Final Year – Time to Refocus

  You’re entering your final year and it’s an electric time of year. Motivations are high, there’s anticipation of the increased intensity and aspirations for grades are set.  It seems to be the pinnacle of all your hard work – graduation, the final hurdle. But I implore you to pause and question – is the […]

Becoming a 50U50 Judge: A networking story

Just announced! Almabase’s 50U50 powered by Blackbaud recognizing champions in alumni relations and advancement. There is me in the middle of it all is me as a judge among a distinguished panel of fellow judges. How did I get here? Networking. In early 2021, I awoke to find myself on a prestigious list: 15 Alumni […]

6 books to Inspire Your Alumni Potential (and Your Alumni Networks!)

Did you know one of the first things I did after my book The Alumni Way was published last year was to arrange a photo shoot. No, not me and the book. Just books. It includes some of the books that inspired me and are infused in The Alumni Way pages are a succinct list of some […]

4 Questions to Embed a Networking Mindset for Your Alumni – and for Impact

Networking is more than mingling at an alumni reunion. In the Creating Connection Webinar hosted and organized by Aluminati, earlier this week, I navigated a journey of building a networking mindset for the next generation of students, graduates, and alumni. I started the event by asking the simple question: Why do we want our students […]

Top 3 Takeaways on the Power of Alumni Friday

Last month, I put out a call far and wide for people to book an ‘Alumni Friday’ with me. What’s an Alumni Friday? It’s time you carve out every week to build your network and follow-up with friends, colleagues — and especially fellow alumni! What a response! On Friday 30th of September I had 8 Alumni […]

Networking is changing? Dive in and learn more!

ocean photo

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 […]

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 […]