Alumni as the experts and the inspiration
The TEDx talk deep dive
Dear Friends,
Yesterday I was on the Trinity College Dublin campus and classes are winding down for the year and studying for final exams is in full swing – not a seat to be found anywhere! This is also the time of year that can bring welling up of uncertainty in the soon-to-be grads.
What’s next?
As I read Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss to my 9-year old for the first time, she liked the funny characters and exaggerated ups and downs. This remains the highs and lows felt by the new graduate.
It’s time to inspire. TEDx talks are a good place to start. Last year I reshared by own TEDx talk (only 5 minutes) to look at our connections to each other based on our shared experiences, our ‘alumni-ness.’ Here’s a list of such inspiring TEDx talks on/for alumni.
This year I can proudly add another to the list - and it is sure to motivate new graduates to seek the next stage in life. The best part? It’s delivered by a fellow alum at a university-run TEDx event. Check out Paul Nazareth’s ‘Networking: Change your Default Settings’ from TEDxUofT. Paul is ‘Mr Networking’ and runs net-walking events around Toronto.
Our alumni - so many of them - are experts in topics that are as practical or poignant as Paul’s talk for the immediacy of life after graduation. Other alumni can share other expertise – our university’s academics do not have a monopoly on knowledge. Let’s celebrate our fellow alumni and what they can share with us and our community!
Your challenge this week:
Alumni-facing professionals: Did your organisation have a TEDx event? If so, what alumni talks can be shared with the wider alumni community to inspire. If not, consider becoming a curator of a TEDx__Alumni event or do a Google search of TEDx with your organisation name - you might be surprised at the results!
Students and alumni: Check out one of the TEDx talks linked, Paul’s networking TEDx (highly recommended!) or another TEDx by a fellow alum on a topic that resonates. Share it with at least 2 other fellow alumni – by inspired and inspire others! (and if you haven’t read Oh the Places you Go! - grab it or watch this video version!
There are only a few open spots in my diary during 2024 for networking workshops, webinars and speaking engagements. I would love to work with you this year or in 2025. Get in touch and we can discuss! Book a Discovery Call with me here.
Let’s be generous and we can ALL move mountains!
Maria
Quote from the book
“Alumni leaders. We take the leap that so many other alumni like us could take…Be warned: the road of alumni leadership is long but rewarding.”
The Alumni Way, p. 143
Photo below: Another recent trip to Trinity allowed me to see students from the Circus Society perform in a Fire Show with my kids. Gets me thinking; let's set our own networking (and networking for our most recent grads!) ablaze!
