Dear President Kerwin,
I write to you as a very concerned alumnus. Little did I realize, when I innocently opened an e-mail from The Eagle that today would mark the day that I was completely humiliated by my university. The lead story on the “Wonk” campaign filled me with repulsion and dread. Please, as a concerned alumni, let me explain why I am so horrified by this public relations move.
Despite the song and dance in The Eagle, most of your students and alumni are embarrassed. They think the campaign is ridiculous. Frankly, the fact that AU thinks that any student wants to identify themselves as “Wonk” demonstrates how completely out of touch most of this university is with its students. This is a textbook example of a corporation and a “director of PR” sitting down and discussing, “what the kids like these days ... you know, with their iPods and their Playboxes?”
The “Wonk” campaign is not only out-of-touch but patronizing and useless. Are we now meant to change our name to the “AU Wonks”? Will this be the name of our sports teams? If it isn’t, what exactly is the point. Let me be very clear: as a prospective student, if a university sent me a pamphlet that had “AU Wonk!” emblazoned on the cover, I would immediately throw it away and eliminate it from consideration.
Mr. Kerwin, let me ask you honestly, man-to-man, if you would ever willingly wear a shirt that said “AU Wonk!” and not feel like a total idiot. I suspect the answer is a resounding “no” as it should be, because you seem like a rational human being.
Let me explain very clearly why I am so angry. This campaign makes my degree seem like I graduated from clown college. If an employer asks me, “hey, aren’t you guys called the wonks or something?” how am I possibly supposed to look them in the eye ever again?
I highly encourage you to cut your losses and end this campaign before it’s too late. It is not “hip.” It is not “viral.” It is only baffling.
Please rectify this mistake, before we are truly ashamed to say we graduated from AU—Home of the Wonks!
Yours, David Conison Director, La Rinascita
This letter was sent to The Eagle as well as to president@american.edu, ucm@american.edu and aumedia@american.edu.
