OU students, alumni and faculty gather for Dinner with a Dozen Grizzlies.

By Sarah Malczynski, student writer

In an effort to promote alumni-student relationships, the Future Alumni Network (FANs) held Dinner with a Dozen Grizzlies on Friday, Nov. 2. The event was part of a series in which students network with OU alumni and faculty and meet fellow OU students.

The Dinner with a Dozen Grizzlies series provides opportunities for students to make new friends and build professional contacts beyond graduation. With experience in the “real world,” OU alumni and faculty make excellent references and can provide students with a glimpse into their future upon completing their degree. This year, the alumni hosts were Director of OU’s Center for Student Activities Jean Ann Miller, Associate Director of Admissions Dawn Aubry and Associate Professor of Anthropology Richard Stamps. The dinner was held at Stamps’ house in Rochester Hills.

Twenty-two OU students, alumni and faculty participated in a brief ice-breaker game before sitting down to a delicious dinner. Conversation flowed freely as alumni and current students discussed social issues, politics, entertainment and education.

FANs president Ally Kelly was amazed at the number of participants this year. “In the past, we’ve struggled to get a dozen Grizzlies to attend these dinners. I was ecstatic that so many students signed up to come tonight. We’re planning two dinners for the winter semester because tonight was so successful,” she said.

Following dinner, the group played another game, in which the participants shared favorite celebrities and ideal destinations for traveling in addition to comparing locations of birth. By the end of the night, Grizzlies – students, alumni and faculty alike – had come together to eat, drink and enjoy each other’s company as equals.