A leader with extensive experience in the nation's largest alumni program has joined the University of New Hampshire as executive director of the Alumni Association. Ernie Gale, director of volunteer management and global outreach and the former director of alumni programs for the Penn State Alumni Association, oversees UNH's outreach programs for its more than 90,000 alumni, 39,000 of whom live in New Hampshire.

A graduate of Penn State, Gale has managed alumni programs for that university's more than 400,000 alumni for the last eight years. He has coordinated the activities of the university's 180 alumni chapters and 28 college and constituency groups, managing 20 staff members and 2,000 volunteers. He has also supervised a variety of Penn State's other alumni programs such as career services, continuing and distance education, reunions and homecomings.

UNH President Joan Leitzel is confident about the new executive director's ability to strengthen relations with one of the University's most important constituencies--its alumni. "The commitment of our alumni and their involvement in the life of the University of New Hampshire are extremely important to the university's future," she says. "Ernie Gale's rich experience at Penn State in the area of alumni program development guarantees a very active alumni association at UNH under his leadership. We feel very fortunate to have attracted him to this position. "

The University's academic reputation, the quality of life in southeastern New Hampshire, and the challenge of taking the UNH Alumni Association to the next level of success are what first attracted Gale to the position in New Hampshire. President Leitzel's vision for the University and the role she sees for its alumni also influenced his decision to come here.

"I see my role as a facilitator to focus the energies of the Alumni Association's volunteer leadership and its staff in helping the university move ahead. Alumni are the most dependable resource for any university, " explains Gale. "At Penn State we have been on the cutting edge in developing innovative programs and services to meet the needs of alumni, to connect them with one another and to their alma mater. I'm anxious to share these concepts with my new colleagues at UNH."

President of the UNH Alumni Association's Board of Directors Edwinna Vanderzanden '80 says Gale possesses a broad understanding of the challenges the University faces in establishing and maintaining connections with an alumni population that is increasingly pressed by the demands of family, career and community. "We look forward to applying his enthusiasm and energy to leading the alumni to become the enormous force for good for the university and alumni that we know it can be," she says.

Gale is optimistic about the opportunity to build on the University's successes. "Two of the most important factors that contribute to a strong alumni relations program are tradition of the institution and the loyalty of the alumni. At UNH I see both these factors in great abundance, " he says. "UNH is fortunate to have a very dedicated alumni body which will be a definite asset in the institution's quest to become a preeminent public research university."

Homecoming 1998 will highlight the theme "Reach for the Stars." The weekend's events will include a halftime ceremony honoring the four UNH alumni who won Olympic gold medals as members of the 1998 U.S. women's ice hockey team.

Festivities will begin on Friday, Oct. 9 with a Reserve Officer Training Corps golf tournament at Province Lake, Wakefield, N.H.. That evening, a pep rally, band concert and fireworks display will be held at Cowell Stadium.

Saturday's events will include an open house at the newly renovated Dimond Library, alumni receptions for civil engineering department and Whittemore School alumni, an alumni barbecue with reunions for the Classes of '73, '78, '83, '88 and '93, tailgating in Upper and Boulder fields, and a non-alcoholic Homecoming Festival in Lot A. The Wildcats football team will play Richmond starting at 12:30 p.m., followed by an alumni reception at the Elliott Alumni Center.

A hockey clinic with members of the 1997-98 national championship Wildcat women's ice hockey team and Olympic women's ice hockey gold medalists will be held at the Whittemore Center at 4:30 p.m. At 8 p.m., the UNH men's ice hockey team will play an exhibition game against Concordia. On Sunday, Oct. 11, the UNH Sailing Club will hold its annual alumni/parent regatta at Mendum's Pond.

For barbecue tickets, or more information, call the Alumni Office at (603) 862-2040.

For the University of New Hampshire Foundation, 1998 was a year of records. Record reunion giving. A record seven-figure gift. A record year for overall gifts.

Private support for the University soared to a record $17.74 million this past fiscal year, more than double last year's total gifts of $7.96 million. The previous record of $16.4 million was set in 1993 1994.

For the University the Foundation serves, these gifts mean increased opportunities for students, expansion of some of UNH's finest programs, and enhancement of the University's public service.

"This remarkable outpouring of generosity is an endorsement of our students and faculty and reflects a deep understanding of the quality of the University," says Young P. Dawkins, president of the UNH Foundation. "As UNH begins to seriously look at a major capital campaign, a year like this gives us all great confidence."

The number of donors also increased to 17,124--up 8 percent over last year. More than 11,100 alumni led the way, contributing a combined total of $13.5 million. Parents of current students continue to demonstrate their belief in the value of a UNH education; more than 3,500 parents made gifts to the University above and beyond their tuition payments.

The University also received the largest gift in its history--a pledge of $10 million for the Marine Program, $3.5 million of which is included in this year's total. That gift, from Leslie Hubbard of Walpole '27, will enable the University to dramatically expand its programs in the marine sciences, according to President Joan R. Leitzel.

"Gifts like Mr. Hubbard's position the university to take full advantage of exciting new areas of research," Leitzel says. "This is the true value of private support at the university; these donations act as a catalyst to move our programs to higher and higher levels of excellence."

Hubbard also donated $2.3 million to create the Iola Hubbard Climate Change Endowment. The endowment , in honor of Hubbard's late wife, will fund studies of the effects of civilization on climate and will provide seed money to explore New England's climate and air quality.