“Bittersweet” may be one of the best words to describe the feelings that come with graduating from college. For many students, the day they accept their diploma will put a permanent end to sitting in classrooms, taking tests and studying through the night until the sun comes up. But, graduates may also think their time of sharing fun memories with others who chose the same university will come to a close as well. Fortunately for them, that does not have to be the case.

A series of special events are planned each year in an effort to engage alumni in a variety of ways. Even if former students move out of town, out of the state or out of the country, the Shippensburg University Alumni Association (SUAA) offers opportunities to get together and have a good time without requiring too much travel.

An example of these opportunities arrives as early as this Saturday, Dec. 6, when alumni in Central Pennsylvania will come to campus at 6 a.m. before boarding a bus to New York City. For the convenience of people living closer to Harrisburg, the “Ship Bus to The Big Apple” will also make a stop in Camp Hill at 6:45 a.m.

Sports enthusiasts living in eastern Pennsylvania have marked their calendars for Saturday, Jan. 10. That is when a group of Shippensburg University alumni will make their way to The Santander Arena in Reading to enjoy dinner and a Reading Royals minor league hockey game.

As was previously mentioned, special events are not restricted to Pennsylvania. Out-of-state alumni will gather in Atlanta airport’s Marriott this Friday night, Dec. 5. A few weeks later, the university’s interim president, Jody Harpster, is inviting former SU students to join him for dinner in National Harbor, Maryland on Saturday, Jan. 17.

Harpster will then spend one of the last weekends of winter with Red Raider alumni in the warmth of Florida. Dinners are planned in Tampa on Friday, March 6, Orlando on Saturday, March 7 and Jacksonville on Sunday, March 8.

These activities are only a small sample of what can be found on the SUAA’s calendar of events, located at www.ship.edu/alumni. Members of SU’s relations department work hard to ensure that “The SHIP experience lasts a lifetime,” but they need your help.

Access to all that is offered can be made much easier by providing SU’s relations department with up-to-date contact information. Copies of the university’s magazine are mailed each quarter, and a list of upcoming events is regularly delivered via email. Just complete one of the submission forms available on the website, and it is that easy to stay informed.

More than 65,000 former students are included in the Shippensburg University Alumni Association network. Those who stay active with their alma mater after graduation do not regret it. The hard work they did on campus is over, but the fun is only beginning.

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