At what stage of the university application journey do you find alumni involvement to be most impactful? Are they most helpful during exploration, applications, or decision-making?
IF: While student perspectives and insights from alumni can be valuable at any stage, I find them particularly impactful during the exploration and application stage. For instance, as part of the career exploration segment of university counseling, I would frequently host alumni who are now practicing professionals in different fields or have them do videos of their academic and career journeys, occasions during which they discuss their academics and the extracurricular activities they did during high school, their university experiences in different countries, their career pathways, how they arrived at them and what their job entails, etc.
Some of the most impactful messages they imparted was the importance of flexibility and openness, the courage to say yes to different opportunities that come their way and the courage to change a direction when things no longer work out, as well as the idea that life, both personal and professional, does not unfold on a linear, straightforward trajectory and that there are different paths to arrive at a desired goal or “dream job”, which is an incredibly useful perspective for students that seem very set and fixated on a particular outcome.
Later, alumni insights can be very useful to help students tailor their applying lists by taking into account factors other than the program of university reputation. Alumni can share specifics of fit factors such as the academic rigor, social and cultural aspect, the administrative/bureaucratic procedures, financial and other practical matters students often don’t consider so deeply at the initial research stage. In the applying stage, I often use writing samples from personal statements, motivation letters, and CVs from alumni who have agreed to share them with current applicants. When current students apply to a university where I have a former student, I frequently put them in touch so they can ask them specific questions, from advice on admissions tests, essay writing, finding accommodation to student visa procedures. Alumni can be very helpful in the decision – making process as well when students are wavering between a couple of options, by sharing their honest perspective on their university experience so that current students can make informed decisions with all the pros and cons in mind.
LZ: I find alumni involvement the most impactful during exploration. Our alumni regularly return to discuss their application journeys and current universities. Hearing from peers who followed similar paths is remarkably helpful for our current students.
Students often admire alumni who have “been in their shoes.” How do you ensure these conversations inspire students without creating unrealistic expectations or comparisons?
IF: It is indeed true that current students most easily identify with and relate to the perspectives of someone who used to be in their shoes, so it’s only natural that they look up to accomplished alumni and have aspirations to follow suit. What’s important is that when alumni share their experiences and perspectives students have the full context and a realistic view of both the requirements, profile, and circumstances. The core of my counseling approach centers around the concept of fit and highlighting that each student is on their own individual journey. For instance, I point to students the changes in the higher ed admissions landscape, changes in policies and requirements, as well as give them a full insight into a former student’s academic and extracurricular profile in explaining a particular university placement, including the rigor of their program, test scores, activities, particular skillset, etc.
I emphasize, for instance, that a former student who was admitted to an impressive number of US selective schools 10-15 years ago, might not have experienced the same admission outcome had they applied in the present, given the rise in the sheer number of applications and consequent drop in the admissions rates of highly selective schools. Geopolitical and demographic factors, changes in institutional priorities, more rigorous entry requirements, and a more competitive admissions landscape, are all factors to be taken into account. In the European and UK context, where many universities have admissions tests or high IB thresholds, datapoints can be incredibly helpful in ensuring students don’t have unrealistic expectations.
LZ: This is a great question. We sometimes struggle to design counseling events relevant to all our students, considering factors like university region or competitiveness. One approach we have is that several times a year we invite a carefully selected panel of alumni who represent different backgrounds, pathways, and destinations to talk to our current students. In this way, we can somewhat curate the overall direction of the event while still allowing for organic conversations. For example, last year during the winter holidays we had a roundtable discussion that involved alumni studying at a combination of highly selective, target, and safety schools in the USA and Canada that included both large research universities and small liberal arts colleges. In addition, we made sure to include alumni who had received partial to full scholarships and those who were full fee paying, and before the event we briefed each panel member on the intended direction of the event. In the end, this event was particularly successful, because I felt like the majority of the attendees were able to relate to at least alumni panel member.
