On June 9, 2025, SWAGƵwill deactivate alumni email addresses. We know that many of our alumni may have questions about what this means for them and have tried to anticipate the questions you may have about the process.
If you have any questions that are not answered here, please contact Tim Patterson (tpatterson@vcom.edu) in our IT division. Other alumni may have the same question. Communicating your questions to Tim will enable us to answer them for others as well. We will update this FAQ accordingly.
What does “deactivating” alumni email addresses mean?
Beginning on June 10, 2025, SWAGƵalumni will no longer be able to use their vcom.edu email address or access any emails that may exist in that account. SWAGƵstaff will also be unable to retrieve emails from alumni accounts. Email sent to your vcom.edu email address will bounce back to the sender.
You said I would be able to keep my vcom.edu address forever. Why are you discontinuing alumni emails?
We are doing this primarily to safeguard the integrity of our IT system.
Cyber attacks and threats are constantly evolving. Two-thirds of VCOM’s alumni accounts are dormant, which makes them—and VCOM’s entire system—particularly vulnerable to malicious use. More than 90% of cyber attacks begin with a phishing email to an unsuspecting victim.
The best way for SWAGƵto counteract this threat is to decrease the total number of email accounts we maintain, especially those that are unused.
It is also worth noting that the cost of maintaining alumni email accounts is significant. Those funds can be put to better use enhancing the educational experience for our students and ensuring that the College can effectively meet its mission.
What do I need to do?
Any alumnus/a who has emails in their SWAGƵaccount should forward those emails to another account or make arrangements to download them. If you’re actively using your vcom.edu email address, you should update your email address with anyone who may be using it to contact you.
I work with SWAGƵas a preceptor or DSME and use my vcom.edu email address regularly. What do I do?
Reach out to Tim Patterson (tpatterson@vcom.edu) in our IT division. Alumni who have an active educational role at SWAGƵmay be permitted to keep their vcom.edu email address.
I need help transferring my emails. What do I do?
The easiest way to transfer your vcom.edu emails is to forward them to another account. There are many different types of accounts that the process of downloading and uploading entire email histories may vary greatly from one person to another.
Can I forward my SWAGƵalumni account to my new email address?
No, at least not programmatically. Until June 9, 2025, you can manually forward INDIVIDUAL emails from your SWAGƵalumni account to a new address. You can NOT auto-forward your entire account to an external one. Beginning on June 10, all access to your SWAGƵalumni account will no longer function.
I still have questions. Who do I contact?
Reach out to Tim Patterson (tpatterson@vcom.edu) in our IT division. If you have a question, it’s possible other alumni will have the same question. Communicating your questions to Tim will enable us to answer them for others as well. We will update this FAQ accordingly.