Name: Patti Johnson Theil
Degree and Graduation Year from IU: I had a dual degree (Bachelor of Science) in Marketing and Management from the Business school, 1981
Chapter Region: Colorado
Role/Title on Board: I am a Board Member for the chapter but my focus is being the link between Admissions and the Colorado Chapter. I host Destination IU, the official send off for incoming freshmen from Colorado and their parents. I plan it for later in July so the students have just received their dorm assignments. It’s exciting for me to see them start to make connections. And let’s not leave out the parents. They have tons of questions. So besides our board that hosts with me, I invite a handful of current students or recent grads to come as well to help answer questions. It’s then amusing how many parents recognize each other at the airport when they’re all waiting for their students that first Thanksgiving.
Also as the Admissions link, I attend local recruitment events. IU has a special event for high school juniors and seniors at the Denver Zoo. Our Admission Directors come out for a variety of college fairs and visits to high schools. I try to help them by either attending myself or by recruiting others from our board to assist. It certainly shows that our Hoosier Nation has a presence in Colorado.
Tell me how you first got involved in working with IUAA. Hmmm I’m not exactly sure but I do have a couple stories. When my husband and I first came to Denver in the early 90’s, we went to some game watches. Back then to raise money for our scholarship recipients there was a raffle which you can’t do any more. I mailed in $200 for 200 $1 tickets. Not that I wouldn’t have, but I hadn’t told my husband yet when he was called and told there were too many stubs to return by mail. As you can imagine it made for interesting conversation. I did get some redemption though. I won a $25 restaurant gift certificate. But we also won two front row basketball tickets for an IU game along with airfare, lodging and a rental car. We had family in the area so we only used the airfare. We had just had our son, Sam (now 23 and also an IU grad). He was just 2 months old so there was a big Theil family party for all his relatives to meet him. This trip was a blessing because my mother-in-law had a heart attack just a few weeks later and we lost her. I am always so thankful that we won that alumni raffle.
When I did join the Denver Alumnae Board the first time (now called Colorado) I couldn’t attend the first meeting because I was in Mexico. That was exactly 20 years ago this month. Funny thing was two days after the meeting, I’m seated at a restaurant in Mexico when two couples are added to our table. The two men were originally from Indianapolis (also my hometown) and both IU grads. One of them was presently living in Denver. Of course I asked if he was involved in the local Alumnae group and to my surprise I was meeting Dennis Sputh, our board treasurer. Gotta love our Hoosier Nation -we’re everywhere!
What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the Alumni Association?
Hands down – it’s meeting the people.
What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering?
It’s good to have purpose. Something that you do that’s bigger than you. It makes me feel good to volunteer. And especially with IU, you get to meet some wonderful people.
Do you have a specific contribution or achievement in your work with your alumni board of which you are most proud?
I really do love my Destination IU event.