The Lion's Roundtable (Guest: Amanda Hammonds and Sophia Salinas )
Download MP3Good day! This is Amber Narro on KSLUs nine point nine FM. I am here with my friends. I have got two friends from Alumni Services here that are going to talk to me today about Lion for Life Launch and I've got a surprise guest, a big surprise guest here, the new Interim Director of the Alumni Services, Amanda Hammonds. Welcome, Amanda.
Dr. Amber Narro:I'm so glad to have you. Hello.
Amanda Hammonds:Thank you for having me.
Dr. Amber Narro:Very good. I'm so glad that you're here. We're gonna put that mic right in front of you because we've had some sound issues this morning, you know? These things happen.
Amanda Hammonds:It's exactly, it's all good.
Dr. Amber Narro:Absolutely. We are recording from the iHub in the library. We are prerecording because if you're listening right now, today is the Lions for Life launch party. So, Sophia, Got my sweet Sophia here. She is with alumni service services as well.
Dr. Amber Narro:Lots of changes going on with you guys,
Sophia Salinas:Lots going on, but
Dr. Amber Narro:exciting So does Amanda make you nervous?
Sophia Salinas:No. She makes me excited.
Dr. Amber Narro:Okay. At
Amanda Hammonds:all. Do you want me to make you nervous? No. No, absolutely not. Feel like it's mutual.
Dr. Amber Narro:Very good. All right, so Amanda, you've been in your position about five minutes now yet?
Amanda Hammonds:Sure, two
Dr. Amber Narro:and a half minutes. Yeah, wonderful! So what are you what brings you to this position? You were in admissions for a little bit. You've moved over here.
Dr. Amber Narro:Obviously this is, you know, a move for you personally, but why Alumni Services?
Amanda Hammonds:So I've been working in admissions for about thirteen years and just I love making those connections with those students, helping them just connect to campus, each other, faculty, their programs, all of the things. That connection piece is so important. I get to do essentially the same thing in alumni, is just help the students connect to campus, then once they leave campus and graduate and do big and beautiful things, we want them to still feel connected. I I'm
Dr. Amber Narro:got the great opportunity to talk to Malayne Sharp, who is moving into development for us here at Southeastern, and she's excited about that. But I got the opportunity to talk to her last week about how she's moving into that role, and, you know, there was a big focus on making sure that young alumni were included in efforts here at Southeastern. What are some of the things? And I know you're just getting there, I'm asking you for your master plan, right? Just Let's got figure this out.
Dr. Amber Narro:How are we going to continue that excitement that has started driving some young alumni back to the University?
Amanda Hammonds:Absolutely. Well, hope that my ties with our admissions office, like the campus tour office and orientation, You know, I hope to continue, again, those connections with meeting students and families just right at the beginning, that admission point, even the recruitment point. I hope to be at all of our recruiting events as the Interim Alumni Director, just being there and reminding them that they are future alumni of Southeastern. And that connection starts very early, and that's part of it.
Dr. Amber Narro:For you, what keeps you connected here?
Amanda Hammonds:Oh my goodness, it's the people. The people that I get to work with, both faculty, staff, students that I get to see every day, just reminding me of why I do what I do.
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed, indeed. Sophie, so you got a new boss who, you know, this is your second, you started with Malane last year. You're a Southeastern alum as well. Yes. And you're coming Sophie Salinas.
Dr. Amber Narro:Sorry. I I don't think I said your last name in the very beginning of this. But Sophie's coming here with a new kind of look at things. What do you think you're going to be able to do to help Ms. Amanda move things I
Sophia Salinas:hope that I can just help guide just those, like, little questions like, what do we do this day? How do we handle this event?
Dr. Amber Narro:Okay.
Sophia Salinas:Also, be open to new ideas, and I hope that I'm just kind of another set of hands that can just help guide the way.
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed. Indeed. Amanda, today is if you're listening, we recorded previous to this, but if you're listening right now, today is Lion Launch, right? So tell me, I always say it wrong. What is the name of the event?
Dr. Amber Narro:Lion for Life Launch. Thank you. Yes. Thank you. So we're launching them off into and the we're inviting faculty and staff this for a small fee.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yes. For a
Sophia Salinas:discounted rate too for regular guests. So guests would be $25 graduates are free, and faculty and staff are $15
Dr. Amber Narro:Wonderful. And you also need volunteers for this event, yes?
Sophia Salinas:We do. We would love volunteers, always. Wonderful. Always looking for volunteers.
Dr. Amber Narro:Excellent. So what's the what can I expect for my $15? I mean, got to sell me on this.
Sophia Salinas:Yeah, absolutely. Do you want me to go? Yeah. So we'll have food trucks. We'll have drinks.
Sophia Salinas:This is where students will be able to come and pick up their mini diploma, which
Dr. Amber Narro:is always ahead. That is the thing. That is the thing.
Amanda Hammonds:It's precious. Yeah.
Dr. Amber Narro:And it's still lovely. I know where mine is. I have it. It's somewhere. I don't know where it is.
