Sep. 01, 2022
"Sound Off! The Story of Fork Union Military Academy" Fork Union Military Academy was founded in October, 1898. Next year, October of 2023, will mark the 125th Anniversary of the school's founding. For this very special occasion, FUMA is producing a very special book entitled "Sound Off! The Story of Fork Union Military Academy." This […]...
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"Sound Off! The Story of Fork Union Military Academy"

Fork Union Military Academy was founded in October, 1898. Next year, October of 2023, will mark the 125th Anniversary of the school's founding. For this very special occasion, FUMA is producing a very special book entitled "Sound Off! The Story of Fork Union Military Academy." This book will be a history of the school, as well as an "oral history" full of stories and memories from the school's alumni.

Fork Union has partnered with a company named Publishing Concepts (PCI) in Dallas, Texas, to produce this publication, and our alumni will begin receiving postcards and emails from PCI requesting their participation in the project.

PCI will, of course, offer a range of products that alumni may choose to purchase, including wearing apparel celebrating Fork Union and other such products. Alumni may choose to purchase only the book, or choose to purchase nothing at all but still participate in sharing memories for possible inclusion in the oral history.

The below FAQ will help answer most of the questions alumni might have about this special publication project. If you have any questions not addressed below, please email Mrs. Kate Goad in our Advancement Office at .


Frequently Asked Questions

I received an email/postcard/phone call asking for my personal information and a story about Fork Union Military Academy. Tell me more about the project.

Fork Union Military Academy has partnered with a company named Publishing Concepts, or PCI, to produce a very special book for the Academy's 125th Anniversary celebration in 2023-2024 which we are calling "Sound Off! The Story of Fork Union Military Academy." This book will be a history of the school, as well as an "oral history" full of stories and memories from our alumni. We are very excited about this project and hope all of our alumni will enjoy this upcoming special publication.

The company we are working with on this project, PCI, is a family owned business based in Dallas, TX. They have published directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities, and military organizations across the nation for over 100 years and Fork Union has worked with them in past years in producing our alumni directories. It has been quite a while since we last engaged them to update our alumni contact information, and this project will both give us an opportunity to update our alumni records with current contact information and allow all of us to enjoy our alumni's memories of Fork Union Military Academy and how these Academy experiences have helped shape our alumni's lives since then.

Here is a short video that explains what PCI does, how it benefits schools and organizations like Fork Union, and how it benefits our alumni:

https://www.canva.com/design/DAFEbsOv_Xs/watch

Does the Academy benefit from this at all?

Yes, this project helps Fork Union Military Academy in several ways:

  • Updated Information — having a up-to-date alumni contact information allows us to effectively communicate with and engage alumni
  • Legacy — sharing and collecting stories from our alumni helps preserve the history of our Academy
  • Revenue — proceeds from sales of the history book, as well as other products PCI will offer for sale, will help support the Academy, as FUMA receives a percentage of all sales.

Do I have to buy something to participate?

No, you do not need to buy the book or any other products PCI might offer you. You can still share your stories and update your contact information. Just doing that by itself will help us here at FUMA. PCI will be offering a variety of products to you for purchase, but you don't have to buy anything at all. Or you can just buy the book by itself and enjoy the photographs, history, and stories from fellow alumni. If you do purchase any products from PCI, a portion of the proceeds will help support the Academy.

What kinds of stories do you want alumni to tell?

We'd love to hear YOUR story...how did you come to attend Fork Union Military Academy? What did your Fork Union experience teach you? What lessons did you learn at FUMA that have helped you later in your life? Do you teach your own children any lessons you learned at FUMA?

You can celebrate your roommates and friends, tell some funny stories of your shared adventures at Fork Union. Do you still keep up with friends you met at Fork Union?

Did any special teachers or coaches have a positive impact on you? Who were some of the memorable characters in your FUMA story? Who are some of the key people who made Fork Union Military Academy what it was during your time as a cadet, and who made a difference in your life in some way?

We would love to hear meaningful stories, funny stories, positive, uplifting stories.

How do I know my personal information will only be used for this publication's purposes?

Fork Union Military Academy has signed a very strict agreement with PCI and PCI has committed to protecting your information. The names, addresses and information provided to PCI for the publication of our alumni directory incorporated within this publication, "Sound Off! The Story of Fork Union Military Academy," will be held confidential by PCI under our agreement, and only used in the preparation of this publication, except as otherwise may be required by court order or law. Upon completion of the project, PCI will redact all Personal Identifiable Information (PII) from any and all electronic files produced by PCI in connection with the production of this publication.

I would like to verify or 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 project. The representative will verify all the information we have on file for you, make any updates where needed, and then ask you to share your story about your time at Fork Union. Your story will be recorded and the audio sound clip will be provided to the Academy 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.

Can I choose what information prints in the publication?

The only information that is included in the publication is your name and class year, along with your story and photo. No contact information is printed. When you call to update your contact information, it will only be used to update your alumni record for the Academy.

You may revoke consent for your story and/or photo to appear any time before the end of the updating phase by contacting PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 / .

PCI and Fork Union Military Academy will determine which stories and parts of stories will be woven together into this special publication to help tell the story of Fork Union Military Academy as seen through the eyes of our alumni.

I updated my information but need some more time to think about what experience to share.

You can call back at any time before the end of the updating phase to share your story.

I shared a story and the representative said I could send a photo. How do I do this?

You will receive an email with a link to upload one photo (black and white or color) plus a caption.

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 a physical photo in to be printed (note: the photo will be returned if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope).

Can anyone purchase a book?

The Fork Union Military Academy Oral History Publication is available for sale only to Fork Union alumni.

I ordered a book / package over the phone and would like to cancel my order. How do I do this?

Contact PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 and they will take care of this for you.

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