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Alumnus

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An alumnus (pl. alumni) according to the American Heritage Dictionary is “a male graduate or former student of a school, college, or university.” <ref>http://www.bartleby.com/61/57/A0235700.html</ref> In addition, an alumna (pl. alumnae) is “a woman graduate or former student of a school, college, or university.” <ref>http://www.bartleby.com/61/56/A0235600.html</ref>


Origin

In Latin grammar, nouns are constructed according to case, gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter), and number (singular or plural). The Latin word, “alumnus” thus has four forms in the nominative case: “alumnus” (masculine, singular), “alumna” (feminine, singular), “alumni” (masculine, plural), and “alumnae” (feminine, plural). <ref>http://www.geocities.com/email_theguy/newportweb/rlatin.htm</ref>, <ref>http://www.townonline.com/hingham/homepage/x333319934 </ref>


Usage

As indicated in the American Heritage Dictionary, an alumnus/alumna is either someone who has attended the school (or a “former student of a school”) or someone who has graduated from the school.<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/61/57/A0235700.html</ref><ref>http://www.bartleby.com/61/56/A0235600.html</ref> Furthermore, according to dictionary.reference.com and the United States Department of Education, the term alumnae is used either in conjunction with women’s colleges<ref>http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/PLLI/webreprt.html</ref> or a female group of students. The term alumni is used either in conjunction with men’s colleges, a male group of students, or a mixed group of students:

Traditionally, the masculine plural alumni has been used for groups composed of both sexes and is still widely so used: the alumni of Indiana University. Sometimes, to avoid any suggestion of sexism, both terms are used for mixed groups: the alumni/alumnae of Indiana University or the alumni and alumnae of Indiana University […] coeducational institutions usually use alumni for graduates of both sexes. But those who object to masculine forms in such cases may prefer the phrase alumni and alumnae or the form alumnae/i, which is the choice of many women’s colleges that have begun to admit men.<ref>http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alumni</ref>

The term is sometimes shortened to alum which stands for “an alumna or alumnus.”<ref>”alum.” Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1). Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. 1 December 2006. <Dictionary.com> http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alum</ref>

Alumni reunions are popular events at many institutions. They are usually organized by alumni associations and are often social occasions for fundraising.

Recently, the definition of “alumni” has expanded to include people who have departed from any kind of organization or program. As such, one can potentially be a “corporate alum” of XYZ Company, or an alum of a military branch, non-profit organization, fraternities and sororities, or training process.


Related terms

At most public schools, New Zealand schools, and a few universities in the UK, and to a lesser extent in Australia (who use the term “former student”) and Canada, the phrases old boy and old girl are traditionally used for former school pupils, and old member (or “alumni” in New Zealand) for former university students. At the Royal Military College of Canada, the phrases former cadet and member of the old brigade are traditionally used as are college numbers. Another example is the term old corps, in reference to alumni from the Virginia Military Institute.

Some will use a specific term clearly linked to the school name, such as Old Etonian or Old Silcoatian (alumni of Eton College and Silcoates School), or a more obscure one, such as Old Citizen and Old Gregorian for those of the City of London School and Downside School.

In Scotland, the term former pupil (FP) is also used, especially when referring to sports teams of a school. Some U.S. schools, most notably Texas A&M University, also prefer former student.


Footnotes

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See also

  • Alma mater
  • Old boy network
  • Alumni association


External Links

  • Alumni.net

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