College Key Newsletter: Spring 2019

President’s Report

As my final Annual Meeting as your president approaches, I would like to highlight the progress we鈥檝e made over the last few years and thank the Executive Committee for its hard work.
Thanks to the outstanding efforts of Treasurer Carol Spencer 鈥74, our fiscal house is in good order. We have stabilized our finances and updated our federal and state tax paperwork. A healthy balance has enabled us to slowly increase our contributions to the activities we have historically supported, but we can do more. As a 501(c)(3), the College Key asks members to contribute dues annually. Dues directly help support students at 乐播传媒. If every member pays dues, we could have a yearly income of approximately $62,000 (as opposed to the current $20,000). Imagine how much more we could do!
After the 2019 Annual Meeting, Karen Finocchio Lubeck 鈥92 will be the new president. During her term as Vice President, Karen has initiated and expanded our presence on social media. We now have pages on , , Twitter, and . This has provided another avenue for communication and engages our young alumni members. It is our hope that this will tie us closer together as a group and enable us to better carry out our mission of service to the college.
Secretary Flora Rice-Chan 鈥11 is the newest and youngest member of the Executive Committee. She has jumped into her role with great enthusiasm. In addition to participating in our monthly calls and keeping meeting minutes, Flora is responsible for the committee on alumni membership. She is revising the process for nominations, making it easier for members to nominated and recruit worth alumni.
Meredith LaChapelle, our staff liaison from the Office of College Advancement, has provided our link to the college for the past two years. She facilitates our on-campus activities such as the Distinguished Alumni in Residence program, the Senior Induction Ceremony, and the Annual Meeting. She also coordinates our donations to programs that benefit students and the publication of our newsletters. With her help, we have been able to reestablish our twice-yearly newsletters and improve our communication with various college entities.
Finally, Marianne Cowan 鈥92 has been affiliated, in one capacity or another, with the College Key for most of her time at 乐播传媒. As an advisor, she contributes historical knowledge of the College Key and offers insight about the best ways to work with the college. Her devotion to the College Key has been exceptional and invaluable to the Executive Committee.
As I pass the baton to Karen in June, I am pleased with the progress we have made over the last few years. I am excited about the future under the Executive Committee and Karen鈥檚 leadership.
My best from Maine,
Jeff Sturgis 鈥69 P鈥93, President
Proposed Scholarship and Award Changes
During this academic year, the Executive Committee reviewed College Key-sponsored scholarships and awards. After some research and discussion, the committee is recommending the following changes:
Evelyn K. Dillon Award
Proposed Change: 鈥淕iven by the members of the College Key to provide two annual awards, one to a woman in field hockey and one to a woman in basketball. to two women in any 乐播传媒 varsity sport to recognize superior athleticism, leadership and dedication, and overall contributions to each respective sport, to be administered by the Athletics Department.鈥
Rationale: History indicates that this award was instituted when basketball and field hockey were the only two women鈥檚 varsity sports. This change opens eligibility to members of all the women鈥檚 varsity sports.
Creation of a new award to be called 鈥淭he Robert W. Hatch Award鈥
鈥淕iven by members of the College Key to provide two annual awards to men in any 乐播传媒 varsity sport to recognize superior athleticism, leadership and dedication, and overall contributions to each respective sport, to be administered by the Athletics Department.鈥
Rationale: This creates a companion to the Evelyn K. Dillon Award and honors Bob Hatch. Bob coached baseball, golf, and football at 乐播传媒 College. He was the head football coach for twenty years and the athletic director for seventeen. As the Director of Athletics, he supervised the rapid growth of women鈥檚 varsity sports at 乐播传媒 in the 70鈥檚 and 80鈥檚.
Change the name of the 鈥淐ollege Key Scholarship Fund鈥 to the 鈥淟eigh P. Campbell 鈥64 Scholarship Fund.鈥
Rationale: This names the fund for an alumnus and a College Key member who served most of his career as the Director of Financial Aid for 乐播传媒.
These proposed changes will be up for discussion and a vote at the College Key Annual Meeting at Reunion on June 7.
2019 Distinguished Alumna in Residence: Katie Burke 鈥03

