Appointing a Director of Alumni Relations For ASSIST
As ASSIST seeks to strengthen ties with its alumni and among its alumni - now more than 3,600 scholars from 35 countries - it has become clear that we need focused leadership to successfully meet our ambitious goals. It is with great enthusiasm and anticipation, then, that the Board of Directors has authorized the creation of a new professional position - ASSIST's first Director of Alumni Relations.
As we have begun to reconnect more intentionally with our alumni, we are impressed and moved by the educational and professional accomplishments of this group of lifelong achievers. There is tremendous talent, experience and power in our alumni body, and we envision harnessing the collective talents of the group to support the work of ASSIST - and to support every individual alum as he or she seeks to enter the finest universities, compete for the most satisfying professional positions, become involved in meaningful voluntary and service work, and create social networks in a world where people move frequently - and often across national borders.
We look toward a day when:
- An alumnus graduating from university is considering several potential career paths – and can call upon other alumni for advice. More senior alumni who are leaders in their fields can share their experiences – the positive and the challenging.
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- Young alumni applying to universities can e-mail other ASSIST alums who are enrolled or already graduated to see which schools are the best matches for them. At universities where admission functions like the U.S., alumni can also provide personal recommendations and advice on strengthening applications.
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- An alumna is relocating to Prague and would like to create a social network while establishing herself professionally. First stop: an Internet-based review of the other ASSIST alumni living and working in or near the Czech capital.
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- An alumnus is looking for an internship experience to complement a rigorous university program. He is able to access the ASSIST network of professionals who offer such opportunities - and are eager to hire bright, motivated, younger alums.
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- An alumna contemplating a career change at a senior level wants to network and seek advice and support at a crucial point in her career. She is able to directly contact ASSIST alumni who are already respected senior managers to provide ASSISTance in her deliberations.
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- When making summer or winter travel plans, all alumni first make sure they know the dates of the ASSIST winter ski retreat, as well as the summer colloquium and conference, which rotates among the capital cities of the current ASSIST countries. The summer colloquia bring together respected leaders in many fields with ASSIST alumni for well-focused seminars and discussions around topics of international concern and importance.
You will have divined by now that increasing our Internet presence and utility is a key underpinning of this effort. We have already begun the most important effort - locating and updating the addresses of our alumni. A second effort will begin this summer - updating the ASSIST web site, and linking all of the affiliate web sites worldwide into an integrated, powerful, easy-to-use platform.
To move toward this day of mutual alumnal support, we need to employ a professional who lives in Europe and whose focus is squarely on the needs and aims of our alumni. The position will be based in Germany, from which 2,200 of our alumni hail, and it is work that is meant to extend to all ASSIST alumni as we perfect the outreach and program over the course of time. At the outset, it will be a half-time position, but we are confident that increased fundraising success will enable us to make the position full-time at the soonest possible moment.
Ideally, we will hire an impressive ASSIST alumnus or alumna to fill this role, although we are open to other profiles. Please give thought to whether this role is a good fit for someone you know and esteem - and that person could well be you!
We will keep the entire ASSIST family apprised of the progress of this search, and we look forward to adding a key leader to our team, one who will fully immerse alumni in the work of ASSIST and in one another's lives.
With best regards,
Bob Stanley
President
