Definition

A graduate or former student of a particular school or university, technically referring to males (with alumna for females and alumni for groups). Used by institutions to identify people they'll now persistently contact for donations. Your alma mater's favorite term for "person who might give us money."

Example Usage

As a proud alumnus, he received monthly fundraising letters from the university, despite his student loans still being large enough to qualify as a small mortgage.

Source: Academic terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

Hail Mary pass

A student's desperate, last-minute attempt to salvage a failing grade through extra credit, elaborate excuses, or emotional appeals after ignoring the course all semester. Success rates mirror the football play's namesake—unlikely but occasionally miraculous.

🎓 Education / Academia
Advanced

ephphetha

To be open-minded and non-judgmental, extending your comfort zone to gain broader perspective. Derived from an Aramaic word meaning 'be opened,' it's essentially the fancy scholarly way to tell someone to chill and stop being so closed off. More syllables than 'open-minded' but sounds way more enlightened.

🎓 Education / Academia
Advanced

contingent faculty

The polite term for the academic underclass - adjuncts, lecturers, and non-tenure-track instructors who now teach the majority of college courses while receiving a fraction of the pay and zero job security. The gig economy, PhD edition.

🎓 Education / Academia
Beginner

course catalog

A thick document or website listing every class the university offers, complete with cryptic course codes and descriptions written by people who forgot what it's like to not already understand the subject. Equal parts wish list and false advertising.

🎓 Education / Academia
Advanced

academic tourism

The practice of scholars superficially dabbling in disciplines outside their expertise, often producing work that ignores decades of specialized scholarship. These intellectual tourists arrive with limited knowledge, make bold claims, and leave without engaging seriously with the field.

🎓 Education / Academia
Beginner

placement test

An exam determining which level course students should take, theoretically matching them to appropriate rigor but often condemning them to expensive remedial classes. The sorting hat of higher education, but less magical.

🎓 Education / Academia

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