Hofstra Magazine

A Letter From President of Hofstra University Alumni Organization Laurie J. Bloom

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It is my pleasure to greet you as the new president of the Hofstra University Alumni Organization. We will be communicating quite a bit over the next two years. Our esteemed outgoing president, Joseph Sparacio ’89, led a strategic planning process that lasted more than a year. The result is a new Alumni Organization with an emphasis on involving Hofstra’s more than 115,000 graduates around the world — both programmatically and philanthropically. Thanks to Joe for his leadership and commitment. We could not have accomplished as much as we did without him.

Your new alumni leadership will be reaching out and looking for those who are interested in serving on the many committees that make up our Alumni Assembly. More than ever before, we will focus our collective efforts on making your connection to Hofstra relevant and meaningful. I look forward to sharing more information about the many exciting changes in the next issue of Hofstra Magazine.

Since the theme of this issue is the presidential debate, let me share some of my experiences during that exciting Debate Week.

In addition to my role as Alumni Organization president, I am also an adjunct professor in the School of Communication and, as such, was fortunate to join my colleagues in the Department of Journalism, Media Studies and Public Relations in working with the Office of University Relations to assist the more than 3,100 credentialed members of the media who descended upon Hofstra to cover the presidential debate.

Among the duties I was assigned was oversight of media involvement at Hofstra USA, where a viewing party for several hundred Hofstra students took place. A number of journalists arrived to capture the excitement and speak to our students about their views on that historic occasion. It was truly an exciting day and night. I was delighted to see Hofstra’s students engaged in an array of support roles, working alongside University staff to make our hosting of the debate seamless. Students who had won tickets to view the debate at the Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex arrived impeccably dressed and represented Hofstra with distinction. Those involved in the myriad of other activities surrounding the debate conducted themselves professionally and enthusiastically. The excitement of that day was palpable, and it is an event that I, and the students I interacted with, shall never forget.

The presidential debate put us on the world stage before tens of millions of viewers. It was a defining moment, and I am quite sure that on October 15 each and every one of our alumni truly knew the meaning of “Hofstra Pride.”

With Pride
Laurie J. Bloom, President of Hofstra University Alumni Organization