Alumni In Action
Aaron Stryck and Carla Alsandor
New Leadership, New Vision
The new academic year brought with it an exciting transition of leadership in the University of St. Thomas Office of Alumni Relations and the Alumni Association. Carla E. Alsandor joined the UST community as director of alumni relations, and Aaron Stryk ’01 now leads the Alumni Board.
Alsandor brings to the Department of Institutional Advancement a strong record of success in her field. She previously served as the director of advancement at Frassati Catholic High School in Spring, Texas, and as director of alumni relations at Centenary College of Louisiana. She holds an MBA and a doctorate in leadership studies, as well as a resume of volunteerism and involvement with several nonprofit organizations.
Although new to the UST community, Alsandor has already joined forces with the 2018-2019 Alumni Association Board of Directors, led by President Aaron Stryk. A longtime UST alumni volunteer and supporter, Stryk earned his Bachelor of Arts in communication at UST and also holds an MBA from the University of Houston. He currently serves as the regional advisor in public and government affairs at ExxonMobil, his employer since 2009.
As a former scholarship recipient, Stryk believes strongly in “paying it forward” through his volunteer service, and he has set high expectations for his term as president of the Alumni Board.
“My hope is that we strengthen the bonds forged between the Alumni Association, current students, recent graduates and returning alumni who have not been involved with the University in some time.” – Aaron Stryk
“Ultimately, we want the latter two parties to recognize that the Alumni Association is a thriving community, where they can always find a strong network of fellow Celts who value their time and fellowship. This same network of engaged alumni serves to ensure the integrity and value of their degree.”
Alsandor is working closely with Stryk to strengthen this network by not only pushing for excellence in existing programs and initiatives but also embracing new ideas. She stresses the importance of the alumni’s role in the success of UST’s bold new five-year plan, The Call Toward Tomorrow, which focuses on bolstering academics, enrollment, culture and infrastructure, while raising public awareness of the University and its programs.
She is pleased with the tremendous show of support from the alumni board, faculty and fellow staff members, and she has been moved by the many alumni who routinely express the strong bonds they feel toward UST.
“Once a Celt, always a Celt,” she said. “Alumni are part of UST’s rich history, and it’s clear they are also critical to its future success. I have great confidence in our ability to grow our network of engaged alumni.”
Stryk echoes Alsandor’s enthusiasm and joins her in inviting alumni to take action and become more involved.
“UST is a vibrant, welcoming community,” he concluded. “Alumni are the lifeblood of our institution, and we need and value their support, through gifts of time, talent and treasure.”
To learn more about the many benefits and opportunities for University of St. Thomas alumni, contact: Carla E. Alsandor at calsand@stthom.edu or 713-525-3111.