really an arm of the university that keeps in touch with the alumni … through a variety of ways, between mailers and activities in other cities.

The big event, of course, is Homecoming (with) probably 30 to 40 events over a weekend that (we) coordinate. I think what a lot of people may be confused about with an alumni association, especially at Missouri State (is fund-raising). The Alumni Association will never ask for money. It’s the foundation that does that. The Alumni Association is really purely a benefit to people who attended Missouri State. (Contact information) is really the thing that (we) are responsible for that no one else really touches.

How do alumni become association members?

Membership is automatic; information comes over from the university database. Once the university makes initial contact, if people choose not to give new, updated addresses and new business contacts and things like that, then, of course, they kind of fall through the cracks.

What is the association working on now?

One thing … is a social networking Web site, like a My Space or Facebook (that) would assist in communicating information about what’s going on at the university. We have a lot of cities that have their own chapters of the Alumni Association. There are probably 10 or 12 active chapters, including St. Louis, Kansas City, Washington, D.C., and Denver. Right now, they kind of have to communicate informally, but this new Web site would allow them to have their own room, so to speak, where they could communicate … and plan events.

Also, Homecoming is the weekend of Oct. 26–27. Wild With Pride is the theme. We are currently meeting to select award recipients for that weekend.

Why did you decide to get involved with the association, and what’s your role?

My first day (on MSU’s) campus, I was two weeks old. My sister brought me to Greenwood Laboratory School for Show and Tell.

I went to kindergarten through 12th grade at Greenwood, 13 years on campus, and … got my undergraduate degree at MSU. In my sophomore year, I joined the Student Alumni Association (which) assists the Alumni Association. I was president of the Student Alumni Association, and have just kept in contact with Julie Ebersold, who’s the director of alumni relations. … She asked me to join the board, and frankly, I was honored that she even thought of me to do such a position, and then, to be named president was another honor.

Really, I just help with events, and it’s a board where we talk a lot about things (we) can do to improve communications with alumni. We help out with a lot of job placements (as representatives of) the Alumni Association.

What goals are you working toward for the organization?

The biggest difficulty for the association is the Springfield chapter. (With other cities’ chapters) people will come out (to association events) especially to see their friends. In Springfield, they’re always around those people, so it’s not as special. One of the things I want to do as president is give some more opportunities, especially for young alumni, to gather and catch up with each other. I think that the university does a great job with older alumni and donors to the university, but I think it’s somewhat difficult to find the right thing for a younger demographic. It doesn’t take a big (event) to get people together. Something more informal may actually draw younger graduates.

What did you study at MSU, and what’s your day job?

I graduated from MSU in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. I worked for certified public accounting firms up until October last year. Now I’m the chief financial officer at Larry Snyder & Co.

Tell us about your family and your spare-time interests.

My wife, Joy, is a graduate of Missouri State as well. She graduated six months before I did. She works for General Mills part-time and is a full-time mom to my son, Parker, who is in third grade at Greenwood. I really enjoy coaching my son’s sports teams: basketball, baseball and soccer.

Interview by Features Editor Maria Hoover. You can e-mail her with suggestions for future installments of this feature at mhoover@sbj.net.[[In-content Ad]]