Am I An Alumni?

No, you are not "an alumni." Why? Because you are an individual, not a group! This business regarding the proper way to refer to college graduates is confusing, so here is a primer to help you navigate the maze of archaic terminology.

Here is a list of "alum" words and their meanings...

• Alumnus: (singular) Male college graduate or former student.

"See the alumnus standing there, eating his sub sandwich."

• Alumna: (singular) Female college graduate or former student.

"See the alumna standing there, eating her sub sandwich."

• Alumni: (plural) Group of male or mixed-sex graduates/former students.

"See the alumni standing there, wearing their Finlandia sweatshirts."

• Alumnae: (plural) Group of female graduates/former students.

"See the alumnae standing there, wearing their Finlandia jackets."

• Alum: An astringent, crystalline double sulfate of aluminum and potassium widely used in medicine, manufacturing, and the arts.

"See the alum sitting there, with its opaque, metallic glare."

Now that you are familiar with the lingo, you should be able to find yourself somewhere on the above list. Of course, you are indeed considered an alumnus/alumna of Finlandia University (formerly Suomi College), if you graduated or attended for one year or more!