Alumni Activities Best Practices Coordinating Alumni Activities

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Alumni Activities - Best PracticesCoordinating
Alumni Activities

• Otilia Colac
• EAC Chisinau
• Eurasia Regional Conference
• Moscow, August 10, 2004

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OBJECTIVES

• Overview of alumni network in Moldova
• Describe strengths and weaknesses
• Examples of integrating alumni into EAC
  activities as part of the network operation

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OVERVIEW

• Programs
• US Government Sponsored Programs (1966 Alumni)
• Muskie, JFDP, IV, Fulbright, FLEX, Ugrad.
  Humphrey, CC
  
• OSI Programs (151 Alumni)
• SSGP, GSGP, UCL, Warwick, Oxford, UEP
• Other Programs (95 Alumni)
• CEU, AUBG

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OVERVIEW

• Organizations involved
• Alumni Resource Center (ARC)
• American Councils, Alumni Coordinators
• US Embassy
• Educational Advising Center (EAC)
• International Research and Exchanges Board
  (IREX)
  
• IATP Center
• Information Resource Center (IRC)
• Center for Social and Economic Development
  (CSED), Community Connections Alumni Association

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Weaknesses lessons learned

• Insufficient cooperation among alumni
  coordinators
  
• Several events at a time
• Overlapping of events topics
• Low motivation of alumni

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STRENGTHS

• Many resources (financial, human)
• Developed institutional framework (venues,
  equipment)
  
• Several common activities

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STRENGTHS

• Common activities
• Alumni Congress
• Alumni Job Fair/Career Forum
• Thematic Conferences/Seminars/Round Tables
• Professional Development Training
• Community Outreach Projects
• Fundraising Activities
• On-line forums, chats
• Social events
• Newsletters
• American Movies

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Conclusion need for coordination

• Results
• US Embassy Alumni Resource Center all alumni
  coordinators working together thus increasing
  coordination
  
• Establishment of the Alumni Board raises
  motivation
  
• Benefit the EAC

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EAC strategy in Moldova

• Integrating alumni into EAC activities
• Enlarged EAC office (conference room) more
  events with alumni
  
• OSI Alumni database on the web increased
  accessibility from outside (incl. USG alumni)
  
• Benefit
• Easier to work with ONE organization than with 7

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Recommendations

• Integrate OSI alumni with USG alumni
  (institutionally)
  
• Increase alumni participation by funding grant
  programs

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FIRST ANNUAL ALUMNI CONGRESSOctober 18,
2003(EAC among co-organizers)

• 400 Alumni
• Guest Speakers
• Heather M. Hodges, US Ambassador to Moldova
• Aleisha Woodward, PAO
• Greeting Letter from the Prime Minister of RM
• Alumni Board a new structure of the Alumni
  community!
  
• Board Major objectives
• To define strategies and directions for the
  Alumni community in Moldova
  
• To work with Alumni Coordinators on purpose of
  organizing various activities
  
• As a result
• The Alumni community in Moldova will work
  throughout the year in well defined directions,
  towards clearer goals!
  

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THANK YOU!