Randy Carson
Helluva Engineer
- Messages
- 1,307
- Location
- Apex, NC
I don't want to beat this to death nor do I wish to offend anyone, but here's the thing:
Freshman year, my girlfriend went on academic probation after her first quarter. Flunked out her second. I think she sat out a quarter then gave it one last try. After that, she never went back.
Now, is she TECHNICALLY, by definition, an alumna? Yes. Do I think of her as a Tech alum? Just because daddy paid three quarters' worth of tuition for her?
I guess I'm both in the minority and in error. But words do have connotations, and it just doesn't seem right to call someone an alum - a title of honor, IMO - without going the distance and walking across that stage.
Freshman year, my girlfriend went on academic probation after her first quarter. Flunked out her second. I think she sat out a quarter then gave it one last try. After that, she never went back.
Now, is she TECHNICALLY, by definition, an alumna? Yes. Do I think of her as a Tech alum? Just because daddy paid three quarters' worth of tuition for her?
I guess I'm both in the minority and in error. But words do have connotations, and it just doesn't seem right to call someone an alum - a title of honor, IMO - without going the distance and walking across that stage.