What I learned as Alumni President

It's not what you think!

Dear Friends: 

The dust has settled. After a hectic June, I am taking time to digest the end of my tenure as Alumni Association President of the University of St Michael's College in the University of Toronto.

As heralded in The Alumni Way I am reflecting on what I learned from the experience coming from a growth minded perspective. Here are 8 key learning items - do they resonate with you?  

1- Deep alumni leadership is a full-time role. Building cohesion and energy on the Alumni Board was the first step. Being intentional about how I could enable the Board to take ownership over our work was next. I offered encouragement, mentorship and care. My role as a alumni leader spanned volunteer management and stewardship of my fellow alumni leaders and so much more...I felt I was always 'on' in my role. Lesson learned: Create better boundaries and set expectations with my Board and the alumni team. 

2- Set a tone and be strategic. When I started, alumni staff provided me with Board agendas and speaking notes for meetings. Within months, I zealously took on much of these operations and (if I may say so) I did it well. Looking back I wonder if diving into this administrative side meant that I missed giving more of my strategic expertise and vision to the role. Lesson learned: check-in and find solutions to find space for the strategic.

3- Life happens. During my tenure I had significant personal and professional challenges. I am passionate about alumni, but I also needed to prioritise myself. Lesson learned: I should have communicated my difficulties earlier and allowed other alumni leaders to step up (and I know they would have! Many did!).

4- Vision pairs well with resources. So many ideas! I realized early on that as an Alumni Board we needed to pare back: align our vision with our available resources. I am proud that during my tenure we extended the St Mike's Alumni Awards and began the feature our incredible awardees more prominently. Lesson learned: Find those easy wins. Simple but high impact, low cost initiatives - be creative!  

5- The Bermuda Triangle of Alumni Leadership: talent management. This revelation occurred to me while I was President, speaking to countless alumni volunteers worldwide about their experiences, not because of my St Mike's role. Institutions seek- and select - alumni volunteers with incredible credentials and experience to get involved in leadership roles like an Alumni Board. The challenge is: how to leverage this incredible talent! As alumni leaders around the world shared with me it is easy to have your enthusiasm wane, the talent so sought after disappears in a Bermudian abyss. Alumni get jaded and frustrated, eroding alma mater affinity. Lesson learned: Ask alumni leaders early what they hope to contribute and how they would like to leverage their expertise in their leadership role. 

6- Nostalgia and personal connection matter in alumni leadership. One of my favourite legacy events from my tenure was reviving the nostalgic 80s/90s style St Mike's Pub. A wonderful collaborative success! Sending direct messages to fellow alumni was the secret to the crowds of alumni! Year 2? Word of mouth took over. Lesson learned: Leverage nostalgia. Find the "thing" that makes your institution unique. Bring it back. Institutions are often competing with awesome city events and family/friend commitments. Something distinct will get alumni talking - and engaging- no promotions can replace a personal invitation from an old friend. Not just sparkle this was lightning!  

7- Lifelong friendships. I engaged in alumni events to reconnect with my 9T8 cohort of alumni friends. The Board allowed me to extend my bridging social capital, forging friendships with fellow alumni from across decades! Lesson learned: Alumni leadership enhanced my life! 

8- Senior leadership support is essential. I am proud to share that St Mike's has senior leadership that 'gets' alumni - they participate enthusiastically in events, engage gregariously with alumni and sees the value in strategically involving alumni in the community. Lesson learned: Reach out to senior leadership early, keep them informed in alumni work and ask that golden question I love: "How can we (alumni! or, more importantly the Alumni Board) help you? 

Your challenge (for alumni professionals, alumni leaders and alumni alike!):

What resonates with you? How are you engaging with alumni volunteer leaders? What could be better?  

How can you improve your alumni volunteer leadership? Get the most out of it!  

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Yours in alumni leadership, 

Maria 

Photo: Being an alumni leader is fun! Alumni Presidents: past and present! Honoured to have served my alma mater for 3 years and I pass the baton to my formidable fellow alum and friend Matthew McGuire 9T6.