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In the early 1960s, the university determined the need to stay in contact with alumni, and Kennedy was given 5,000 names hand-written on 3- by 5-inch cards, a typewriter and a room in Graff Main Hall.
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91-year-old Elenor Kennedy started the UW-La Crosse Alumni Association back in the 1960’s.
PETER THOMSON photo
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Kennedy later became the first executive director of the UW-L Alumni Association, serving under four presidents. She led the development of the alumni museum and organized the Student Alumni Relations Council. She collaborated on writing the magazine “Alumnus,” arranged reunions, award programs and social gatherings, traveled and kept in touch with alumni.
“She was a friend-builder rather than a funds-builder, and she considered herself that way, too,” said Darryle Clott, a member of the Alumni Board for 11 years during Kennedy’s time as director.
Everything Kennedy was involved with had an element of class, just like her, said Clott.
Kennedy, now 91, still has that class. Dressed in a stylish pant suit, she walks up her staircase where awards line the walls. One is her master’s of science in education degree from UW-L in 1976. Many came later at her retirement in 1988 and congratulate her on her years of service as alumni director from the UW-System Board of Regents, former Gov. Tommy Thompson and even President Ronald Reagan.
UW-L will hold a reception April 8 to honor Kennedy’s contributions to the university.
Kennedy has the awards to show for her years of service, but none tell the whole story — the story of how her husband died when she was 42, leaving her to care for her four children alone.
“I knew I would have to start a career for myself,” she said.
She went to Western Technical College, where she graduated with plans to become a clerk. However, the salary was too low to support all of her children.
She decided to go back to school for a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, which she earned in 1964 — the same year UW-L’s fourth president, Rexford S. Mitchell, created the Alumni Office and installed Kennedy to work there, first as secretary of the UW-L Alumni Association, then as coordinator of alumni affairs and finally as director.
She became the “driving force behind the creation of the association,” according to a Winter 2004-05 issue of Alumnus. One of the biggest challenges she faced was convincing former students to feel good about paying dues to their alma mater when the mentality was that, as a state-supported institution, UW-L shouldn’t need their money, she said.
Managing work, a family and college wasn’t easy, but it was the only thing she could do, she said.
The university provided the education she needed to do it. With that she overcame the challenges and had fun doing something she did well — building friends.
“I met many wonderful people,” she said. “We had wonderful alums, and I am sure we do now, too.”
In her 20 years of retirement, she maintains the scholarship established in her honor at her retirement, the Eleanor M. Kennedy scholarship for graduate students to be enrolled in the college student development and administration master’s degree program. In retirement, Kennedy also was on the committee that awarded the Maurice O. Graff Distinguished Alumnus Award at UW-L, and was a clerk of the vestry for 12 years at Christ Episcopal Church in La Crosse.
If You Go
WHAT: Special reception honoring Eleanor Kennedy’s contributions to UW-L.
WHERE: Cleary Alumni & Friends Center at UW-L.
WHEN: 4 to 6 p.m., April 8; program begins at 4:30 p.m. RSVP by Wednesday to (608) 785-8490. Bring stories about Eleanor.
KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.
