True Tigers dine with MU alumni
Graduates, faculty and staff host home-cooked dinners for students.
Published Feb. 27, 2009
On March 10 and 11, students will be breaking bread with faculty, staff and alumni as part of Dinner with 12 Tigers, an event sponsored by the Alumni Association Student Board.
The student branch of the Alumni Association, True Tigers, will be joining other members of the MU community and graduates at dinners hosted in Columbia homes. True Tigers additionally sponsor football road trips, basketball watch parties and other events aimed at promoting school spirit within its ranks.
True Tigers are also the largest student organization on campus, having anywhere from 4,200 to 5,500 members annually, True Tigers vice president Alex Ruppenthal said. Ruppenthal is a former member of The Maneater staff.
Gayle Johnson, Columbia resident and wife of MU graduate Donald Johnson, will be hosting her third True Tigers dinner. Johnson, who will be serving turkey breast with mashed potatoes and gravy, said events like this are important for all those involved.
"We just feel it's a good way for students to get acquainted with alums, and alums to get acquainted with students," she said.
Ruppenthal said this is a useful event for social networking on campus.
"I think it's a unique opportunity because it's not always that easy to connect with people that went to school here, or even faculty or staff," Ruppenthal said. "It gives people within the Mizzou community a chance to get together, who ordinarily wouldn't meet."
The event puts together six students and six faculty, staff and graduates who will share a home-cooked meal.
"It's meant to be a really laid back experience and to help people from the Mizzou community to get to know each other and maybe network a little bit," Ruppenthal said.
The event is slated to have 10 hosts, but Ruppenthal said there are more students than hosts at this time.
Ruppenthal is working to sign up more hosts so that all parties will be able to participate.