Being a Laurentian for Life

What does it mean to be a Laurentian for Life? This phrase has rapidly and resolutely made its way into the SLU lexicon and I believe it deserves a bit of attention.

By its most basic definition, to be a Laurentian for Life means that upon completion of your four years here you will belong to a very special group of people who have received a degree from St. Lawrence University. It means you will always be bound to your classmates, those who've come before you and the many more to follow in your footsteps by virtue of a name. But in the past few weeks I've learned that to be a Laurentian for Life means so much more than name association or a diploma hanging on the wall. It means to take what you've learned at SLU, whether it's personal or academic, and pay it forward in every aspect of life. It means to live in a way that meets or exceeds the standards and expectations held of every SLU student.  Too abstract? Let me give you an example.

As a Student Delegate to the Alumni Executive Council, it is my job to act as a liaison between St. Lawrence and the council, the members of which volunteer much of their time and energy to supporting and assisting the university. During my time on the council I have had the privilege of meeting the kinds of people who inspired the concept of Laurentian for Life. These alumni, whether they've been gone for 50 years or only five, still have as much pride in this place as they did when they were here, if not more. They encourage the evolution of this university yet still appreciate the fact that the more things change the more they stay the same. 

What impressed me most about this truly unique group of people was their willingness to help me out and offer their services without a second thought. Whether it was professional advice, contact information or pointing me in the direction of someone else who could help, each and every alumnus I met had something to offer me and they did so freely. There's a connection that Laurentians, past and present, have with each other and it took no time at all for them to become old friends of mine.

Two weeks ago the Alumni Executive Council and the Board of Trustees met on campus for one of their two yearly meetings. I often asked them to name their favorite part of being back on campus and the answer that I received consistently was "having the opportunity to meet and talk with students."  They want to know what we're up to, what our aspirations are and what they can do to help us meet those goals.  I once heard an alum say "St. Lawrence took a chance on me and I will always, always take a chance on a St. Lawrence student." He meant it. As does every alum who says their willing to lend a hand to a fellow Laurentian.

This display of camaraderie is what it means to be a Laurentian for Life. It means to believe in SLU entirely and the people it turns out. It means to give back and ask for nothing in return but to know that someday in some unexpected place at some unexpected time your generosity to SLU will pay dividends in a big way.