Alumni Friday – what happens when life gets in the way?
Alumni impact in just 10 minutes?
Dear friends,
This week starts a hectic month of travel for me. In-person events are certainly back! Travelling can also mean that we set aside our normal routine - including our intentional alumni connection habits.
As you read this, I am in Prague delivering a workshop to alumni-facing professionals. Of course, not all alumni networking involves LinkedIn or Zoom. It’s good to balance high tech with high touch, as John Naisbitt suggests (and he wrote this even before social media!). High touch it is for me this week; what about you?
An in-person cup of tea with Declan Sweeney of Campus Connect in 2019 has led to several quick dips of connection. One being quoted on a Campus Connect blog post about creating alumni and student ambassador authenticity - check it out here. With other quick touchpoints over the years - a 10 minute conversation on win-win-win of alumni ambassadors or even on business advice - it keeps our connection fresh. This week it led to our online event collaboration – a lot of fun and insights (it involves lots of Rs) – watch this space!
Your challenge this week:
- Consider an in-person informational interview - a quick 15 minutes. This week I even challenged alumni curious professionals to consider meeting their admissions/marketing/alumni counterparts in their own university for a quick cup of coffee (though we know it’s more than that, always prepare to get the most from the connection!).
- Follow-up on a past in-person connection: Did you meet someone at a conference or event and connected on LinkedIn? Or, took a business card – remember those?— and never followed-up? Now is the chance! Invite someone you are curious to learn more about their career or work – go for it! Ask for a quick online informational interview - those 15 minutes asking about their career story can begin a snowball effect.
Don’t forget! For my advancement and alumni professional friends: consider a nomination for the 50U50 – recognizing 50 champions in alumni and advancement – it also only takes 10 minutes! (Sorry only for US-based colleagues this year!).
As I travel, I would love to come to you! Let’s discuss how I can inspire your alumni with Next Gen Networking event or tackle an alumni engagement strategy or research with evidence, ease, and energy! Book a discovery call to explore! https://alumniwaydiscovery.
Your with alumni inspiration,
Maria
Quote from the book
"A balance between ‘High Tech and High Touch’ is the ideal. Technology is only a tool to forge meaningful human relationships and genuine connection."
The Alumni Way, p.71
Photo below: Suitcase is packed!
Off to Prague, then Belfast, Vienna (for Alumni-Clubs conference), Porto (for ICARe Conference), Kuwait, Halifax, and Toronto before the end of May. Phew! Are you there and want to meet up?
Hit reply and let me know!
