Brandy Cox, a University of Arkansas graduate who grew up in Hot Springs Village, was named associate vice chancellor for alumni and executive director of the Arkansas Alumni Association, starting April 21. Cox previously worked in alumni relations and development at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville and most recently as the senior director of university programs for the OSU Foundation at Oklahoma State University.
Cox earned her bachelor’s degree in radio, TV and film from the University of the Ozarks and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas. She has worked as the Arkansas director of communications for the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign, as a district executive for the Boy Scouts of America, as director of development and director of alumni relations at the University of the Ozarks before taking her position at Oklahoma State.
As a native Arkansan and U of A alumna, what does it mean to you to lead the Arkansas Alumni Association?
It’s a very personal honor to come back. I feel very blessed to be here to lead our alumni association having previously been a student. I am looking forward to reaching out to alumni across the state and beyond who have a bond to our university. I want to understand the needs of alumni and put that toward increasing alumni engagement.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the Arkansas Alumni Association today?
I don’t see things as challenges. We have an opportunity to be more valuable to our alumni. The alumni association should be a welcoming place where our alumni feel like they are coming home. We are seeking to provide better connections to the campus for our alumni and hope they feel like a part of the You of A for life. The key element is the value we provide through those opportunities.
Where do you see the Arkansas Alumni Association in five years?
I envision the alumni association getting stronger and more relevant to our alumni. You can already see that through the programs we do, such as Career Hogs and Razorbacks Worldwide. We will continue to build relationships and grow programs relative to the changing lives and dynamics of our alumni.
How can your leadership help the alumni association fulfill the mission of connecting and serving the University of Arkansas family?
I have always felt that my job, in whatever capacity, is to be a servant leader. I want to listen to the needs of our team at the alumni association, our alumni and our campus community and to understand how we can be of service. If we aren’t listening to their needs, we won’t know how to be relevant.
The fund-raising component of the executive director position is new. What role do you see fund-raising playing in your job?
Because of my background in alumni relations and then development, I understand engagement. People give to things they are passionate about and believe in. If we provide times to engage in those, it benefits the individual and the good they can do for our students. That’s why I’m in higher education – the students. It increases the value of our degrees and the level of our recognition and acknowledgement of the university. Fund-raising ultimately comes hand-in-hand with the work we do. We’re here to welcome all of our alumni home.
