After a welcome from committee Chair Caroline Kerr ’05 and introductions by those in attendance, the committee heard reports from assistant director for young alumni and student programs Derrick Smith ’07 and director of the Dartmouth for Life program Dan Parish ’89. Smith highlighted new efforts and initiatives, including an expansion of Young Alumni of Dartmouth (YADA) programming to include international locations, collaboration with the continuing education and travel teams to include young alumni in Dartmouth on Location events, and the formation of the YADA Chairs Council. Parish’s presentation noted content that will accompany the re-launch of the Dartmouth Career Network and new collaborations with the Center for Professional Development (formerly career services).
The committee discussed two projects that have been on our agenda in recent meetings, a guide to life after Dartmouth for seniors and young alumni and a proposed set of discounts for young alumni. During the next year, the Life After Dartmouth guide topics will be incorporated into online content being developed by the Office of Alumni Relations. Implementation of an alumni discount program is being researched further by the College, but there is no immediate timeline attached to carrying out this project.
Kerr and vice chair Rodrigo Ramirez ’06 solicited the committee for input on areas of focus for the committee’s conversations and work during the next two years. The committee continues to be interested in finding ways to contribute to the conversations related to career support and professional guidance for young alumni and to networking and mentoring for students and young alumni. Ramirez asked members to consider whether the committee could help develop strategies for engaging young alumni of color at the start of their lives as alums of the College. Members also expressed some interest in serving as a resource to student groups on campus. The committee will seek to make targeted invitations to student leaders and Roger Woolsey, director of the Center for Program Development, to participate in the next Young Alumni Committee meeting, to be held during the 208th Alumni Council session, to further identify areas where the committee can contribute.
In addition, the committee provided feedback on the current systems of communication utilized by the Alumni Council to engage in the flow of information between the Alumni Council, College, and alumni body. Committee members posed suggestions and questions that will be relayed to the Alumni Council Executive Committee and Communications Committee. Several members volunteered to join a group looking at the council’s communication strategies.