Meet Alex Tapnio!
Alex is the co-president of the Metro NY chapter of the IU Alumni Association and graduated from IUB with a double major in Biology and Art History. He first became involved with IUAA when he connected with Wes Erwin at an alumni affairs conference, who asked if he wanted to get involved with IUAA in NYC. Since then, Alex has been attending alumni events in NYC for Admitted Students Day, the College of Arts and Sciences, IU Broadway, President McRobbie NYC visits and many more IU gatherings.
Alex is from Kokomo, Indiana, and is a part of a big IU family where his two brothers and nephew have all attended and graduated from Indiana University. He is thankful for his IU education for opening many career doors and credits the IU Art Museum as his original inspiration to work in the visual arts field. Throughout his career, he has worked and volunteered at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the U.S. National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and the Museum of Modern Art.
Alex says that his favorite part of being an IUAA volunteer leader is having the opportunity to connect with fellow Hoosiers “away from home.” His specialty is producing events to connect alumni to each other, to students, and to the University, “When we all get together, we’re able to reminisce about our time at IU and also talk about how we can work together here and now.” However, Alex does not just enjoy connecting with alumni, he also wants to help IU students and assist those who are looking for mentors or summer internships in NYC. A couple of weeks ago, Alex helped host an event for 50 IU Kokomo students traveling to NYC to experience the big city, make connections with alumni, visit various businesses and get career advice. What a great way for students to learn more about the city and get their foot in the door of their prospective careers! Photographs have been shared on the IUAA Kokomo Region Facebook page.
Alex emphasized that by giving back to IU, whether through donations for scholarships, mentoring students, producing IU networking events and even cheering on Hoosiers at a game watch; alumni are able to connect to their alma mater in very meaningful ways. He encourages potential volunteers to think about how they want to help out because there is always room at the table for all levels of interests and skills sets, “We’re open to all enthusiastic Hoosiers looking to make an impact in our communities.”
Alex has been a part of the leadership committee for the IUAA NY Metro chapter for 4 months and he has already produced three major networking events. He hosted Hoosier Pride in NYC this last June coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. In October, the Chapter hosted an event sponsored by IU Kokomo where 50 students traveled to NYC to experience the big city. In April, Alex and the Chapter will be experiencing the best of the New York Philharmonic with violin virtuoso and Hoosier alum Josh Bell, “I am proud to work with the IUAA Metro NY Chapter to create these opportunities to connect back with IU.”
IUAA wants to thank you, Alex, for all of your hard work and dedication to Indiana University and the Alumni Association. We are honored to have someone like you on our volunteer team and we can’t wait to see what you will do next.