Many firsts for latest Alumni Directory project

It's not often one gets a voicemail message from a man named Tiny.

But last month, Karen McQuigge did.

“He left a message and I had to figure out just who he was and call him back.”

It turned out that Tiny was a man who had lived in McQuigge's residence back in their
first year at McMaster. He had tracked her down because of the alumni directory project.

As the director of Alumni Advancement, it's McQuigge's job to supervise the alumni
directory, which is being updated this year.

“The directory project is a great opportunity for our grads to reconnect with McMaster,
but it's also an opportunity to catch up with each other,” she says. “Whether it's for
contacting an old friend or developing your network, participation in the project is
incredibly valuable.”

Over the course of the summer, alumni will be sent postcards or emails requesting
confirmation of their contact and career information. Using a dedicated toll-free
number, alumni can update their profile information over the phone.

This directory update has had a number of firsts for the Alumni Association. For the first
time, members of the alumni community can submit photos and memories with their
updated information. It's also the first year that social media has played a central role in
the update; this year, McQuigge has received requests from alumni about the project
from graduates through her personal LinkedIn page.

Once the update is complete, the directory will be available for purchase. For more
information on the alumni directory project, contact the McMaster Alumni Association at
(905) 525-9140 ext. 23900.