You're standing at a networking mixer. Someone asks about your college days. You want to sound smart, so you say, "I'm an alumni of State University."
Stop.
You just made a mistake. It's a tiny one, sure, but in the world of formal writing and academic circles, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Using alumnus in a sentence seems like it should be the easiest thing in the world, yet even CEOs and seasoned journalists trip over the Latin roots.
The word "alumnus" refers to a single male graduate. If you’re a woman, you’re an alumna. If you’re talking about a group, it’s alumni. It feels picky. It feels like 18th-century grammar snobbery. But if you want to land that job or write a clean press release, getting the singular and plural forms right matters more than you’d think.
The Problem With Alumnus in a Sentence
Most people default to "alumni" for everything. They use it as a catch-all. "He is an alumni." "She is an alumni." Honestly, it’s become so common that some dictionaries are starting to shrug their shoulders and accept it as informal usage. But we aren't here for "informal." We’re here for precision.
When you use alumnus in a sentence, you are specifically identifying a male individual who has attended or graduated from an institution. For example: "The Nobel Prize winner is a distinguished alumnus of Harvard University."
If you swapped that for "alumni," you’re essentially saying "The winner is a graduates." It doesn't work. It breaks the internal logic of the sentence. Latin is a gendered language, and while modern English is moving away from gendered nouns, academia still clings to these roots with a death grip.
Why the Latin Matters (Sorta)
We inherited these words from the Latin alere, which means "to nourish." Basically, the school is the "alma mater" (nourishing mother) and you are the "alumnus" (the nourished one).
Think about it this way.
If you go to a fancy gala and talk about your "alma mater," you’re using Latin. If you’re going to use the Latin name for the school, you should probably use the correct Latin term for yourself. Otherwise, it’s like wearing a tuxedo with flip-flops. It’s a clash of styles.
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How to Actually Use Alumnus in a Sentence Without Looking Silly
Let’s look at some real-world applications. You see this most often in bios, LinkedIn profiles, and news reports.
- "John is a proud alumnus of the class of 1998."
- "As an alumnus who frequently donates to the athletic fund, Michael felt he deserved better seats."
- "Every alumnus is invited to the homecoming bonfire this Friday night."
Notice how the word stays singular. It’s focusing on one guy. If John and Michael go together? Now they are alumni. If John’s sister Jane goes alone? She’s an alumna.
It’s a bit of a linguistic minefield.
The Alumnus vs. Alumna vs. Alumni Mess
Let's break the "rules" down in a way that actually makes sense for 2026. Language is changing, but the AP Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style are still pretty rigid about this.
The Male Singular: Alumnus
If you are writing about a man, use alumnus. "The astronaut is an alumnus of Purdue."
The Female Singular: Alumna
If you are writing about a woman, use alumna. "The CEO is an alumna of Stanford." Interestingly, "alumnae" (ending in -ae) is the plural for a group of women only. So, if you went to a women's college like Smith or Wellesley, you are part of the alumnae.
The Group: Alumni
This is the plural. It can be a group of men or a mixed-gender group. "The alumni are gathering for the reunion." This is where the confusion starts because "alumni" has started to cannibalize the other words.
The Gender-Neutral Option: Alum
If all of this Latin makes your head spin, just say "alum." It’s conversational. It’s snappy. It’s gender-neutral. "I'm a Michigan alum." Nobody is going to correct your Latin if you just cut the word short. It’s the ultimate loophole.
Real World Confusion: A Case Study
Look at how major publications handle it. The New York Times usually sticks to the traditional forms. If they are writing a profile on a male filmmaker, they will use alumnus in a sentence to describe his education. They won't use "alumni" unless they are talking about him and his classmates together.
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Contrast that with social media. On LinkedIn, you’ll see thousands of people list themselves as "Alumni at [Company Name]." Technically, unless they are multiple people living inside one body, they should list themselves as an alumnus or alumna. But because the platform uses "Alumni" as a category heading, people have just adopted the plural as their personal identity.
It’s a classic case of technology changing how we perceive grammar.
Common Mistakes You’re Probably Making
The most egregious error? "An alumni."
"I am an alumni."
Don't do it. Just don't. The "an" signifies a singular noun is coming. Following "an" with a plural "alumni" is like saying "I saw an elephants." It grates on the ears of anyone who spent too much time in an English lit class.
Another weird one is the possessive. If you’re talking about something belonging to one male graduate, it’s the alumnus’s report. If it belongs to the whole group, it’s the alumni’s association.
Why Businesses Care
If you're writing a press release for a tech startup and you mention your founder's credentials, getting the term right shows attention to detail. If you say "Our founder is an alumni of MIT," a discerning VC might wonder what else you’re overlooking. It sounds harsh, but professional credibility is often built on these small, boring blocks of "correct" English.
The "Alum" Evolution
Is the word "alumnus" dying?
Maybe.
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In many progressive academic circles, there is a push to ditch the Latin entirely. Since Latin is inherently binary (male/female), it doesn't leave much room for non-binary or gender-fluid individuals. Using "alum" or "graduate" solves this problem instantly.
"They are a graduate of Yale."
"Alex is a Yale alum."
These sentences are clean. They avoid the gender trap. They don't require a Latin degree to decode. If you're writing for a modern audience, or if you aren't sure of someone's gender identity, "alum" is actually the superior choice over alumnus in a sentence.
Actionable Steps for Perfect Usage
If you want to make sure you never mess this up again, follow these quick mental checks before you hit "publish" or "send."
1. Count the people. Are you talking about one person? If yes, "alumni" is probably the wrong word. You need alumnus (him), alumna (her), or alum (anyone).
2. Check the gender. If you’re sticking to traditional grammar, matches the ending to the person.
- Us = Him
- A = Her
- I = Them (or just guys)
3. Read it out loud. Does "I am an alumni" sound right? Usually, your ear will catch the plural "i" sounding weird after the singular "an."
4. When in doubt, go informal. Use "graduate" or "alum." You will never be "wrong" using these words. You might be slightly less formal, but you won't be grammatically incorrect.
5. Update your LinkedIn. Go look at your profile right now. If your headline says "University of Texas Alumni," and you are just one person, change it to "University of Texas Alumnus" or "Alumna." It’s a small tweak that makes you look significantly more polished to recruiters.
Using alumnus in a sentence isn't about being a snob. It’s about clarity. It’s about knowing the rules well enough to know when you can break them. Now that you know the difference, you can use these terms with total confidence.