Since 1925, the SCSU Alumni Association has been the heart of Owl Nation — supporting students, strengthening the community, and leading with purpose.
Chalk it up to the Jazz Age. It was 1925, and students and recent graduates of the New Haven State Normal School (NHSNS) — which would ultimately become Southern Connecticut State University — were in the mood to celebrate. J.L. Meader, then president of NHSNS and a graduate of Bates College in Maine, was a fan of his alma mater’s alumni association. So, he gave his approval and on June 13, 1925, about 300 NHSNS graduates met at the New Haven Lawn Club to reminisce and consider how to help future students.
That first gathering was an overwhelming success. Following dinner, the group adopted a constitution and selected officers. Claude C. Russell, a member of the Class of 1896, was elected president and Southern’s first Alumni Association was officially formed.
None who attended the normal school could have imagined the heights their alma mater would reach. In 1925, Southern was a two-year normal school — one that did not yet award formal grades or charge tuition to those who agreed to teach in a Connecticut public school. Today, Southern offers more than 225 academic programs, including bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as certificates and non-degree options
The Alumni Association has grown alongside the university. Southern has more than 93,500 alumni, many of whom are active in the SCSCU Alumni Association. Working in partnership with the Office of Alumni Relations, the group provides an ongoing connection between Southern and its graduates, as well as the leadership needed to ensure the university’s ongoing success. The association is governed by an elected board of directors; members currently hail from graduate classes spanning seven decades.
Hundreds of Southern graduates have volunteered through the association to help organize a wide variety of events such as class reunions, Homecoming, awards banquets, and more. Additional benefits include an Alumni Insurance Program, access to Buley Library, and an Alumni Career Network that offers professional advice for those who’ve graduated in the past three years.
