Spring Break
Morgan to lead NT Exes
Nicole Turner
Issue date: 8/2/07 Section: NEWS
Derrick Morgan has been selected to take the reins on as executive director of NT's alumni association, the North Texas Exes, effective Aug. 20.
Morgan comes to the university from San Jose State University in California, where he has been the executive director of the alumni association for the past two years.
Morgan earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from Texas Tech University in 1993. After graduation, he moved to Wichita, Kan. and worked for a baseball team but switched paths after receiving a mailer to join the Texas Tech alumni association.
"That's kind of how I got started," Morgan said. "I contacted the alumni association and started an alumni chapter in Wichita."
After starting the chapter, Morgan said he wanted to get more involved in alumni relations. In 1999, he applied and took a position for the Texas Tech alumni association in the Dallas/Fort Worth regional office. After two years in the area, Morgan was offered a better position and went to Lubbock to work in the main alumni office, where he would spend his next four years.
By the end of his time at the Texas Tech alumni association, Morgan had progressed through the organization and was the associate vice president for marketing and public relations. But he said he desired to be an executive director, so he moved to San Jose to do just that.
Morgan said he is now ready to move back to Texas and see what NT has to offer.
"I think San Jose State has been a good training ground for me to be an executive director at North Texas," Morgan said.
He said both San Jose State and NT have some similarities, including that they both started out as teacher colleges and the alumni base is roughly the same.
He said he was looking at different universities, and NT was on the top of his list.
"It's a great school," Morgan said. "It's a university on the move and there is a lot of good momentum taking place on the campus."
Steven Brodbeck, president-elect of the board of directors, said Morgan was clearly the best choice as a candidate for the executive director position. He said the board conducted a national search, which included about 40 applicants.
"We really wanted experience in a trained professional," Brodbeck said. "We got a lot of recommendations for Derrick. He understands what the alumni association needs to succeed, and he knows what the university needs from an alumni association."
He said once Morgan takes over, the alumni association will only improve.
"We will do nothing but continue to succeed in meeting our strategic business plan," Brodbeck said.
When Morgan starts as the new executive director, he said there are specific things on the agenda he will focus on.
"We've got a couple staff positions open we need to address," Morgan said.
He also wants to meet as many people as possible and jump right into communication with students and alumni.
Morgan comes to the university from San Jose State University in California, where he has been the executive director of the alumni association for the past two years.
Morgan earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from Texas Tech University in 1993. After graduation, he moved to Wichita, Kan. and worked for a baseball team but switched paths after receiving a mailer to join the Texas Tech alumni association.
"That's kind of how I got started," Morgan said. "I contacted the alumni association and started an alumni chapter in Wichita."
After starting the chapter, Morgan said he wanted to get more involved in alumni relations. In 1999, he applied and took a position for the Texas Tech alumni association in the Dallas/Fort Worth regional office. After two years in the area, Morgan was offered a better position and went to Lubbock to work in the main alumni office, where he would spend his next four years.
By the end of his time at the Texas Tech alumni association, Morgan had progressed through the organization and was the associate vice president for marketing and public relations. But he said he desired to be an executive director, so he moved to San Jose to do just that.
Morgan said he is now ready to move back to Texas and see what NT has to offer.
"I think San Jose State has been a good training ground for me to be an executive director at North Texas," Morgan said.
He said both San Jose State and NT have some similarities, including that they both started out as teacher colleges and the alumni base is roughly the same.
He said he was looking at different universities, and NT was on the top of his list.
"It's a great school," Morgan said. "It's a university on the move and there is a lot of good momentum taking place on the campus."
Steven Brodbeck, president-elect of the board of directors, said Morgan was clearly the best choice as a candidate for the executive director position. He said the board conducted a national search, which included about 40 applicants.
"We really wanted experience in a trained professional," Brodbeck said. "We got a lot of recommendations for Derrick. He understands what the alumni association needs to succeed, and he knows what the university needs from an alumni association."
He said once Morgan takes over, the alumni association will only improve.
"We will do nothing but continue to succeed in meeting our strategic business plan," Brodbeck said.
When Morgan starts as the new executive director, he said there are specific things on the agenda he will focus on.
"We've got a couple staff positions open we need to address," Morgan said.
He also wants to meet as many people as possible and jump right into communication with students and alumni.
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