From Grad to Staff
On May 23, Hippen, who graduated from Monmouth on May 15 with a degree in communication studies, started work at his alma mater as the assistant director of the Monmouth Fund. The fund supports scholarships, academic initiatives, student programming and other day-to-day needs. It also helps the College narrow the gap between the cost of tuition and the actual expense of educating a student.
“There’s a lot about relationships and talking to people,” said Hippen, when asked about the link between his studies at Monmouth and his first post-college job. “You learn about persuasion and other communication strategies.”
One of the first groups he’ll try to persuade are his peers from the Class of 2022.
“I think that since COVID, people have been a little hesitant to give, so I’m looking forward to figuring out different ways to connect with our different age groups of alumni,” he said. “One of those groups is recent grads, and since I’m in that group, too, I can come at it from their perspective. They might say, ‘I just graduated, why are you asking for gifts?’ We’re just trying to ask for engagement. If that’s monetary, fantastic. But if not, just keep us in mind.”
In addition to his academic major, Hippen gained valuable experience for his new position through his many cocurricular activities.
“I belonged to a lot of organizations on campus, and I got involved with fundraising for different philanthropies,” he said. “It felt good to do something to make a difference.”
Hippen said one philanthropy that stands out is his Phi Delta Theta fraternity’s LiveLikeLou Foundation, which is committed to making an impact on innovative research into Lou Gehrig’s disease – also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – while it supports the children of families affected by ALS.
“Monmouth College runs deep in my blood. When I saw an opportunity to apply for this position, it was a no-brainer. I’m super happy and excited for the opportunity.” – Troy Hippen
Hippen was also involved with the College radio station WPFS-FM, the Interfraternity Council and the COVID Testing Center, and he was a lead mentor for the First-Year Experience program. A Scot Ambassador for three of his years on campus, he also worked in the sports information department, sometimes using his communication studies skills to call Fighting Scots games.
“I figured if I couldn’t play, I could at least be involved in some aspect of athletics,” he said.
During his Commencement ceremony, Hippen received his diploma from his mother, College registrar Kristi Millar Hippen, a member of Monmouth’s Class of 1993. In the Class of 1992 was Hippen’s father, Jarrod Hippen. His older sister, Liz Hippen, is a 2018 graduate.
“Monmouth College runs deep in my blood,” said Hippen. “When I saw an opportunity to apply for this position, it was a no-brainer. I’m super happy and excited for the opportunity. I want to carry on the good work that Mac (Price) did, and I’m looking forward to learning from (development officers) Hannah (Maher) and Jen (Armstrong) and Gena (Alcorn) as they help me achieve the goals they have for me, the expectations that they have.”
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