By Cammy Ly–
What do you do after graduating college? Get a job of course. Getting the long awaited dream job is great, but there’s that feeling of sadness after abandoning the place you called home for four long years. What can you do to be still connected to Morningside?
The question is not what you can do, but if you’re willing to do it. Gene Ambroson, director of alumni relation, is the man responsible for connecting Morningside alumni to Morningside. He creates events where any graduate can come and enjoy themselves with other alumni. Last year’s event was a trip to Okoboji. Many came and had a chance to chat, fish, and party with other graduates. Ambroson also does personal visits to alumni who live in different states just to keep them connected to Morningside, letting them know they are not forgotten.
But, what do you do if you’re not one of the graduates in the year mentioned above? How can you still be connected? Simple. The school hosts events open to everyone, especially graduates.
One graduate, a history teacher at North High School, takes time out of his schedule to come watch the football games. “I live near Morningside, so I do come watch some of the game,” said Aaron Kolbo, history teacher at North.
North AP English/psychology teacher Crista Limoges said, “I am still in contact with Coach Maxon of the soccer program and two professors in my content area. I brought my AP English classes on field trips to see matinees of the plays, and I brought my AP Psych class out to tour the psychology facilities and observe demos with rats in the operant boxes. I also keep in contact with the Education department by having practicum students observe and teach in my classroom at North.”
Limoges is a former soccer player for Morningside and a few years out from graduation she still goes to see the men’s and women’s soccer games. She also went to other events such as the alumni soccer game at Homecoming last year.
“I actually didn’t attend any of the [scheduled] alumni events, but met up with all my old teammates Saturday night and then we played and watched the alumni soccer games the next day. This is always our favorite part of our ‘reunion’ with Coach, “ Limoges said. “He developed such a great program and we were blessed to be a part of the first few years. We all have such an indescribable bond together and he has a lot to do with that. So even though it’s never on the list of official events Homecoming weekend, our men’s and women’s soccer alumni games on Sunday are the best part.”
Some alumni don’t attend many Morningside events, but the reason might be they’re too busy with work. A lot of former students would love to still be connected to Morningside, such as Cindy Riker (Cindy Rasmussen), also a history/psychology/sociology teacher at North. She attends some of the athletic events when she has time.
“I really don’t have many connections to Morningside. I catch a football game every now and then, but that’s about it,” said Riker. “I think that as time goes on, I’ll miss my old school more and maybe participate in more alumni-related events.”
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