Nineteen directors of alumni relations (DAR) representing campuses and colleges, along with Penn State Alumni Association staff, came together for a professional retreat on June 15 and 16 to engage in a meaningful exchange of ideas and strategies and to learn from each other. The focus of this year’s retreat, “staying on top of your game,” motivated participants to make a personal commitment to meet the membership challenges for 2005. 

The first evening included a train trip on the Historic Bellefonte Railroad to Curtin Village. The group enjoyed dinner on the train while being serenaded by a local men’s quartet, The School Board. A self-guided tour of Curtin Village gave each participant a glimpse of another period in history.

The second day was held at the Bryce Jordan Center and featured an update from Executive Director Roger Williams ’73, ’75g, ’88g, on the Association’s membership campaign and strategic planning efforts. The group discussed current membership recruitment practices among campus and college societies and set goals to increase total alumni membership numbers.

Guest speaker Jerry Sandusky ’66, former defensive coordinator for the Penn State football program and Alumni Fellow in the College of Health and Human Development, gave a motivating presentation that highlighted building team synergy. Sandusky is also the founder of The Second Mile—a non-profit organization with a mission of providing opportunities for young people to develop positive life skills and self-esteem.

The retreat concluded with a tour of the Bryce Jordan Center, highlighting the athletic, academic, conference, and entertainment amenities of the building. The Jordan Center is named after Bryce Jordan who served as University President from 1983 to 1990.