Dr. Amber Narro:I'm sorry. I got one way back when. I mean, we've been giving it
Amanda Hammonds:to one.
Dr. Amber Narro:Oh, okay. I'll take it.
Sophia Salinas:We'll have free gifts, but we'll also have a DJ there, games, just a place to hang out, celebrate the students. I mean, it's kind of their it's their send off, but it's also kind of their welcome party from alumni welcoming welcoming them into the community family.
Dr. Amber Narro:I like that thought of that. So is this for undergraduate and graduate, PhD, everybody?
Sophia Salinas:It is. Everybody that's Wonderful.
Dr. Amber Narro:So what kind of so what kind of food is there?
Sophia Salinas:So we will have food trucks. So it will be the boulevard,
Dr. Amber Narro:Okay.
Sophia Salinas:Pig and Smokin' Buddha.
Dr. Amber Narro:Love it.
Sophia Salinas:I think this year, we'll be doing the hot cocoa. Oh. Kind
Dr. Amber Narro:of the
Sophia Salinas:holiday spirit for the December grads.
Dr. Amber Narro:I'm not sad about that.
Amanda Hammonds:I know.
Dr. Amber Narro:That's fancy. Excited. Alright. Amanda, you're starting I remember when Moline started, and there's always something. Right?
Dr. Amber Narro:And, like, when when Faith went over to development, it was, like, immediately chef's evening. Now you're walking into this and it's immediately Lion for Life launch. Yes. I don't know why I get that deadly lethal Yeah, I guess. But you're walking into this event tomorrow.
Dr. Amber Narro:I mean, it's
Amanda Hammonds:I honestly love it. This is the best way that I learn. I learn by trying and observing as well, so I'm excited.
Dr. Amber Narro:And you're walking into, I think, you know, Melaine talked last week about following up Wendy Lauderdale and just kind of walking into a great staff. What's your feel right now? Because I know y'all got like a new AA over there and things are what are you feeling? Are these people okay, I
Amanda Hammonds:am so excited. I am just ready. Like I just, I'm already excited to work with Sophie and having Renee back on campus as our AA. I'm very, very excited. This is 2026.
Amanda Hammonds:I know 2025 was our centennial year, but again 2026 is our, you know, continuing It's another launching. Yeah, we're going
Dr. Amber Narro:to get What to 2020 I've been talking about this whole semester is that I feel like this is the fastest, slowest semester that has ever been Yes, known to definitely. Like, it was a fast semester because everything was happening, everything was happening, but it was like a slog getting through it because it was so much work and we all had to really kind of pull together to make it happen, which we did, obviously, and it worked out really well. But I think we're all kind of ready to see what that new normal looks like after the Centennial as Some of the things that we adopted during the Centennial that are just going to make us better every day going forward, how those things are going to stick around and how we're going to steward them into the next season of our programming here at Southeastern. So that's going to be a lot of fun for sure.
Amanda Hammonds:Absolutely.
Dr. Amber Narro:Are some of the things that you think that you're looking forward to especially in 2026?
Amanda Hammonds:Oh, honestly, for the first couple of months, I do want to just pick Sophia's brain about what it is, the different events that we have going on at the Alumni Center and really listen. Listen to our needs, listen to what our students want, and also our alumni, obviously, our alumni want. I want to get to know them even better.
Dr. Amber Narro:I think the advantage that you have in this position is that you have Sophie, right? And Sophie is working for you, you're her supervisor in Somerset, but she brings that continuity Absolutely. In And her position is super important to make sure that there's nothing dropping. You've been here for a couple years now, yeah? Exactly.
Dr. Amber Narro:Since January. So I feel like you've been here longer I than
Amanda Hammonds:know. Sometimes I do too.
Dr. Amber Narro:You're so well versed. Oh, wow.
Sophia Salinas:I hope so. It is nice that we do, like you said, the continuity. So a lot of our fall semester looks a lot like our spring. It's much busier, of course, with football season and tailgates and Golden grads and all those things. But there are quite a few events that it is the same every semester.
Sophia Salinas:Not the exact same. We wanna change things up and make things new, but there is that sense of continuity that I hope I can bring too.
Dr. Amber Narro:Indeed. Now for me, I to be able to kind of watch this from that outside view, but also being able to talk to y'all and know what's been going on, It has been so much fun watching the transition from alumni over into development with Faith and Malane moving into development and into those positions. And now the two of you growing in your areas and really seeing you kind of take on a new challenge as well. I know. And every time somebody leaves from something, we're like, Who's going do it?
Dr. Amber Narro:But we seem to just bring in who more are just embracing this mission. Here at Southeastern, I think the thing that really sticks no matter what, and if it doesn't stick, those people seem to move on, right? Sure. Is that we are a family, we care about each other, and we want to make sure that we grow each other and help each other be Yes. On this And Sophie, for you bringing in Amanda into this position and having that Amanda's spirit's awesome.
Dr. Amber Narro:You know, she comes in and she brings it wherever she is. I can already tell. It's a commitment to excellence and a commitment to growth and to embracing people around you. And I gotta imagine that that's been very comforting as Amanda's come in with Malayne moving into her new position, because I'm sure that was a little nerve wracking in the interim not knowing exactly what was Of gonna course.
