It’s my birthday – a special Alumni Friday review
Let the festivities begin – part 1 Dear Friends, Yes, it is my birthday. On Alumni Friday. How opportune! For those that read The Alumni Way you know that I suggest a birthday alumni review. What does that mean? Take the time for an alumni check-in!
- Make sure your contact details are correct with your alma mater (hate to admit I know at least one university getting my address update request!)
- Check your preferences on the alumni online communities – sometimes the default isn’t ideal – dial up or down the amount of information you are getting from these sites (and navigate about them!)
- Read your alumni magazines – I have at least two hot off the press and I am looking forward to a cup of tea and diving in!
This yearly check-in means you. You might be wondering: this is brilliant for alumni. What about me? I am an alumni-facing professional, how is this relevant to me? More relevant than I care to admit. In our do-do-do world of alumni relations, advancement, and career services we forget about nurturing our own alumni spirit. It is easy to fall out of love with reading our own alumni magazines and keeping track of our own alumni-ness – it might seem too close to work. Rekindle the alumni romance! Your challenge this week (for all!) Complete a short alumni check-in! It’s that simple. Find joy again in alumni stories and the reconnection. For an extra bonus, encourage a fellow alum to do the same – share the benefits you see by keeping in touch! I will take it that birthday wishes from this special group are implied (thank you!). If you would like to explore how to rekindle the alumni romance with your alumni, your alumni team or with your alumni strategy – please do reach out (no cake or candles required!) let’s talk! With festive alumni greetings, Maria
Quote from the book
"The magic begins when we share our updates, join our alma mater’s online community or update our contact details for our alumni record."
The Alumni Way, p. 57
Photo below: On my visit to Dublin last week it was good to see The Alumni Way is still available in the Trinity College Dublin Bookshop! It was an early birthday gift to hear it is selling well!If you would like The Alumni Way to be available in your bookshop hit reply and I can put you in touch with Bristol University Press!
