A LETTER FROM OUR NEWLY-ELECTED ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
February 2008
When I graduated from Purchase College in May, 1996, Professor Connie Lobur, who was my advisor and Senior Project sponsor, gave me a copy of The Education of Henry Adams. The work, an introspective account of Adams's own opinions, fears, and responses to a changing world as America approached the 20th century, remains relevant today as our world seems to change faster and faster every day. (Photo: Jeffrey Putman at his Commencement Ceremony in May 1996)
As a Purchase alumnus, and long-time employee (I worked for ten years in various positions for the Division of Student Affairs from 1996 - 2006), I can firmly say that the experiences I took from Purchase helped shape the person I am today. When I meet with other alums, they too share the same philosophy. (Photo: From l to r: Theresa Hanson '00, Edie Falco ' 86 , Stanley Tucci ' 82 , Jeffrey Putman '96, and Paula Cancro '79)
As Henry Adams proposes in his book, it is more than just the formal education provided by a superb faculty, but the friendships and experiences developed at Purchase that continue to influence our lives to today. The Alumni Association exists to help our fellow alumni continue to take advantage of those networks, friendships, and experiences you developed at Purchase. Networking is very important, and so many of our fellow alumni are eager to re-form connections they made while at Purchase and to make new connections.
At the Alumni Association we are taking our cues from our newest generation of alumni as well. Although it is often difficult to keep up with trends in technology and communication, we continue to work to improve the way we communicate with you. We are on Facebook and MySpace, and we continue to develop additional outreach through our web site in addition to traditional methods of communication. In the past year, we have also added two current students to the Board of Directors in order to better understand the needs of our future alumni. (Photo: Jeffrey Putman and students on a trip to New Orleans to aid in the reconstruction of the city, post-Katrina)
The Alumni Association looks forward to working to provide leadership and career development opportunities, to help network both socially and through career-based initiatives, to encourage community service, both at the College and beyond, and to help cultivate a new generation of scholars, artists, and leaders by working with current students at Purchase.
I have many ideas on what we can do together to make the Purchase experience more fulfilling for students and alumni—I'd love to have your input as well. Feel free to e-mail me (jeffrey.putman@purchase.edu), add the Association as a friend on Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6077034818 ), friend us on MySpace ( http://www.myspace.com/purchasealumni ), call the alumni office at (914) 251-6054 or even snail-mail me (Purchase College Alumni Association c/o Purchase College, SUNY, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577-1400).
Tell me about what made your time at Purchase a success, or let me know what you might have changed. I look forward to hearing from you and am honored to serve as your president.
Jeffrey S. Putman, '96
President, Purchase College Alumni Association, Inc.
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Jeffrey S. Putman, '96 was elected President of the Purchase College Alumni Association in December 2007. He is currently Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.