Alumni

Spring Newsletter 2009

A New Face in the Alumni Office

Torii Campbell offers alumni chapters much-needed support.

The word “alumnus” has its roots in the Latin word alere, to nourish. It’s an apt word choice for the enduring mutual relationship between St. John’s College and its 9,000-plus alumni—considered the only permanent members of the St. John’s community.

To better support alumni and the college’s Alumni Association—especially those chapters that need nurturing to grow and thrive—the college has added a new part-time position: alumni program coordinator. Last August, Torii Campbell joined Alumni Director Jo Ann Mattson (A87) and Alumni Activities Manager Dolores Strissel in the Annapolis alumni office, although her position is designed to support alumni from both campuses.

Ms. Campbell is helping chapter members with networking and marketing. She’s eager to assist alumni who want to start a new chapter, turn an informal reading group into a chapter, or enliven a group that’s gotten a bit stale. Knowing someone at the college is available to help should make it easier for chapters to encourage leadership and volunteer service. “Sometimes, alumni are reluctant to take the lead because they think starting a chapter will be too much work,” she says. Her job involves marketing, creating postcards, delivering e-mail notices, and coordinating tutor visits for chapters. Campbell will also help chapters locate a venue for the meetings. “I can also help select a topic and seminar, or even get a few alumni together and brainstorm ideas,” she says.

Ms. Campbell previously worked in alumni relations for the U.S. Naval Academy. She is a Girl Scout troop leader, and she and her husband, Bruce, a NASA scientist, are raising three daughters. She’s resourceful and creative, bringing lots of new ideas to her position at St. John’s. She urges chapter members to contact her to talk about possibilities for chapter events. While seminars are popular, she’s happy to help coordinate other ideas: social gatherings, holiday parties and picnics, baseball games, or art museum visits.

Ms. Campbell also is the new contact for the online alumni community. She maintains chapter information and updates contacts. “The online community is such a fantastic resource,” she says. “Alumni can be in touch with people everywhere. It has that social networking aspect as well as an informative one.”

To date one of the highlights of her work has been meeting Johnnies of all ages at Homecoming last fall in Annapolis. Ms. Campbell’s skills also were instrumental in transforming the 100-year-old Iglehart Hall gymnasium into a spectacular banquet space, with lights, draping, and plants. She was “absolutely charmed” by the older Johnnie couples who returned for Homecoming last fall. “At the Naval Academy women didn’t attend until 1976, so we didn’t have this,” she says. “It was wonderful to see the 50- and 60-year old couples who met at the college.”

“There seems to be nothing Torii can’t do,” says Ms. Mattson. “She started with us a few weeks before Homecoming and jumped right in. She’s definitely an asset to our team.”

Alumni can reach Ms. Campbell at 410-972-4518 or by e-mail at torii.campbell@sjca.edu.