Social Networking with "People ... you know" & Allison Graham

When I came to Academica Group, my most recent position in higher ed had been as a student (Media BA '06).   My time with Academica coincides almost perfectly with the beginning of my alumni career, and I have enjoyed watching my alumni relationship grow from ground zero to something that I feel is getting healthier by the day - quite literally!

UWO sends each grad a special young alumni/grad edition of its alumni newsletter towards the end of their academic career.  I don't remember getting this, and I'm sure its professional presentation earned it a spot in my recycling bin (conveniently placed directly under the mailbox) with all the other fantastic direct mail marketing pieces that seemed to find their way to my doorstep. 

I fell through the cracks! I didn't feel engaged! I was just about to put my foot down and say "listen here" to faceless alumni reps when what I thought was yet another directory notice in my mailbox turned out to be box seats to a London Knights hockey game!

At the game, I had the fantastic pleasure not only of running into one of my favourite professors but also meeting the Director of Alumni Relations - and from then on my relations with Alumni Western have been rewarding to say the least.  I get email newsletters, I hear about events, and most recently, I was invited to attend a Backpack 2 Briefcase session being held on campus. 

The event I attended was fantastic.  The main hall at UWO's newest student residence filled quickly with students, alumni reps and a selected group of alumni.  We were wined, dined, and then treated to a talk by Allison Graham, author of the "People ... you know" column in the London Free Press.  

The purpose of the event was for current students to practice their networking skills with alumni "networkers."  Allison went through what she calls her top mistakes of networking: Missing the Boat, Underestimating your Personal Brand, and more.  As she spoke, she had the audience of students readjusting their nametags high on their right shoulders, and alumni networkers were motivated to find a new more accessible location for their business cards (and identifying which pocket would serve as their "inbox" for received cards).  

After Allison's talk, Alumni Western introduced the Alumni who were present - one of which was me!  Then students were set loose to practice their newly acquired networking best practices upon us.  Besides the honour of being included in such an accomplished group of alumni (I had to hold myself back from elbowing students away from the ones I wished I could speak to), it was very rewarding to speak to so many young go-getters, particularly those who were following my footsteps and were enrolled in the Media, Information & Technoculture program (Faculty of Media & Information Studies). 

MIT is one of the younger programs at Western, yet to reach its 10th year as far as I know.  And while it is growing, and giving birth to its own sub-program (Media Theory & Production in partnership with Fanshawe College, and the Media & Public Interest specialization), the MIT community remains strong.  Students were fiercely engaged with the program, and most mentioned it almost in the first breath of their introduction.  

This blog post is my little apology to Alumni Western for ever doubting that you had lost me. Thank you for keeping me, thank you for engaging me, and thank you for the fantastic opportunity to attend last night's event and to feel like I was able even in a small way to give back to current students in both my own program and others.  

The clock is ticking and the newsletter has been put to bed for the day, so that is it from me today.  I hope to have a review of UWO's open house for you on Monday, which I will be attending as an alumni volunteer on Saturday.   If you live in the London area and happen to have a little media-savvy applicant to take touring through UWO's campus, look for me in my little black MIT-shirt because I would love to meet you!