Mark D. Mouton bids association presidency farewell

Dear fellow alumni,

As my tenure as president of the UL Lafayette Alumni Association comes to an end, I look fondly on this year, reflecting on working with the talented staff, being amazed at the number of first-class events they host, getting to form new relationships, strengthening relationships and implementing our list of top priorities.  

It has been an honor and privilege to represent the Alumni Association at various events this year, ranging from the crowning of our Homecoming king and queen, toasting graduates at our Senior Champagne Toast alongside President Savoie, welcoming international students to campus, speaking at Sweet Sounds of Sharing or the Outstanding Alumni Reception honoring Claire Babineaux Fontenot, networking with alumni and guests during events at Washington D.C. Mardi Gras, attending Acadiana Red and White Day at the Louisiana State Capital and more. 

This role is not only about public relations activities. The Executive Board met several times this year to discuss the important work at hand. I also met individually with Alumni Association Chief Executive Officer Amy Armstrong regarding finances, events, strategic plan priorities, program of work initiatives and more. I appreciate the dedication of the Executive Board members and my collaboration with Amy, Immediate Past President Chris Richard and President-Elect Marie Centanni.  

This year we focused on implementing the Alumni Association’s strategic plan and our new annual program of work. It included goals and objectives for the staff to focus on the vision for engaging and strengthening our connections with our University, our alumni, our community and our students. 

A top priority this year was to improve the support and resources the Alumni Association provides to the leaders of our clubs and chapters around the country, with a goal of increasing membership and engagement. We started by hiring Joelle Boudreaux, associate director of clubs and chapters, who is doing an amazing job and exceeding everyone’s expectations to meet this priority.

Another priority was to improve the Alumni Association’s relationship with our college deans and increase the support the organization provides for our colleges and students. We started with the Dean + Alumni Chapter Networking Receptions during Homecoming Week to spotlight the colleges and their academic achievements. We are working on programming ideas to spotlight faculty, students and alumni of the colleges on campus, and we hope to introduce the program to you soon.

I encourage the Executive Board and others to continue to find ways to provide the staff and dedicated volunteers with additional resources needed to continue to improve, develop and expand the Alumni Association’s support and offerings so they can plan new events and engaging programs.

We hosted a mid-year retreat with Executive Board members and Amy, facilitated by Dr. Geoffrey Stewart and Dr. Patricia Lanier of the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration. We reviewed our strategic plan priorities and received updates on the status of our first annual program of work. We discussed strengths and challenges in achieving different goals and applauded the staff for working diligently to implement the plan.

Based on conversations at the retreat, Amy and I embarked on a series of meetings we called “The Listening Tour,” where we met with past presidents, club presidents, chapter presidents, young alumni, past council members and other leaders to uncover and discuss challenges and opportunities. Most importantly, we listened to suggestions about how we can improve our Alumni Association. The valuable feedback and suggestions are being compiled, and this information will help shape the priorities and framework for next year’s program of work. The Alumni Association is striving to improve by finding new or better ways to engage with you, but we also remain committed to our traditions and values.

One cherished tradition is to host the Spring Gala on the grounds of the Alumni Center. I want to thank Marie, this year’s Spring Gala chairperson, and Maci Quebedeaux, assistant director of special events, for their amazing job organizing this year's event. This year we honored Keith and Ginger Myers with their family for their care and commitment to both Acadiana and the University. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to create a magnificent evening and to everyone who purchased tickets to attend the event.

I want to thank the Alumni Association Executive Board, Alumni Council and volunteers for your work and dedication this year. It was fun working with you. 

To Amy — who is doing an amazing job leading the organization and who gracefully accepts challenges and turns them into accomplishments — thank you for your leadership, kindness and passion. You are a gem and someone who prefers others around you to shine brighter.  

To the amazing Alumni Association staff — who work tirelessly behind the scenes to organize and host visitors, events and more — thank you for your incredible work and commitment. Each of you are the heartbeat of our Alumni Association.

To our alumni and volunteers — thank you for your continued support of the Alumni Association. And to those considering volunteering, I encourage you to be an active member of your Alumni Association and welcome you home.

Finally, to those who congratulated me at different times during the year on my new role, new job or new gig after seeing my social media posts or public appearances (then laughed later with me when you learned that this is a volunteer position and I’m still working my full-time job in economic development) — thank you! Your comments were the greatest compliment for this servant leader.

Thank you for your support of the Alumni Association. I know that together, we can build a stronger community through the Alumni Association.

Geaux Cajuns!

Sincerely,
Mark D. Mouton ‘96
President
UL Lafayette Alumni Association, 2023-2024

Photo caption: Mark D. Mouton addresses a crowd at the Alumni Center. Photo credit: University of Louisiana at Lafayette