New Alumni Engagement Director Ready to ‘Connect People, Affect Change’

By Ryan Clark

CHS Communications Director

John Cruz is pretty sure he could be on Survivor. Or Amazing Race. Or maybe Big Brother.

So long as they don’t make him eat anything disgusting. 

But until those casting agents call, Cruz is satisfied to serve in his latest role for the University of Kentucky – alumni engagement director for the College of Health Sciences. 

Cruz, a 30-year-old Lexington native, is a two-time graduate of UK, and has spent the past 13 years working first in the College of Nursing, then UK’s School of Journalism, and finally in the Center for Interprofessional Community Health Education. He officially stepped into his new role in CHS on Oct. 9.

“Everyone in my family is in healthcare,” he said. “And I’d heard great things about the College of Health Sciences in particular. The growth, the success, the new programs. I heard about the new building. There’s a lot of reasons to be here.”

Cruz says he loves event planning, and loves to engage with others. 

“Event planning has always been my favorite part of every job I’ve had here at UK,” he said. “I thought that if I were going to change jobs, I wanted to do something I enjoy.”

Now he has the opportunity to take over an ever-growing population of alumni from a College that continues to add more students and disciplines. 

“I know how the alumni engagement world works,” he said. “People want to feel we remember them. I want people to know that we remember, and that their contributions to the college and their respective programs were noticed. I want to be the intermediary to connect people to affect change.”

Away from work — when he’s not watching one of his favorite reality competition shows — Cruz enjoys spending time at home with his partner and their Westie, Cooper, and growing vegetables in their garden. They’ve grown tomatoes, jalapeños, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini, among others.

“We just bought a house last year, which we’re still excited about,” he said. “And we renovated our kitchen. But I love spending time in the garden.”

Now he’s excited to join the CHS family.

“It felt like a place where I wanted to be,” he said. “After the first few days, I’m pretty sure I was right.”

Have a tip or an alumni question? Reach John Cruz at john.cruz@uky.edu.