UMass Magazine Online

Spring 2005

Departments

Alumni Connections

Features

There Goes the Neighborhood

Fab Four

The Gravest Danger

The Wonderful World of Disney

Cooking Lessons

Alumni Connections

Keeping Her Connections Open




	Mary Custard ’82, ’87G (photo by Tyler Jacobson ’05)

MARY CUSTARD ’82, ’87G IS the interim athletic director for Amherst Regional High School, home to one of the largest (53 teams) and most successful athletic programs in western Massachusetts. Prior to serving in this post, she was dean of students. Mary also serves as a shift manager for the New England Center for Change, working in a residential home for teens. Her daughter, Kia, a Jones New York specialist at Filene’s department store, graduated from UMass Amherst in 2000. Mary tells us why she serves on the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors:

AA: Why did you decide to run for a position
on the Board?
MC: I was encouraged by a friend who worked for the university. I continued to be connected with the campus, primarily through the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black and other Minority Students and the Office of ALANA (African, Latino, Asian and Native American) Affairs. I enjoyed working with undergraduate and graduate students, maintained connections with many alumni, and attended many events on campus; it seemed a
natural progression to become involved with the Alumni Association.

AA: What are the rewards of being a Board member?
MC: I am giving back to an institution that helped change my life. I have the continuous opportunity to meet and build relationships with UMass Amherst alumni. I actively support the mission of the campus, as a land-grant institution, along with advocating for greater diversity in all facets of the university. I feel I have a special responsibility to represent and reconnect alumni of color to UMass Amherst. As a Board member, I am honored to work with other Alumni who love the University as much as I do—and we are a fun group. We work together on initiatives that promote and support the campus locally, regionally, and nationally.

AA: What are some of the ways the Alumni Association has connected alumni to one another and to the university?
MC: Our Alumni Clubs do a spectacular job of sponsoring events all over the country and keeping alumni updated on the latest happenings. The Alumni Association Web site, the Online Alumni Directory, and UMass Amherst magazine are great sources of information. The Association sponsors the Distinguished Alumni Awards, reunions, Homecoming, alumni days at athletic events, undergraduate and graduate programs and scholarships—always with the hope of building relationships and connecting alumni and future alumni to the university.

AA: Why should other UMass Amherst alumni get involved with the Alumni Association?
MC: We need you! The more participation, the stronger our voice and energy is in supporting our alma mater.

AA: What words of wisdom would you give to current UMass Amherst students about being involved in the life of the campus?
MC: While your main focus should, of course, be academics, cocurricular participation will help you to build positive connections across campus and enrich your college experience. I believe community service is beneficial to both the giver and the receiver and a responsibility we all have.

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Message from the President

Important Dates

Keeping Her Connections Open