EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is featured in the Fall 2025 edition of The Tartan magazine. Read more from The Tartan at alma.edu/tartan.
MJ (Mark) Kraft-Strong ’08 builds community on the road and at Alma College.
For MJ (Mark) Kraft-Strong ’08, running one of Michigan’s fastest-growing tour and travel companies is about more than simply getting people from one place to another. It’s about building community, creating memories, and giving back to the institutions that shaped him.
Kraft-Strong is the founder and president of Beyond Horizons Tour and Travel, a full-service travel and tour agency and motorcoach charter company now operating 16 motorcoaches out of two locations across Michigan. The company provides more than 250 group tours each year, including domestic, international, and student-focused travel, and more than 1,000 motorcoach charters annually.
But its founder remains grounded in values he says were strengthened at Alma College: leadership, service, and a deep commitment to connection.
“You can’t underestimate the importance of the experience people have on a trip,” Kraft-Strong says. “Sure, we provide transportation and travel services, but we also create opportunities. For a cheer and STUNT team traveling to nationals or a group of seniors on a trip, we’re helping facilitate lasting memories.”
The growth of Beyond Horizons has been a long road for something that began as a side project in Kraft-Strong’s sophomore-year residence hall room at Alma College: “Room 244 in Gelston,” he recalls with a grin.
While he’s proud of those early entrepreneurial roots, Kraft-Strong is even more focused on what the company has become and how it serves others. That mindset extends to his long-standing support of Alma College, where he recently completed a two-year term as president of the Alumni Board. For more than a decade, Kraft-Strong has remained deeply engaged with the college, advising student organizations, supporting athletic programs, and playing a leadership role in alumni affairs.
MJ (Mark) Kraft-Strong ’08 started what is now one of Michigan’s fastest- growing tour and travel companies in his Alma College dorm room.
“When I was accepted to Alma, the college promised to give me the best education and unmatched experiences. And they absolutely delivered,” he said. “So after graduation, I felt a responsibility to ensure the next generation got that same opportunity.”
Kraft-Strong’s leadership was marked by collaboration and enthusiasm. He worked alongside alumni from multiple generations and says those cross-generational relationships were some of the most memorable parts of the role: “You meet people who were giving back decades ago, who helped build the experience you had as a student. And then you find yourself working beside them, helping shape the future of the college. That’s powerful.”
Though his term as board president has ended, Kraft-Strong remains closely connected to Alma. He continues to advise the Zeta Sigma fraternity — an organization he credits with shaping his leadership skills — and supports the college’s athletic programs through his company and as a dedicated fan. He also collaborates with the Advancement Office on strategic alumni initiatives
“I’m excited for what’s ahead,” he said. “There are some projects with Advancement that I’ll be closely involved with, and I’ve made it clear, my commitment to Alma isn’t ending. It’s just shifting into a new chapter.”
Kraft-Strong speaks highly of Alma’s current Advancement team, calling it the most capable group he’s seen in his years of service: “We have the right leadership in place. Bob Murray is a visionary, and Sarah Dehring stepping into the alumni director role is a huge win. The future of alumni engagement at Alma is in great hands.”
He encourages fellow alumni to find ways, big or small, to give back: “Whether you’re mentoring a student, attending a Scots game, helping with Homecoming, or just reaching out to Advancement, there are so many ways to get involved. Alma needs its alumni community to keep the spirit alive.”
Even with a full plate, Kraft-Strong continues to stay rooted in the Alma values that shaped his path. He still lives in the Alma area, remains actively engaged on campus, and takes pride in watching new generations of Scots create the same kind of enduring bonds he did two decades ago.
