The North Texas Exes, NT's alumni association, announced Friday it will renew efforts to reach out to both alumni and current students by increasing its online and campus-wide presence. 

This new approach of connecting students to the association is spearheaded by Derrick Morgan, the new executive director of the Exes.

"We're looking to increase the value of the degrees earned here at UNT," he said.

Morgan said that the Exes have started a group on the social networking Web site, LinkedIn.com.
"Students may move away from North Texas, but we want them to have the opportunity to stay up with what's going on with their university and their departments," he said.

The Exes plans to use e-mail lists and text messages as a cost-effective way to reach alumni, Morgan said.

"With 175,000 alumni out there with North Texas degrees, our job is to increase the connection [between graduating students and alumni] by helping them get involved, either through attending meetings, providing volunteer opportunities or getting alumni to hire North Texas students or provide them with internships," he said.

The Exes wanted to raise campus awareness as well, Morgan said.

"In the past, a graduate could have spent four years here at [NT] and not even know that the Exes exist, we want to change that by becoming a more visible organization on campus," said Phil Glauben, the current Exes board president.

"We have already started new initiatives by handing out laundry bags to freshmen and putting up posters around campus. We want students to know that the Exes are here to help them during that critical time after graduation when they ask, 'What do I do now?'"

The exes are pleased to take advantage of today's technology , Morgan said.

"We know the use of the Internet and other electronic means of communication will make this organization more meaningful now than ever," Glauben said.

More information about the NT Exes can be found at http://unt.onlinecommunity.com.
Origanlly written for the North Texas Daily