After nine years as Saint Joseph’s women’s soccer coach, Michael Bolanz ’00 has been named the College’s new Director of Alumni Relations. Although having an office in Xavier Hall is something Bolanz never envisioned when he was a student, he says, “It’s something that I felt I was prepared for after my education at Saint Joseph’s. I came out of every class having learned so much about myself and about life. I’ve always had a passion for Saint Joseph’s… I just love being a part of it.”
It is with this enthusiasm for the College that Bolanz, who started in his new role in December, sees to it that alumni “continue to get a fantastic value from a Saint Joseph’s College education well beyond their graduation day,” he says. This includes “strengthening outreach programs as well as providing tangible benefits to alumni and current students. We will always be here for them and we will follow through on that promise.”
From calling shots on the field to placing calls from Xavier, Bolanz will utilize his years of team leadership experience to be a creative and driving force for alumni relations. “As a coach,” he says, “you always have to change the way you present a message to the team by finding new and innovative ways to communicate.” And, as the number of alumni Bolanz works with grows to over 13,000, he will draw from that skill and others to continue making lifelong connections between alumni and the College.
Luckily for Bolanz, he understands firsthand the significance of being a graduate of the College. “Saint Joseph’s alumni have grown up in a community of the Mercy tradition,” he says. “This is a tradition alumni take pride in and keep with them well past their time here as a student. That’s what makes Saint Joseph’s alumni stand out.”
