Master of Science / Department of Journalism and Mass Communications / Robert C. Pearce / The K-State Alumni Association has the highest percentage of graduates in the Big 12 who are members of the association. As a result, there is a strong network of alumni spanning more than 150,000 living alumni internationally and throughout the United States. This project seeks to utilize the relationship management theory to review current marketing strategies and develop new strategies to increase retention rates of alumni to the association after their one free year of membership, a gift provided to undergraduate students by their perspective college. The focus of the relationship management theory is about building personal relationships, which is in line with the K-State Alumni Association’s mission statement, “Enhancing our Kansas State University family through lifelong involvement.” The recommendations were created to assist the efforts of the Alumni Association to continue to reach out to alumni to meet them where they are at by utilizing media and new programs.

Since its beginning well over a quarter of a century ago, the Vocational Agriculture program has become an integral part of the American school system. The legislative groundwork for Vocational Agriculture, as well as all other vocational programs, was set in 1917 with the passing of the Smith-Hughes Act. Further related legislation was passed in 1929 and 1934, but the program received its greatest federal boost with the passing of the George-Deen Act in 1936 and the George-Barden Act in 1946, both of which provided for the annual expenditure of federal funds in support of vocational education. The George-Barden Law, although it includes appropriations from the former bill, provides a total of approximately $29,000,000 for the support of vocational education. This is the maximum. allowance, however, am all of it will not be expended unless an actual need exists. With the $7,200,000 appropriated under the original Smith-Hughes Law, the total authorization available now reaches approximately $36,050,000 with agriculture being allocated $13,000,000 of this amount. This includes only the federal provisions. In agriculture alone the total expenditures from federal, state, and local sources increased from $21,293,343 in 1946 to $47,490,397 in 1953. (3, p. 10)