Jay Rochlin Arizona Alumnus editor

He has made it his mission to remind UA alumni that they can never stray too far from "home."

For more than two decades, Jay Rochlin has been the steady voice behind the UA Alumni Association, where he serves as vice president for communications and editor of Arizona Alumnus magazine.

He will be retiring from his position on June 30, leaving behind a list of accomplishments in the university community.

"We want to let alumni know that they're part of this place for the rest of their lives," Rochlin said.

Rochlin said part of his job has been to bring the alumni point of view to the UA, and to promote alumni advocacy. He encourages former students to actively participate in the legislative process when decisions are being made about the future of the UA.

Rochlin said when he began his position in 1984, the Alumnus magazine was a mere tabloid with a circulation of 80,000.

Under Rochlin's leadership, the magazine adopted its current format, and the most recent issue was sent to some 190,000 alumni households.

He said he wrote a lot of the magazine pieces himself, and he also took many of the photographs.

But he said it is hard to single out just one as his "favorite."

"There have been lots of memorable stories," he said.

Rochlin said, for example, he had the opportunity to "scrub in" with Dr. Jack Copeland at University Medical Center as he prepared to perform a heart transplant.

Rochlin documented the entire procedure for the Alumnus.

He also said he has interviewed numerous professors throughout the UA about their research.

"There are so many teachers who do such good things here," Rochlin said.

In addition to the magazine, Rochlin was instrumental in keeping alumni connected in other ways, including email newsletters and the alumni bulletin board.

Rochlin also helped design the Alumni Association's website.

Beyond the Alumni Association, Rochlin has served on many committees throughout the university, including the Strategic Planning and Budget Advisory Committee.

He has been in the communications field in one capacity or another his entire adult life.

Rochlin grew up in Nogales, AZ, the grandson of Russian Jewish immigrants. There, he became interested in journalism and he landed a job at a local radio station during his senior year of high school.

After graduation, he attended Prescott College and Arizona State University while continuing to work at local radio stations.

He eventually transferred to the UA, where he earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1973.

He spent the next four years as a documentary producer at KGUN-TV in Tucson. He then joined the news department of KVOA where he served as an assignment editor.

After he assumed his duties at the Alumni Association in 1984, Rochlin completed two advanced degrees: an MBA and a Ph.D. in higher education.

His doctoral dissertation was even published as a book by the UA Press, titled Race and Class on Campus: Conversations with Ricardo's Daughter.

Rochlin said he has enjoyed being able to cover a wide variety of people and issues throughout his career.

"Journalists' interests are a mile wide and a quarter of an inch deep," he said.

Rochlin's colleagues said they are particularly impressed with Rochlin's intellectual curiosity, as well as his ability to generate good story ideas for the Alumnus.

"He has a nose for news," said Nancy Yaeli, vice president for college and constituent relations in the Alumni Association. She has worked with Rochlin since 1989.

Yaeli said Rochlin has managed to get "scoops" about UA alumni before any other media outlet.

Other colleagues said they have looked up to him as a mentor.

"I learned so much from Jay," said Ana Terrazas, director of communications for the College of Education.

Terrazas said she helped Rochlin edit the Alumnus for five years before assuming her current position.

She said Rochlin helped her learn about the intricacies of campus politics, as well as what constitutes a good story.

Terrazas said Rochlin's guidance has been an asset in terms of both her personal and professional development.

"I don't think I could be in this position without Jay," she said.

As for Rochlin's future, he will likely stay close to the UA campus.

He said he plans on pursuing independent writing projects and exploring opportunities for documentary photography.

Rochlin said there is also a possibility that he will teach an advanced photojournalism class in the journalism department during the fall semester.