A Message from the President Dear Alumni and Friends – It’s a great time to be a Bulldog – even as we prepare for the beginning of classes, I look back at last June when I had the pleasure to welcome over 5,000 graduates as full fledged alumni – the graduation ceremony was quite awesome.  And now we are doing all we can to welcome future alumni to campus with classes scheduled to start in just over a week.  Students and their parents will arrive here – scared perhaps as you were 20, 30 or more years ago but even as they are challenged, we see their excitement. With the current fiscal crisis in California, and even across the Country and World, Fresno State is challenged on many fronts.  One thing remains consist, however.  Our commitment to you and our faith in you.  This Alumni Association is about you and yours.  As a member of the Board and a Life Member of the Association, I encourage you to connect or reconnect and see what is happening on campus or in your area. This website is an opportunity for you to do just that - you can find out about upcoming events, connect to old friends, and find ways in which you can make a difference.  There are ever expanding ways in which you can be part of us.   With the trying financial time we live in, it is through memberships that we continue to be able to help our students with scholarships and mentoring opportunities.  As always, we are proud to lead the California State University system alumni associations with $100,000 in scholarships.  We seek out the best and brightest and help them find their vision and bring it to life.  The scholarships make a difference for each student as they work towards their own dreams.  However, with the fee increases recently announced due to shortfalls in State support, we know our scholarships don’t go as far as they have in the past.  Our students will be looking to us and you for help and we have faith that we will meet their expectations. You are the reason we exist.  We want to be your conduit to the University and all it offers.  You need to come here – see the newly opened library, wander around campus, relive old times, reflect on the past, celebrate your successes and know that we are proud to be part of them. So, if you need information, assistance, an opportunity to work with students, or something we haven’t even thought of - give us a call.  Our staff and volunteers take as our personal mission the furtherance of your love of Fresno State and that is best achieved through connections – so please ask us for what you want – because we are YOUR Alumni Association. With Bulldog pride, Judy Sharp-Bennett Life Member Current Board of Directors Executive Board President Judy Sharp Bennett Life Member Past President Valerie Vuicich, BS '79 Life Member VP, Alliance & Leadership Development Karri Hammerstrom, MPA '97 Life Member VP, Finance Brad Fischer, BS '81 Life Member VP, Membership and Marketing Clyde Ford, BS '80, MBA '84 Life Member  VP, Special Events Lauren Chalmers, BA ‘05 Life Member VP, Alumni House Richard Whitten, MD; BS '61 Life Member At-Large Directors Dr. Michael Caldwell, BA ‘84 Faculty Member Les Clark, BA ‘70 Life Member Mel Dias, BS '71 Life Member Caroline Edwards, BA '65, MA '90 Life Member Bret Engelman, BS '96, BS '99 Life Member April Fernandez, BA ‘04 Frank Gallegos, BA '87 Diana Gomez, BA ‘88 Life Member Amanda Leath, BA ‘99 Life Member Maureen Lewis, BS '95 MA '08 Life Member Carol Machado, BA '70 Life Member Olga Martinez, BS ’82, BA ‘82 Stephen Ortega, BA '90 & MBA '05 Life Member David Peet, BS ‘87 Life Member Rosendo Pena, '77 Life Member Adam Stirrup, BA '03, MA '05 Life Member Doug Yavanian, BA '65 Life Member Ex-Officio Directors University President Dr. John D. Welty VP, University Advancement Dr. Peter N. Smits Executive Director Jacquelyn Glasener, MA '02 Life Member Jessica Sweeten Associated Student Body President E-mail for all Board Members is directors@fresnostatealumni.com