New Executive Director of Alumni Relations

The new executive director of alumni relations began preparing

for his CSU tenure by attending a long-standing university

tradition.

Marc Shkolnick will begin his duties as executive director of

alumni relations on Nov. 8, but he visited Fort Collins for

Homecoming Weekend to become involved with the university

immediately, said Lindsay Bauer, director of alumni operations.

“It was wonderful for the staff to go early on Saturday morning

for the pancake breakfast and to see him and his wife standing on

the steps,” Bauer said.

The Alumni Center was pushed to make a hiring decision for the

position after its interim executive director, Colleen Meyers, took

maternity leave.

“We originally delayed the hiring process because last year

(CSU) President (Larry) Penley was just hired,” said Bill Woods,

president of CSU Board of Directors.

The search for a new director officially began June 1, 2003,

when the position description was placed with an executive search

firm.

Shkolnick was “an immediate standout,” Woods said, in a pool of

70-plus applicants. He was introduced at the 50 Year Club’s

luncheon Saturday.

Shkolnick served 10 years with the University of

Nebraska-Lincoln Alumni Association and was associate executive

director from 1999, until being hired by CSU. Prior to his

experience, he served as admissions representative and the director

of alumni relations.

“It was time to bring in a new director,” Woods said. “We’re

excited about his level of experience.”

Shkolnick was pleased with the thorough hiring process.

“The search firm gave the university the best chance to find who

they were looking for,” Shkolnick said.

He said he is excited about being in Colorado because he has

never lived outside Nebraska.

He got his first taste of CSU during Homecoming week.

“Homecoming was fantastic,” Shkolnick said. “And the lighting of

the “A” was very special.”

There was no Homecoming parade in Nebraska, he said.

Shkolnick especially enjoyed the alumni’s dedication during the

Homecoming parade. Their Model-T car broke down and several

members, including Woods, had to walk the rest of the parade

route.

Shkolnick hopes to build relationships with students during his

time at the Alumni Center. He also wants current students to

construct lifelong connections to CSU.

“We already have an organization, the Student Alumni Connection,

devoted to this, but it needs to expand,” Shkolnick said. “If you

wait until graduation, you’re too late.”