On Oct. 26 nearly 42 alumni will once again roam the grounds of ASU. Only this time they won't receive instruction; they will give it during the ASU Alumni Teach-In. During the teach-in, ASU alumni will scatter across campus in different classrooms educating students on the steps to a successful career, sharing motivational stories and allowing students to ask questions.
"Once you graduate you move on and you lose touch with those behind you," said Melanie Shorter, alumni coordinator of the alumni teach-in. "We have to take it upon ourselves to not turn our backs on the younger generation." Shorter said the alumni teach-in was an idea of ASU President Everette J. Freeman. He thought the day before Homecoming needed more meaning and asked Shorter to gather younger generation alumni to whom current students could relate.
"It is our job as alumni to show students our mistakes so that they won't make the same ones," Shorter said. After a successful debut last year, Shorter said she believes students will be even more enthused about the teach-in this year. "Students will look forward to it, which is great because students will form relationships with alumni and began networking for possibly some future jobs," Shorter said.
Many of the alumni participating in the teach-in are principals, attorneys, engineers, business owners and physicians. Zachary Faison, director of Alumni Affairs, said the teach-in serves a dual purpose. "It gives alumni a chance to feel honored and show how much knowledge they have gained while also investing in students and allowing the students the chance to learn from them," he said.
Faison also said many students only see the present, but this event gives students the ability to see beyond the campus walls to what their future could be. Shorter said there is a need for this event because it is a part of an alumnus' job to reach back and help current students. "At some point there was someone that helped us," she said. "We owe it to ASU because without it we wouldn't be where we are today."