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 article prior to the UA edit, I had included a little illustrative vignette from a current grad student:

As Silviu Kondan neared the end of his graduate school journey at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, he was on a curiosity expedition. We were introduced by a mutual contact, and I was intrigued by his keen interest to meet fellow alumni. I realized quickly that Kondan was cleverly doing what every graduate student should be doing: building their network.

The full article goes beyond building your network (check out the popular Roostervane blog, where founder Dr Chris Cornthwaite interviews me on this topic here) spanning across the student lifecycle. From thinking about an academic discipline of study or narrowing down the list of grad schools, alumni can play a great role in supporting this process.Quote from the full article:

Your alumni network offers you connection to thousands of fellow graduates. Although your alumni network is often linked to your undergrad experience, it has as much value – or even more – for your graduate studies.

Check out the full article here!

Curious about supercharging your MBA class or grad students about the power of alumni networking? Book a Discovery Call with Maria to discuss the Next Generation Networking Workshop, Seminars and Webinars available - designed to inspire!

Reference: Gallo, M.L. (2022) "How your alumni network can help supercharge graduate school success" University Affairs - Graduate Matters, 26th April. Link