The mission of Southeastern Louisiana University's Alumni Association is: To preserve the bonds of friendship existing among Southeastern Louisiana University's former students. To foster, preserve, and perpetuate the University's ideals and traditions so as to enhance its prestige as an institution of learning. To establish strong ties between the University and its former students in order to promote its educational and physical growth. The Southeastern Alumni Association was formed May 27, 1927 with $1,367.75 in the bank and May Addison serving as the first president. The organization was later incorporated on December 5, 1948. At that time there were 4,798 members plus 86 deceased members. Today, Southeastern has over 65,000 graduates. The Alumni Association office originally was located in the Hill House at 611 N. Pine Street and remained there until 1994, when the organization raised private funds to build the current Alumni Center at 500 University Avenue. Throughout the years, the Alumni Association has provided various scholarships, including a $230,000 endowment for student scholarships, $50,000 in Hurricane Katrina scholarships for Southeastern students, and an endowed scholarship for Fanfare. The Alumni Association also funded its first professorship, which is awarded to Dr. Sanichiro Yoshida, who registered the first patent for Sotheastern. Today, the Alumni Association hosts numerous events for alumni to reunite throughout the year. As Alumni return to campus, they can visit Alumni Field, which the Association helped build and named accordingly to commemorate all Southeastern Alumni.