Chapter, Affiliate and Volunteer of the Year To Be Recognized at Annual Meeting, May 11

By Karlie Perry '19, '19, '24 MBA

During the upcoming Annual Meeting, the Alumni Association will award the Affiliate of the Year, Chapter of the Year and Volunteer of the Year. The affiliate and chapter of the year awards are based on the groups’ efforts to engage their audiences, support scholarships and host events. The award recipients are selected by the awards committee, comprised of Alumni board members and alumni volunteers.

Affiliate of the Year

Based on the criteria mentioned above, The University of Toledo College of Engineering Alumni Affiliate set itself apart to be selected by:

  • Hosting a wide range of programs. 2023-24 programming included the annual Business vs. Engineering Golf Outing; Alumni vs. Student Volleyball Tourmant; tour of PepsiCo; a wine tasting event; Toledo Zoo Lights Before Christmas; and Bourbons, Bites and Brews event.
  • Organized multiple Toledo Mud Hens concessions fundraisers as an event/engagement opportunity as well as a successful fundraising initiative for the Affiliate’s scholarship funds.
  • Filled all open positions on the board and added past President to the board.
  • Added a Social Media chair to our Board to facilitate the posting of information.
  • Board Members served as Day of Giving Advocates, offering challenges and matching gifts.

You are automatically a member of the Engineering Affiliate if you hold at least one degree from the college. Not getting their event emails? Be sure to update your information with your current address and ensure you are subscribed to AA emails. Alumni are also encouraged to join the Engineering Affiliate Facebook group to stay connected.

Chapter of the Year

The UToledo Alumni Association Columbus Chapter was selected as a two-time Chapter of the Year (2023 and 2024) based on its innovative and strategic event planning and chapter recruitment efforts. In 2024, the Columbus Alumni Chapter:

  • Had more than 100 alumni attendees at their various events (an increase from 75 attendees in 2023)
  • Hosted a watch party in conjunction with UToledo vs BGSU football game and giving challenge
  • Held an alumni event at a Clippers game in conjunction with a Pharmacy Alumni CE event in June.
  • Added alumni with international student backgrounds to the planning committee in hopes of planning a future chapter event that will engage UToledo international student alumni living in the Columbus area.
  • Dr. Kim Campbell ’88, ’97 assisted with recruiting alumni to serve as ambassadors for UToledo admissions events.

“We are proud to have held so many events for our local alumni to attend,” said Robert Kramer ’05, president of the Columbus alumni chapter. “These events have allowed alumni spanning over 50 years of graduation to mingle, enjoy themselves and most importantly, each other’s company. This has been our strength: welcoming a diverse group of UToledo alumni with different backgrounds to each of our events. We work hard to ensure that anyone attending is only a stranger once.”

You are automatically a member of the Columbus Chapter if you reside within 50 miles of the city. Not getting their event emails? Be sure to update your information with your current address and ensure you are subscribed to AA emails. Alumni are also encouraged to join the Columbus Chapter Facebook group to stay connected.

Volunteer of the Year

 Dr. Patricia Metting ’75, ’80 was named the Alumni Association’s Volunteer of The Year Award for her dedicated service not only as an AA board member, but for her prior service as a member and past president of the Board of Trustees of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences (COMLS) Alumni Affiliate, and as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Committee for University College.

Metting volunteers in several Alumni Association and University initiatives, including Rocket Forward Day of Giving, homecoming, Art on the Mall, and the alumni postcard recruitment project with Undergraduate Admissions.

She also has two scholarship funds at the University, one for students in University College and one for students in COMLS. In addition, Metting has been an avid supporter in many areas across UToledo, including COMLS scholarship funds, the Koester Alumni Pavilion, the Collier Building fund, various Athletics fundraisers, and several Health Science Campus student funds.