alumni
Use the word "alumni" to refer to a group of people of both sexes (or where the sex of the group members is unknown) who have graduated from York University. It is the most commonly used form and is the York preference.
- Thousands of alumni from across the country arrived at the campus for homecoming weekend.
"Alumnus" refers to an individual male graduate.
"Alumna" refers to an individual female graduate.
"Alumnae" describes a group of graduates known to be comprised entirely of females. It is not commonly used. However, it should be used when the grads are known to be all female.
- The Nellie Langford Rowell Library hosted alumnae from the first graduating class in women’s studies.
"Alums" is used as an informal substitute for "alumni" in spoken English, but should rarely be used in written form.