Sophia Salinas:And it is. And people have asked me, like, how are you doing? Like, are you okay? And I'm like, it's been things happen. You get a new boss sometimes.
Sophia Salinas:And so Yeah. It's been so comforting to have Amanda, and now I'm just excited because I can just feel the energy. I think it's gonna be so great. And also, like, what Amanda touched on prior, a lot of what she was doing in admissions of what she's going to do here at alumni is very similar. You're just making connections.
Dr. Amber Narro:You're want to you're
Sophia Salinas:just applying those skills in a different way, but we all have the same end goal and it's to stay engaged, stay connected, show our love with the university, spread that love with others. So it has been so comforting to have her here, and I was at ease the second I knew who my new boss was.
Dr. Amber Narro:Absolutely. Amanda. Indeed. Amanda, tell us the details about what's going on today. And Sophie's going to fill in the blanks just in case because you're just getting here.
Dr. Amber Narro:So we're gonna this is a test. Okay. This is a test. How are we going to do?
Amanda Hammonds:So we're okay. First of all, it's going to it's going to be a great event because it's celebratory, is the theme, Yes, absolutely. So, Lion for Life launch is all about celebrating our graduates. Like, this is a huge deal. Yes.
Amanda Hammonds:This is huge. Huge milestone. So, it's 11AM to 2PM. Yes. It's at the Alumni Center.
Amanda Hammonds:Got it right so far? Yep.
Dr. Amber Narro:So far you got an A.
Amanda Hammonds:Okay, good. Students will check-in kind of behind the building almost. Correct. Make sure For freshmen you're working. Then, you know, we'll get you checked in.
Amanda Hammonds:Make sure your guests check-in as well, if you're faculty and staff, you will also have to check-in, and then we'll get you some tickets.
Dr. Amber Narro:And pay your bill.
Amanda Hammonds:Yeah, absolutely.
Dr. Amber Narro:So if you're faculty and staff, you got to pay that $15, so bring We'll
Sophia Salinas:your QR codes, we'll make it as easy on you as possible.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah, we like to take people's money for sure in alumni. We like to make sure that we have that we're supporting these events, So
Amanda Hammonds:we can do even more things. And then we'll have tickets for our graduates. Yes. And for guests as well. And we'll get you some wristbands and then you'll have tickets for the food at the food trucks and then also drinks.
Amanda Hammonds:And what else we got? Oh, have a the super?
Sophia Salinas:Yes. So you'll get a free gift from us. Mhmm. You'll also get a ticket for your desserts. It's a whole ticketed system.
Sophia Salinas:That way we can just keep track of what everybody's getting.
Dr. Amber Narro:But And know how much to get next time. Absolutely. For
Amanda Hammonds:sure. Yes. Oh, yeah. Certainly.
Dr. Amber Narro:Well, Amanda, I love that you are looking to Sophie for this because I think that that just speaks volumes for you coming into the space and respecting what she's going to bring to your new And position as also, please be reminded that, yes, we're going to charge people to come in for faculty and staff so that we can continue this programming, but it is about continuing programming for those young alumni, but also the people who have been here for a long time because we put programming into place. Everybody gets a free meal at every tailgate that we have here on campus, and that's all alumni. All you have to do is drop off your name, and that way they can keep in touch with you. We also do lots of programming throughout the year to celebrate alumni through chapter events and things like that. I'm looking forward, Amanda, I grabbed Amanda already, and I said, We're finally getting this Honors Chapter We're gonna do it.
Dr. Amber Narro:It's happening. Yes. There's continuity in place now with Malayne over at Development that we can reach out to her. We can reach out to you and make sure that this So that Honors Chapter is coming. Anytime you want chapters, that's something that's in Sophie's Lane, so she can definitely help you put those things together.
Dr. Amber Narro:And you've heard her. She's she's very she's She's very knowledgeable in this area already. We think she's been here forever, but she hasn't just since January.
Amanda Hammonds:Since January, yes.
Dr. Amber Narro:So glad to have y'all here today. I know y'all got to go and get ready for the Lion for Life launch. There we go, the LLL. So I appreciate y'all coming here today and sharing your time with us so that we can remind everybody about this awesome event. Thank you for being here.
Sophia Salinas:Thank you for having us. Thank you.
Dr. Amber Narro:Absolutely. I've been here talking to Amanda Hammonds, brand new. She is the Interim Director of Alumni Services here at South eastern, and Sophie Salinas, who is head of member services. Is that where?
Sophia Salinas:Assistant director.
Dr. Amber Narro:Assistant director. Okay. Okay. Fantastic. Sorry.
Dr. Amber Narro:Yeah. That's good. I gotta get y'all all right. Alright. Thank y'all for being here today.
Dr. Amber Narro:I appreciate you. And I'm Amber Narro here on KSLU's Roundtable. It's the Lions Roundtable that happens every Thursday and Friday at 9AM. Y'all have a great day.
