Alumni Oral History Project

Red Flash Stories:
A Saint Francis University Alumni Oral History Project

Project Update: You can now submit your Red Flash Story and verify your information online! While of course we would love to have everyone’s spoken story recorded, we understand that some feel more comfortable expressing themselves through written word.

To access your private online account, visit myupdate.publishingconcepts.com/sfu/ and enter your last name and your 8-digit personal ID number, which you’ll find on the postcards and emails you may have received about this project. Do not include hyphens when entering your ID number. If you do not have that personal ID number, please contact us at sfu-alumni-office@francis.edu and we will send it to you ASAP.

Whether spoken or typed, we appreciate you adding your Red Flash Story to our collection!
The Project
Saint Francis University will soon celebrate its 175th anniversary! As the oldest institution of Franciscan higher education in the country, that’s 175 years of new freshmen meeting lifelong friends, professors changing students’ lives in the classroom, couples going on that first date with their future spouse, and countless memories that alumni still talk about today.
To properly celebrate this milestone in 2022, we want to capture your Red Flash story and add it to the University’s history. To do just that, we are excited to announce the launch of Red Flash Stories: A Saint Francis University Oral History Project. All stories will be recorded via phone, and many will also be preserved in a book that celebrates the impact Saint Francis University has had on the lives of our alumni.
When Saint Francis University celebrates future anniversaries, our alumni will look back on these stories as they continue to celebrate our collective history. Make sure you are a part of this momentous project!
Have You Moved?
As part of this project, we are also taking the opportunity to help make it easier for you to stay connected to Saint Francis University. PCI will help us to collect updated contact information from those of you who may have moved and inadvertently lost touch with your alma mater.
Your Story
So what Red Flash Story will you tell?
• Did a special faculty or staff member have a profound impact on your life?
• Did you find your Red Flash spouse at Saint Francis?
• Can you trace your career path back to a defining moment at SFU?
• Have connections you made on campus turned into lifelong friendships?
• Were you in Loretto during a historical moment?
• Are you a legacy Red Flash, meaning there are other Red Flash in your family?
PCI Partnership
With our limited resources, we’d never be able to tackle a project like this. By partnering with PCI , we’re able to access their trained staff of people (not computer-automated messages) who are excited to listen to what you have to share. PCI will also help us collect and assemble the stories into the Red Flash Stories book that we can share with all members of our alumni family.
Please know that we have only shared your contact information with PCI in conjunction with this project; we have not sold your contact information or otherwise used it for outside marketing purposes nor, in accordance with our contract, can PCI distribute this information to outside parties. PCI has been a dedicated partner of Saint Francis University before, and we know how seriously they share our commitment to keeping your information private.
Do I have to buy something?
No. This project is being done at no cost to Saint Francis University. The project is completely funded by the alumni who choose to purchase the Red Flash Stories book that will be produced at the end of the project. The book is offered at $150.
PCI will also offer you the option to purchase other Saint Francis University-branded merchandise such as a hat, t-shirt, sweatshirt and a travel bag, all with a special 175^th anniversary logo. You are welcome to purchase these items, but you are not required to do so to (a) participate in the project or (b) order the Red Flash Stories book. Again, we’d never be able to embark on a project like this without the support of our amazing alumni and the partnership with PCI, so we thank every person that participates and chooses to purchase the book.

What’s next?
Soon you will be receiving email and postcard communications from the PCI team with instructions on how to participate. We’d like to invite you to share one of your stories with us, and take part in this first-of-its-kind project to honor the experiences and voices of our alumni. The PCI team will collect stories until Friday, June 25, 2021. After then, they will enter a post-production phase editing the data.
We look forward to hearing from you about your stories from your time at our beloved “alma mater among the pines.”
What to Look For
Below is an example of a postcard you will receive in the mail. This is an official postcard sent on behalf of the Saint Francis University Office of Alumni Engagement, distributed by our partner PCI. Once you receive the postcard, please follow the instructions to update your information and set up an interview time to share your Red Flash Story.

Below is an example of an email you will receive in your inbox. Once you receive the email, please follow the instructions to update your information and set up an interview time to share your Red Flash Story. If you do not receive it, please take this opportunity to call PCI at 1-866-647-6298 and update your contact information so we can stay connected.

Contact Information
If you have any other questions regarding the project, please reach out to PCI customer service desk at 1-800-982-1590 or the Office of Alumni Engagement at sfu-alumni-office@francis.edu or at 814-472-3015.
Frequently Asked Questions

I received an email/postcard/phone call from a company asking for my personal information and a story about my time at Saint Francis University. Is this a legitimate project, or is it a scam?
We have partnered with PCI (also known as Publishing Concepts) to produce an Oral History Publication for Saint Francis University. PCI is a company located in Dallas, TX that publishes directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities and military organizations across the nation. This project allows the University to hear about your personal SFU experiences and how they have shaped your lives.
Does Saint Francis University benefit from this at all?
Yes, in a few different ways:
Legacy: Preserves the oral history of our alma mater through collective alumni efforts.
Updated Information: Allows us to effectively communicate with and engage alumni.
How do I know my information will only be used for this specific purpose?
We have a contractual agreement with PCI that states:
The names, addresses and information provided to PCI by Saint Francis University for the publication of the Oral History Publication will be held confidential by PCI, except to the extent that they are utilized in, or in the preparation of, the Oral History Publication and except as required by court order or law.
The Oral History Publication will be made available only to alumni of Saint Francis University. Upon completion of the project, PCI will return to the University any and all electronic files that have been supplied by the University or produced by PCI in connection with the production of the Oral History Publication.
I would like to update my information and share a story. How may I do this?
If you have received a postcard or an email with a telephone number, you may call the number to speak with a dedicated representative for the Oral History Publication. The representative will verify all the information we have on file for you, make any updates where needed, then ask you to share your story about your time at Saint Francis University. Your story will be recorded, and the sound clip provided to the University at the conclusion of the project.
If you have received an email with an embedded link, you may go to the online site to review your information and submit a story. If you have questions, you may call PCI’s customer service desk at 1-800-982-1590.
I updated my information but need some more time to think about what story to tell.
You can call back at any time to share your story or schedule a call back with an agent.
I shared a story and the representative said I could send some photos. How do I do this?
You will receive an email with a link to upload up to two photos plus captions.
If you have also purchased a book but do not have an email address on file, you will be sent a photo mailer to send physical photos in to be printed (note: photos will be returned if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope).
I’d like to add/remove info from my story.
You will receive an email prior to publication with a link to review your transcribed story and make any edits.
If I share a story, do I have to provide a photo? If I want a photo included, do I have to share a story?
You may share as little or as much as you’d like. Some people only want to share a story while others only want to share a photo and caption.
Will my story definitely be in the book?
Depending on alumni response we may not be able to put every story into the book. However, every single story will be saved in an audio library for a complete oral history of the University, and PCI can offer a stylized transcription of your story for you to display.
Can anyone purchase a book?
The Red Flash Stories: A Saint Francis Oral History Project book is available for sale only to Saint Francis University alumni.
Can I choose some or all of my information not to be printed in the book?
When you call to update your information, you can tell the representative what information you prefer to have excluded. You may also communicate this information to the PCI customer service desk at 1-800-982-1590 or to the Office of Alumni Engagement at sfu-alumni-office@francis.edu or at 814-472-3015.
I ordered a book/package over the phone and would like to cancel my order. How do I do this?
Call the PCI customer service help desk at 1-800-982-1590 and they will take care of this for you.

Alumni Oral History Project

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