CAAE Member Spotlight, September-October 2022

Name: Jennifer Bowie, Interim Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations and Executive Director, The Ohio University Alumni Association; Chief of Staff, Advancement

Institution: Ohio University

Q: Are you new to alumni relations, new to your institution, neither, or both?

A: Neither. My first job in Advancement at OHIO was as the acting assistant director of alumni communication in 1998 while I was working on my master's degree. I'm a two-time Ohio University grad (BSJ '94, MSC '99). I joined the University's Advancement team as a major gift officer in 1999 and have been in the division ever since. My work has taken me from major giving to annual giving, to advancement marketing and communications, to chief of staff for Advancement, and now full circle back around to Alumni Relations.

Q: Best perk of the job so far?

A: The best perk of this job is working alongside an amazing, dedicated team of alumni relations professionals and tremendous volunteers. I've received so many emails, notes, social media shout-outs, handshakes, and hugs — it's been both humbling and encouraging to receive these words and acts of support from OHIO's alumni and friends and my university colleagues.

Q: Biggest challenge so far?

A: Trying to find more of the "right color green" clothes to wear to alumni and university functions. The struggle is real. On the more serious side, working to understand roles and responsibilities, workload and capacity, vision and promise, and beginning to champion this important alumni work within our Advancement division and across our university.

Q: If you needed to, could you sing your school’s fight song and/or alma mater?

A: Oh, yes. Both. I marched in Ohio University's Marching 110 for four years and had to memorize both "Stand Up and Cheer" and "Alma Mater Ohio" on my first night of band camp in the fall of 1990. Suffice it to say that things wouldn't have gone well for me on day two if I couldn't have sung them both... ahem. 

Q: What would it surprise people to know about you?

A: I love sewing projects and have made a number of 18^th century ensembles complete with shifts and stays, as well as my very own Jedi robes. I blame Outlander and Star Wars.

Q: Who would be your dream dinner guests?

A: It's been so long since I've had dinner guests... Right now, in this moment, I've got to say my entire extended family, all in one room enjoying a homecooked meal and conversation. I totally took those chaotic Thanksgivings of 2019 and before for granted. 

Q: When I’m not on the job, you’ll find me ...?

A: Baking all the things; cooking dinner (especially for weekly visits from my daughter and her fiancé); moving percussion pit instruments and volunteering for the Athens Marching Green and Gold, of which my two sons are members; playing games; reading; running; or practicing yoga.