National Network

“Eagle Nation” promises to assume a broader meaning as new Director of Alumni Relations Wendell Tompkins (’87) sets out to expand the organized Georgia Southern alumni network to a greater number of states.

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“As director of alumni relations, Frank Hook established the widely successful Eagle Club network 15 years ago,” said Tompkins. “With Dr. Keel’s support, it is my desire to expand this network and take Georgia Southern on the road to as many alumni as possible across the country.

“Georgia Southern’s academic and alumni reach goes far beyond the borders of our own state,” he said. “We have students from nearly every state and have alumni residing on both coasts and everywhere in between. If we are going to reach our goals as a University we need the support of our graduates wherever they might live.”

Tompkins assumed his current role with the University in January and has served as director of annual giving with the Georgia Southern University Foundation since 2007. As director of annual giving he was responsible for directing and implementing the “A Day for Southern” and “A Day for Southern On Campus” campaigns, raising in excess of $1.3 million annually. Tompkins also provided leadership for the Phonathon coordinator and assistant director for Web-based fundraising in the development of annual gifts campaigns. He was responsible for aiding the University community in individual department and college campaigns.

Tompkins has also held positions as assistant director of alumni relations and associate director of Southern Boosters (now the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation).

As assistant director of alumni relations, Tompkins was responsible for “friend-raising” for the University in support of the Office of University Advancement and worked to develop strategies to increase alumni support. He coordinated the Eagle Club program and the annual Alumni Association Scholarship program, Alumni Travel Program and Alumni Association Awards Ceremony. He also initiated and implemented the Alumni Relations Online Community and Class Ring Program.

“My staff and I will work very hard to continue creating a sense of loyalty that will generate the level of pride and good will for the University. We will need to get where our leadership – and the entire Eagle Nation – want to go,” said Tompkins.