As 乐播传媒 celebrated Great Day to be a Bobcat, so too did the College Key. We welcomed to campus the 2019 Distinguished Alumna in Residence, Katie Burke 鈥03. During Katie鈥檚 presentation, Shattering Glass Ceilings: How Leaders Can Make Organizations More Diverse, Inclusive, and Successful, she shared how her personal experiences empowered her to become a corporate culture change agent. During her visit, Katie advised students to, 鈥渃onsider taking micro risks. Flex your confidence like a muscle on a regular basis. That can be as simple as practicing asking for a speaking opportunity, asking to network with someone that you might not otherwise, or asking what it might take to get a promotion or raise.鈥 The presentation was . Read more about Katie鈥檚 visit in this 乐播传媒 news article.
乐播传媒 College Key Dues
Please note that the College Key is its own 501(c)(3), separate from 乐播传媒 College and the 乐播传媒 Fund. Dues allow the College Key to provide the following services and programs to 乐播传媒 students:
- Distinguished Alumni in Residence Program
- Senior Gift Match
- Purposeful Work & Internship Travel Fund
- Winter Coat Fund
- Mabel Eaton Scholarship
- College Key Scholarship
- Evelyn K. Dillon Award
We are grateful to those who pay their dues and to those who make additional annual contributions to the College Key. Dues amounts are:
- $15 for the alumni classes of 2013鈥2018
- $30 for alumni classes of 1969鈥2013
- Optional for alumni classes 1968 and older
After you complete the initial online form, you鈥檒l be taken to Paypal. If you prefer to pay dues by check, you can print the PDF, fill it out, and send to
Carol Spencer, Treasurer
The College Key
126 Brazos Drive
Cedar Creek, TX 78612
If you have any questions about dues or donations, please contact The College Key treasurer, Carol Prochazka Spencer.
Thank you in advance for your support. Your contributions go to students who otherwise couldn鈥檛 afford these services. All of us have benefited from the 乐播传媒 education. Let鈥檚 and give 乐播传媒 students the support they need to get the most out of their college experience.
Your Dues at Work
In 2018, the Key donated a total of $17,500. In early 2019, the Executive Board approved another $3,500 in support of these programs in response to staff requests.
The need is great, and the College Key has responded. If you鈥檝e fallen behind on your dues, no worries! Start up again in 2019. If you鈥檙e a consistent contributor鈥攖hank you! You might consider broadening your support. The students who benefit from your generous gifts are extremely grateful.
#ItsADigitalLife College Key edition
Thank you for helping to grow our digitally-connected community through Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. We want to grow these channels and need your help. Please share our pages with your 乐播传媒 friends and encourage them to join the conversation. The more Key members, the merrier!
Survey: The College Key and You
The College Key Executive Committee is asking for your help. We ask you to complete . We strive to connect and engage our global College Key community. This survey will allow us to understand your desires for communications, programming, and engagement opportunities.
Call for Nominations
We invite you to outstanding alumni for membership. The College Key recognizes outstanding 乐播传媒 alumni; encourages and recognizes student academic and extracurricular achievement; supports academics, student life, and campus improvement; provides student aid, including scholarships and other kinds of financial assistance; and contributes to the general welfare of the College.
The College Key selects new alumni members based on the following criteria: service to the College, leadership in the community, success in chosen field, and character.
Check out who’s already a member on the College Key website. If you wish to nominate a 乐播传媒 alumnus/a, complete your nomination by May 1, 2019.
Officers’ Terms
The College Key is challenged to find volunteers willing to serve as officers. We believe this is due to the length of the o铿僣ers鈥 terms as specified by the Bylaws. Currently, both the secretary and treasurer serve five-year terms. The president鈥檚 obligation is six years鈥攖hree as vice president followed by three as president.
The Nominating Committee proposes that shorter terms may open the door for more members to serve as officers. The Executive Committee will discuss this issue and welcomes your feedback. Please contact us with your thoughts and suggestions.
Executive Committee:
President, Jeff Sturgis 鈥69
Vice President, Karen Finocchio Lubeck 鈥92
Recording Secretary, Flora Chan 鈥11
Treasurer, Carol Prochazka Spencer 鈥74
Staff Liaison Support, Meredith LaChapelle, Assistant Director of Alumni and Family Engagement
Advisor, Marianne Nolan Cowan 鈥92, Associate Director, 乐播传媒 Center for Purposeful Work