Letter to ASMS Alumni
Dear Alumni,
I love the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science, and I know you do, too! We – alumni, faculty, staff, and students – are a family united by a bond to one of the most excellent schools in the world. Please consider this letter as a sincere starting point for improved alumni engagement.
As you know, ASMS does many things well: Our faculty and staff are an excellent group of dedicated and bright professionals. Our students are brilliant, excelling academically and socially. The average ACT score of a graduate is 29.8, one of the highest averages in the country. The Adventures In Math and Science summer program enrolled a record 1,200 students in June. We received nearly 600 admissions applications last year. Our facilities are in better shape than at any point in the school’s history. All Biology labs were renovated this summer. We have steadily added more personnel, including a personal counselor to help students solve problems. Our budget is stable and impeccably managed. The ASMS School and Foundation Boards are made up of caring and devoted people, including several members who have been with ASMS from the start: Walter Bell, Steve McMillan, and Ann Bedsole. In truth, I could speak about ASMS’s strengths for many pages and would still leave out hundreds of success stories, including those of our alumni.
Yet, ASMS is not perfect. Sometimes loving an organization involves earnestly confronting flaws to spark change and improvement. Thus, in the spirit of honesty and openness, ASMS has not successfully fostered strong and broad alumni relationships. Facilitating consistent and transparent communication is key to this becoming a reality, and I am committed to this goal.
You are what matters most in this discussion and we want to hear from you. Our goal is to respect you and connect with you in positive and fruitful ways. Last spring term, the ASMS Development Office asked three graduates to spearhead an effort to develop a report for the Foundation Board regarding how to establish and maintain an alumni organization. I fully support this effort but plan to broaden it to become a more diverse group. You should hear from them soon.
I am excited to announce that Alumni Homecoming will be held Thursday, Oct. 11 through Sat., Oct. 13. You will receive a detailed schedule and registration form by the end of the week. For those of you who can make it, we look forward to seeing you soon!
Finally, the ASMS Foundation has hired a new Development Director. Dr. Samantha Church, who will start Oct. 1, comes to ASMS with nearly 20 years of experience as a successful educational fundraiser. I'm sure she will reach out to you soon.
Thank you for your support! Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions, concerns, or ideas you would like to share.
With warm regards,
John Hoyle, Ph.D.
Interim President
