Troy University Alumni Association

 

Faith West Ward is an Alabama native. A fan of sports, she would often go to see games at Troy University as a child. She attended both undergraduate and graduate school at TROY and after graduation continued on to a career in the state. However, her connection with her alma mater never waned: she constantly promoted and sang the praises of her school to the people around her. In 1997, the Alumni Director position became available, and she jumped at the chance to do something for the University she has cherished since childhood.

The Alumni Association helps fund scholarships, sponsor alumni events and promote the mission of Troy University. Since its inception in 1887, Troy University has made great strides.  It has become a world-wide institution with nearly 30,000 students, located on four Alabama campuses and with more than 60 sites, in fifteen U.S. states and eleven foreign nations.

Ward had travelled in previous positions to various trade shows and seen organizations use the ChemArt ornament as a means to thank donors, celebrate milestones, raise funds, and promote school spirit to alumni. When she started at TROY, she knew that an annual ornament collection was something she felt strongly about having for her school.

In 1999 the annual ornament program began. The first ornament was of the TROY logo. Each piece after that represented a momentous event, theme or special architectural facet of the University. In 2005 TROY changed its name from Troy State University to Troy University and a whole new branding campaign was launched. The ornament that year showed the new logo. 2007 marked the 120th anniversary of the University and the ornament reflected that celebration. All years of the ornament collection are always available for sale through the alumni office.

The sale of the ornaments is integrated into a year-long celebration and campaign. The ornaments are ready for the first home game at the school and are put on a tree that adorns the alumni association’s skybox, where people can purchase their own special memento. The ornaments are also sold at all tailgates, chapter meetings, and other school functions. The finale comes at the Christmas Tree Lighting at the last football game of the season.

The pieces are marketed to faculty, students and alumni alike through the website and emails. Both recent graduates and seasoned alumni are very enthusiastic about the ornaments. Whether they want the whole set, or the specific year in which they graduated, the anticipation mounts with each coming year. People purchase ornaments not only for themselves but also as gifts for friends, business associates and family.

Even Ward gets caught up in the excitement. “Each year I say to myself ‘this is going to be the best one.’” And when the pieces arrive Faith couldn’t be happier. “It’s like getting an early gift every year when I see something I created come to life.”

 Download a PDF of the Troy University customer success story.