Am I an "alumni"?
If you attended Pacific full-time for one or more years, you automatically qualify for membership in the 17,000-member Pacific University Alumni Association... but you are not an alumni.
We think that this business about the proper way to refer to college graduates is confusing, so we are providing this primer to help you navigate the corridors of archaic terminology.
A list of “alum” words and their meanings…
Alumnus : (singular) Male or unisex college graduate or former student.
Example: "See the alumnus standing there next to Boxer "
Alumna : (singular) Female college graduate or former student.
Example: "That alumna used to play for the basketball team. "
Alumni : (plural) Group of male or mixed-sex graduates/former students.
Example: "The alumni are returning for reunion weekend. "
Alumnae : (plural) Group of female graduates/former students.
Example: "All of those alumnae were members of the Student Alumni Relations Council. "
Alum : (unknown) An astringent, crystalline double sulfate of aluminum and potassium widely used in medicine, manufacturing, and the arts.
Example: "See the alum sitting there, with its opaque, metallic glare."
So now that you know...
If you don't have an opaque, metallic glare—or even if you do—read more about the benefits of being a Pacific alumnus!