Alumni Activities - Best Practices

							 Alumni Activities - Best Practices

Coordinating Alumni Activities


              Otilia Colac
               EAC Chisinau


        Eurasia Regional Conference
         Moscow, August 10, 2004
               OBJECTIVES

• Overview of alumni network in Moldova

• Describe strengths and weaknesses

• Examples of integrating alumni into EAC
  activities as part of the network operation
                      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
                   OVERVIEW
                 Organizations involved

1.   Alumni Resource Center (ARC)
2.   American Councils, Alumni Coordinators
3.   US Embassy
4.   Educational Advising Center (EAC)
5.   International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX)
6.   IATP Center
7.   Information Resource Center (IRC)
8.   Center for Social and Economic Development
     (CSED), Community Connections Alumni Association
    Weaknesses – lessons learned


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

• Many resources (financial, human)

• Developed institutional framework (venues,
  equipment)

• Several common activities
                   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
 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
       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
            Recommendations

• Integrate OSI alumni with USG alumni
  (institutionally)
• Increase alumni participation by funding grant
  programs
         FIRST ANNUAL ALUMNI CONGRESS
                           October 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!
THANK YOU!