Networking is changing? Dive in and learn more!

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How is networking changing? Taking a break from some deep work, I found myself on a journey down a path to exploring this question. Hint: it involves alumni, habit and impact. The full article is published on LinkedIn: Something has changed about networking…hint it involves alumni and impact Here’s a snippet: “we can offer students […]

Thinking of Grad School? Think Alumni first!

When Graduate Matters section of University Affairs Magazine asked me to write an article on alumni, I sprang into action. Alumni do matter, especially when thinking about an investment as significant as taking up grad school. Postgraduate study is a an investment of time and money (not to mention the grey hair and intellectual epiphanies!). In the original […]

Yes, I’m an Alumni Romantic

Last year, in the throes of trying to finish my final book manuscript and in the middle of yet another COVID-19 lockdown, I had a bout of alumni romanticism. It was inevitable: I was writing and talking about alumni all the time, immersed in its potential. This article was the result- and apart from the […]

5 Must-Read Articles on Networks for Alumni Professionals

Alumni networks are powerful. As alumni professionals, we know this is to be true in our gut. After two years of creative and innovation programming as part of a great alumni relations pivot, we are tired and need a momentum boost. The purpose of this post to give you a chance to dive in and […]

The Social Impact of Networks: A new World Economic Forum article

In November 2021, I participate as a member of a terrific workshop panel for the HundrED Innovation Summit. The workshop was entitled: Networks Transforming Education. InHive assembled this amazing panel of facilitators from around the world.  With the electricity from the online event still sparking post-event, we agreed to write an article of our experiences of […]

From a distance: Alumni Connection from the Insight – Out

After only a month into my new role as Interim President and Chair of the Alumni Association Board at the University of St Michael’s College – University of Toronto – I wrote about my experience connecting at such a distance- it’s easier than you think! Here’s a quote: “The future of alumni connection is one […]

Transforming Society Podcast: ‘Bursting with enthusiasm’ for our alumni potential (39 min)

Released on Book Launch day, this is an episode of the publisher’s podcast Transforming Society. Host Rebecca Megson-Smith interviews Maria on the ideas sprinkled throughout the book related to alumni potential. Rebecca starts the interview by saying: “The Alumni Way is bursting with enthusiasm for the potential our alumni identities and networks offer us. It’s really […]

Students: give your career a headstart by building your alumni network

This time of year if full of good student intentions. Many moons ago, when I was a student, I signed up for about a dozen student clubs, including innertube water polo. Sadly, once classes started, a lot of those intentions disappeared. I never attended the pool once. One intention that I would encourage students to […]

Let’s ask more from the University-Alumni relationship! – University Business article

Low expectations. I’ve often thought we need to raise the expectations of the relationship between university and its alumni community. Boiling it down to career development for alumni and donations by alumni is doing the relationship a disservice. In my article in University Business magazine, I argue that we do need to raise our expectations. A key quote: “Alumni […]