Style Guide - Alumni Rules

UC Style Guide

Alumni References

Which Form To Use

When referring to alumni of Utica College, there are:

• four spellings, and
• five situations

...to deal with. Here is how it works:

Form/Spelling Use...	Situation ...when referring to:
alumna	feminine, singular
alumnae	feminine, plural (rhymes with "she")
alumnus	masculine, singular
alumni	masculine, plural
alumni	both masculine and feminine, plural

Note: Never use the abbreviation "alum" in formal writing.

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Class Year

Always identify current students and alumni by their class years. This designation is set off with an apostrophe before the numerals, but no commas before or after.

• Judith B. Gorman '64 is an alumna of Utica College.
• James Franklin '07 is a biology major.

(Note: If you are using a program or a font that employs "smart" quotes, be sure to employ a single "end" quote for the apostrophe, not a "start" quote.) 

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Multiple UC Bachelor's Degrees

If an alumna/us has earned multiple bachelor's degrees at UC, use the following convention:

• Andrea Fumilia '86, '92 is now a senior school administrator.
  

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Graduate, Medical, Professional, and Honorary Degrees

UC has special rules for identification of alumni with professional or advanced degrees:

Rule One -- When referring to an alumnus/a who has earned a medical, doctoral, or other advanced degree at another institution, instead of using the title "Doctor" preceding the name, place the degree designation after the alumnus/a's UC class year:

• Julie Mulder '80, Ph.D. is a specialist in biochemistry.
• Frank P. Smith '56, M.D. is planning to attend Homecoming.
• NOT: Doctor Frank P. Smith '56
  (This implies the year is in reference to his M.D. when it refers to his UC bachelor's degree.)

Treat professional degrees in the same manner:

• Annamaria Chavez '96, C.P.A. is now head of an accounting firm.

Rule Two -- If an alumnus/a has earned both his/her bachelor's and graduate degrees at UC, use the following convention:

• Christine Ominski '92, G'02 has opened a physical therapy practice.
  (UC graduate degree year is preceded by a "G".)

Rule Three -- In the case of an honorary degree from Utica College, use the same convention, placing an "H" before the graduate degree year:

• Congressman Sherwood Boehlert '61, H'94 is planning a campus visit.

 


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