About the Alumni Association

The College’s Alumni Association has some exciting news for our almost 39,000 alumni. Everyone is now a member! In fact, everyone was always a member, but there were active members (those who paid dues) and inactive members (those who did not).

As of January 1, 2007, the Alumni Association and the College of Charleston Foundation have entered into a new funding arrangement. Under this new agreement, the Foundation will commit a percentage of the unrestricted portion of the College’s annual fund each year to the Alumni Association. The Association, in turn, will use this revenue to enhance alumni programming and will be able to discontinue its dues program. This new partnership will allow both organizations to pursue their missions while maintaining their autonomy.

“One of our greatest challenges over the past several years has been to keep our finances solid while focusing our efforts on our ever-growing alumni population,” says Jeff Kinard ’77, past president of the Alumni Association. “By receiving a portion of the Foundation’s annual fund, we are able to concentrate on engaging all alumni and serving as the bridge between the alumni population and the College. More importantly, alumni and students will see an expansion in the programs offered by the Alumni Association.”

All of the approximately 3,000 Life Members will maintain their special status. The only anticipated change is the name: “Life Members” will be known as members of the Society of the Alumni. This society is actually the name of the Alumni Association’s predecessor, which was founded in 1848.

If you have any questions, please contact Karen Jones ’74, executive secretary of the Alumni Association, at 843.953.5773 or at alumni@cofc.edu.