Reflection: Alumni, we are part of something bigger…
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Focus on The Alumni Way trait #1 – good intentions to be intentional!
Happy March Friends!
This month of Alumni Friday newsletters will focus on the four key alumni traits from The Alumni Way: Reflection, Curiosity, Passion and Generosity.
Last March, I had good intentions to do the same: feature weekly blog posts featuring each of the traits.
I got as far as Reflection. Yes, that’s trait #1. You can read the reflection blog post here.
Life got in the way. The irony is not lost on me. Taking time to reflect can seem like a luxurious activity a ‘nice to do’ not a ‘need to do.’ Reflection as students, alumni and as alumni-facing professionals is essential.
Why are we doing what we are doing?
Who can we connect to?
What’s next?
As I write to you from Southern Africa to work on a diaspora project, reflecting on the role of alumni is front and centre. As a very small nation seeks socio-economic development support from its diaspora, the highly educated alumni bring incredible potential. Potential to support the country goals, yes, but also a way to support each other as alumni and as diaspora- a shared experience that can leverage wherever they are in the world. This isn’t the first time I’ve talked about the alumni-diaspora nexus for opportunity – check out my keynote at the Global Conference for Diaspora Networks Summit here.
To access this alumni-diaspora magic from whatever side requires a stop, pause and reflection.
This week’s Alumni Friday challenge:
Consider how your alumni-ness spans beyond your most recent alma mater. What other formal, shared experiences have you had in life? To change it up, instead of a complimentary book quote, take time to download the Alumni Way Workbook (free!) and skip way ahead and complete the reflective Activity 22A – Extending your Alumni Status to all your Shared Experiences- it’s a 20-minute challenge!
For alumni-facing professionals: How can we bring alumni reflection to our students as early as possible? The Alumni Way book and the accompanying free Workbook are ready and available to connect those alumni circuits of reflection early on (Alum from Day One!) – Forward on these resources to the academic lead for a final year career exploration course, capstone course or career services professional – spread the reflective word! Book a Discovery Call with me if you want to explore other ways to bring this reflective thinking to your organization!
With alumni reflection,
Maria
Check out The Alumni Way Workbook
Activity 22A ‘Building our Alumni Way by Exploring the Breadth of
our Shared Experiences.’
page 35
Below Photo: Take a page of reflection for our feathered friends in Ngwenya, Eswatini, take time to admire the good things around us, chill and preserve our colourful alumni-ness for another day!