What are some of the most successful ways you’ve involved alumni in your counseling program? Are there any initiatives that have had a particularly lasting impact?
IF: One of my mottoes is “once a counselor, always a counselor.” In other words, I personally do not believe that my work as a counselor or my connections with students end when they graduate and enroll at university. I maintain close relationships with my students, keep in touch and follow their academic and career trajectory and they often consult me for advice in their future studies and keep me updated. When I attend counselor fly-ins, I make it a point to meet with any alumni currently attending that university or meeting them when they come back home over the breaks.
Thanks to this, over the many years of university advising, I have actively and purposefully broadened and maintained my alumni network, often bringing them in as speakers or mentors for my current students. Some of the most successful ways in which I have involved alumni is by running an #alumnitalks series in my university counseling classes for juniors and seniors, hosting alumni who are currently university students and can thus provide students with great insights into day-to-day life and studying at a particular university and country. In addition, I publish a monthly university newsletter, in which I run a regular Alumni Corner column, wherein my team of student writers interview a different alum for each edition. Another initiative is a Mentor-Mentee Program, in which former students mentor current students on different topics, from application help, internships, to sharing contacts to ease their transition to a university.
LZ: Aside from the alumni panels discussions that I mentioned above, we also sometimes arrange university admissions officers to hold information sessions with Milestone alum who are currently studying at their respective institution. This structure works well, because current students can hear both sides—admissions and student—simultaneously, and they also hear from a student with a similar background. With that familiar voice in the room or on the call, prospective students are more likely to open up and ask candid questions.
Have you ever seen an alumnus change a student’s perspective on a university, a career path, or even their own potential? Could you share an example?
IF: Yes, I have seen cases where an alum’s positive experiences and shared insights have resulted in increasing the visibility of a particular university and putting it on the students’ map whereas it hadn’t been much on the students’ radar previously due to lack of exposure or insufficient knowledge i.e. familiarity or even prejudice regarding some university. As a result, I have seen more students subsequently apply to that university or program, with alums setting precedents. In particular, there has been an increase of interest in interdisciplinary, liberal arts or dual degree programs in Europe due to some alums paving the way, or more students applying to countries which weren’t so popular before.
Similarly, I have seen a change in a student’s envisioned career path after some alums have shared their stories of changing universities, changing programs, sometimes in radically opposite directions, moving from the private to the public sector or vice versa, changing companies and countries, highlighting for a student the notion that one continually reflects and evolves, that there are many different ways to reach a particular goal and that one needs to recognize when opportunities come their way, ultimately showing students that there are many different versions and definitions of success. We used to have a project involving alumni talks where students attending universities in different countries, like the US and the Netherlands, for instance, would join as guest speakers together, and speak honestly to current students about difficulties with cultural adjustment, imposter syndrome, wellbeing, mental health and homesickness challenges in freshman year, compare and contrast the educational models they were a part of on academic and social grounds, which proved incredibly helpful in students’ managing their expectations.
How do you help students distinguish between an alumni’s personal experience and information that applies more broadly? Are you worried/concerned that alumni talks can actually further confuse students?
IF: Including alumni perspectives is but one facet of the university counseling curriculum that provides personal insight and a helpful student point of reference, but that only serves to complement a broader framework of explaining to students admissions and application requirements, discussion of fit factors, university rep visits, etc. This goes along with the notion of there not being one “best” university for all but rather “best” for each particular student, or even one of several solid options that would fit an individual student.
I take care to highlight that the experiences of different students from our school in a program, university or country may radically differ. For instance, I have students attending the same course at the same university in the same country (for example, Law at King’s College London in the UK) and while academically they perform well, their social and cultural adjustment and integration, as well as post-graduation plans differ significantly, because they are not the same people. In that sense, I haven’t had cases where current students are confused by an alum perspective; on the contrary, they find it very helpful when students share with them some practical aspects in terms of a culture’s specifics, living arrangements, financial literacy, academic expectations, policies around attendance, teaching and assessment, transportation, the social scene, the weather, things they wish they had known when they arrived on campus, etc.
