Dear OBU Alumni and Friends, As we begin 2024, I can’t help but look back on 2023 and the blessings that God provided for OBU and your alumni association. We literally weathered a tremendous storm on April 19, when an EF2 tornado hit Bison Hill. God provided protection that night and has been providing renewal ever since. Students returned to campus, planned events have still taken place, and strategy and prayer continue to shape the future. Alumni engagement is higher than it’s ever been and we expect 2024 to be no different. Here are a few things you should be aware of that are ongoing or coming up this year:
Bison Memories Oral History Project
Did you receive a yellow postcard or an email asking you to verify your contact information? If so, rest assured this is an official project launched in the fall of 2023 by the OBU Alumni Association in partnership with Publishing Concepts Inc. (PCI). This project is meant to not only provide data updates and data verification on our alumni base but to also collect oral history stories from our alumni about their time on Bison Hill. All stories and interviews collected will become a permanent part of the University Archives so that future generations can know the story of OBU. To date, we’ve had more than 2,500 alumni share their stories with us and nearly 4,000 alumni participate! Thank you for helping to make this project a huge success for our alumni association!
Traveling Bison
2023 was our inaugural year for this program and we were thrilled to see alumni and friends of the university travel the world together! We still have many trips available in 2024 and will be unveiling our 2025 travel schedule this spring. Be sure to think of Traveling Bison when planning your next adventure! All OBU alumni and friends are welcome!
The Weekend
Last fall, we saw more alumni and friends come back to Bison Hill then ever before in our history. Start planning your return to Bison Hill this fall, October 17-19, 2024! We will once again have dozens of events and experiences you can be a part of while you reconnect with fellow alumni and get to know our current students. Families of current students are invited to participate as well, with Family Weekend activities happening throughout The Weekend. If you have a prospective student in your life, bring them for Bison Day where they can learn about life on Bison Hill and consider making OBU their collegiate home.
Do you want to see more individuals from your class attend The Weekend? Take the initiative and contact them with a personal invitation! Forward our emails with a personal note. Make a few phone calls. Share our posts about The Weekend on social media so we can reach even more alumni and friends. Make plans within the schedule of The Weekend to meet up and reconnect. Let us know how we can help. You can play a vital role in the success of The Weekend by working alongside our team to reach as many alumni and friends as we can.
There’s more happening with the OBU Alumni Association than we can list here. Visit our website or follow us on social media to keep up with upcoming events, programming and services we offer. This is THE time to engage and stay connected! Join us in whatever capacity you can. Let us know your ideas and how you want to engage. Partner with us in regular prayer for our campus and each other. We are so incredibly grateful for each of you and the ways God is using you for His glory. Thank you for the support you give and for the love you still hold for your alma mater.
– Lea Ann Quirk