Class of 2006 saluted

When senior Andrew Grover first visited IU, the Cleveland native knew immediately that the school was the only place for him. \n"I fell in love with the beauty, the culture and the limestone," Grover said. "It was my only choice."\nFour years later, the end is in sight for Grover. Thursday he joined hundreds of his fellow out-going seniors at the Student Alumni Association's annual Senior Salute. Seniors gathered to reminisce about their years at IU, score free tee-shirts and, of course, chow down on the free pizza, cookies and other goodies as they kicked off their final weekend as IU students. \nFor Grover, the end of college is bittersweet. The sports communication major will be leaving for North Carolina shortly after graduation to begin his new job broadcasting minor-league baseball. \n"I feel fulfilled because I accomplished everything I needed to accomplish in college," Grover said. "But leaving this beautiful place is going to be difficult." \nNot everyone is quite as confident about the future. Describing herself as "terrified," senior Jennifer Bissinger is unsure whether she is ready for the real world. Still, ready or not, after graduation she is off to either Indianapolis or Atlanta to begin a job in insurance sales.\n"I am not sure I'm ready to be an adult yet," Bissinger said.\nThe end of college brings mixed emotions for many, but senior Maggie Ronck has little time to slow down and worry. The theatre and drama major will be leaving the day after graduation to begin her new job in Colorado as the Central City Opera House assistant house manager. \n"I am excited and also a little scared," Ronck said. "I only had part of my life planned out, the rest is still up in the air." \nNext Saturday, Ronck expects to be "crazed," she said. Though she is excited about starting her new job, the prospect of saying goodbye to her friends and her home for the last four years leaves her a little sentimental. \n"I am ready to leave IU, but not my friends," Ronck said. \nStill, the end of college does not necessarily mean students must sever ties with the University. Senior Salute is jointly a final send-off for the seniors and a way of making them feel at home in the Alumni Center, said Kirk Walda, president of the Student Alumni Association. \n"Our ultimate goal is to introduce people to the Alumni Association," Walda said. "We want them to have a better grasp of how to stay connected with the University." \nStaying connected brings a number of benefits, Walda said. IU has the seventh-largest alumni association in the country, with almost 500,000 alumni. New career services can help students network with other IU graduates from across the country. And more importantly, he said, the Alumni Association is a way for people to stay in touch with the school. \n"People develop connections with the University after all their years here," Walda said. "The Alumni Association facilitates staying involved with the University. The more people that are connected, the more we can do together." \nGraduates are given a one-year complimentary membership to the Alumni Association, Walda said. After that, members must pay a small yearly membership fee or purchase a life membership. There is no question in Grover's mind, however, as to whether he will stay involved at IU. \n"I come from Cleveland, so Ohio State is all around," Grover said. "But I'm still a Hoosier"