LZ: There is always some concern that alumni may project their own personal experiences as universal when talking with current students. However, leveraging authentic, familiar voices from alumni is worth the risk. We limit potential confusion by meeting with involved alumni ahead of time to discuss the purpose and scope of the events. Also, most sessions with alumni are moderated, which allows us to provide further context or redirect narratives if needed.
As alumni progress in their careers, they become mentors, recruiters, and industry professionals. How can schools build long-term relationships that continue to benefit future generations of students?
IF: Maintaining a sense of belonging and building long-term relationships with alumni should be one of the school’s strategic priorities as this comes with multiple benefits for current and future students. Fostering and nurturing those relationships can be done in multiple ways so that alums feel valued, welcome and a part of the school community long after graduation.
At NOVA International School Skopje, we recognize the importance of a strong alumni network by having a NOVA Alumni Association through which we organize events specifically geared towards alums, like annual alumni assemblies, social mixers, and an alumni Career Fair. At the fair, we invite former students, to join in person or online, and speak to current students about their diverse educational and career trajectories, share their experiences and impart valuable advice. In addition to us counselors maintaining close ties with alumni through personal and professional connections, wherein we frequently invite alumni to university counseling classes or all-school events as guest speakers, there is a designated Alumni and Communications Coordinator at our school responsible for alumni outreach.
Class reunions are another occasion to connect with alumni – we make sure we invite and host at school former students celebrating their 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, etc reunion each June, joining them for their reunion celebrations after. In addition, we have a practice of frequently inviting alumni as keynote speakers at our Commencement Ceremony, typically students that graduated 10 or 20 years ago from our school, and these have proven to be some of the most impactful speeches as students find particularly relevant the insights of someone who used to be in their shoes.
If a school is just beginning to build an alumni engagement program, where would you recommend they start? What are the first steps that can make the biggest difference for both students and the alumni community?
IF: If a school is just about to establish an alumni engagement program or they experience frequent changes in their counseling team, as not every school has long-standing counselors with institutional memory and a pre-existing network, building a database of alumni contacts and professionally networking with them is a crucial first step. Connecting via Linkedin, collecting their personal emails as part of the high school exit survey, creating an email group where alumni are added and invited to attend all-school occasions or events specifically designed for alumni are all meaningful ways in which alumni can be kept in the loop and a sense of community and belonging is created. Establishing an alumni association where the board is made up of former alumni and school administrators who host major events like social mixers or career fairs is also an important signal to former students that they are a valued part of the school community.
Having a set organizational structure and intentionality increases alumni engagement. If a counselor attends a conference or fly-in in a place where they have several alums, organizing a formal or informal get-together with former students pays dividends in strengthening those connections. Alumni need to be regularly invited to important school events, such as school anniversaries, annual festivals, commencement ceremonies, etc. For instance, our school is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and alums are an important part of those festivities. We have alumni whose children now attend our school, alumni who have offered internships or even jobs to fellow younger NOVA graduates, and alumni who regularly accept invitations to act as guest speakers in our school. Students who feel the school shows interest,and investment in their personal and professional lives, supports and celebrates their achievements feel a stronger connection to their alma mater and are more likely to give back.
LZ: I would recommend that the school starts by finding one or two alumni who would like to be stakeholders in the alumni engagement program, representing the alumni body. In our case, we’ve been fortunate enough to have a few alumni who actively filled this role. They co-host events at our school during holiday breaks, organize regional meetups near their universities, and help us maintain alumni databases. One particularly engaging event we hold each year is a Christmas alumni party, where 100+ past students return to reconnect with each other and mingle with faculty.
About the authors
Irena Filkova is a University and Career Counselor at NOVA International School in Skopje, North Macedonia.
László Zala works as a Mentor and College Counselor at Milestone Institute in Budapest, Hungary.
