UD legacy receptions
Prospective students celebrate legacies at UD Alumni Association events
4:06 p.m., April 22, 2016--University of Delaware alumna Linda Justice Myrick, Class of 1977, is part of one big, happy Blue Hen family. She has a husband, two sons, a daughter-in-law, a brother-in-law, a sister-in-law and four nieces and nephews who are all proud UD graduates.
Myrick, a UD Alumni Association (UDAA) volunteer, attended one of the legacy receptions hosted by the UDAA that were held during UD’s Decision Days on Feb. 20, April 9 and April 16. Legacy receptions are held annually to welcome alumni like Myrick back to campus and provide prospective students with an inside look at the place they may soon call home.
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“Families visit to get a sense of the University and better understand if it is the right fit for them,” explained Myrick. “College is all about fit.”
For alumnus Joe Walsh, Class of 1985 and chairperson of the UDAA’s Student Connect Committee, the legacy receptions also serve as a way for alumni to connect with each other and the University.
“As UDAA members we help families explore all that UD has to offer and all the different ways they can engage with the University,” said Walsh.
UD Student Alumni Ambassadors (UDSAA) were in attendance to welcome families, answer questions and provide activities for students and their families to do while on campus – like checking off their first items on the UD Bucket List.
“I attended the legacy receptions last spring and this year,” said junior Daphne Vantine, a Student Alumni Ambassador. “When I attended last year, it was my first SAA event. I chose to volunteer because it seemed like a neat way to engage with prospective students and alumni at the same time.”
For young people like Austin Schimmel, who have already committed to UD, attending the legacy reception served as another opportunity to learn more about the University’s alumni network and get better acquainted with campus life. The New Jersey native finalized his decision to attend UD after learning that the College of Health Sciences’ Department of Physical Therapy graduate program was ranked number one in the nation.
“As an athletic training major, I had to say ‘yes.’ Then when I saw how beautiful the campus was; I knew it was perfect,” Schimmel said.
Schimmel’s parents, Jill and Bill Schimmel, are Double Dels — a nickname given to couples who both graduated from UD — and they were thrilled with his decision.
“We would have been happy to see him at any of the schools he applied to but to hear he accepted UD’s offer made us very happy,” said Jill Schimmel, Class of 1988.
Silas Gumbs, whose parents are also Double Dels, was so convinced UD was where he wanted to go he only applied to two schools.
“It’s home. I love the Delmarva area. I love being here and I can’t wait to come to UD,” said Gumbs.
For others who are not quite sure if UD is right for them, the day was an opportunity to become more familiar with the University and learn what made their parents fall in love with the place some time ago.
Alumnus Ron Moore was visiting UD with two of his three triplets, McKenna and Ronnie, who are both considering their dad’s alma mater as a potential college choice.
“We’ve been coming to football games since we were babies. There are several Blue Hens in the family, so I remember hearing about UD when we would all get together as kids,” reminisced Ronnie Moore.
“It’s true. I very much enjoyed it here. I met my best friends at UD,” said his father, Ron Moore.
About the UD Alumni Association
The UDAA provides exceptional value and ongoing support to alumni worldwide by expanding benefits available to alumni, supporting regional and affinity club events, recognizing alumni and their accomplishments and more.
The UDAA partners with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations to fulfill its vision and mission, and to execute its strategies, programs and outreach. Both groups have the same end goal — to ensure that all current and future alumni have a fulfilling, lifelong relationship with our great University.