Jeffery W. Johnson, the new executive director of the Iowa State Alumni Association, is excited about making the transition to Iowa State.

Jim Hopson, executive director of the Alumni Association since 1979, retired from the position in June.

Johnson currently is vice president and associate chancellor of alumni relations and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He will arrive at ISU in September.

Johnson’s goals for the Alumni Association focus on involvement by the student body.

“The student body needs to understand that the Alumni Association will help them to make connections after graduation,” he said.

Johnson said the association will be creating a student leadership panel designed to educate students and listen to their needs.

He said he wants students to know what the Alumni Association is and how it can help students.

The executive director of the Alumni Association oversees programming, events and communication, strategic planning and budgeting.

The position also coordinates relationships with the university faculty and individual college alumni representatives.

“I want the association to be ran in a very professional manner so the people can stay connected with the university. Now Iowa State’s alumni is worldwide,” Johnson said.

He also wants to “build a greater sense of unity for all of us affiliated with the university.”

Johnson earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Southern Mississippi.

He also has been with the Kansas University Alumni Association, University of Kansas, Lawrence, for several years. He has served as director of the external affairs and membership development at Kansas from 1993 to 1996.