Your alumni magazine – an overlooked networking resource

When I speak with soon-to-be or current college students, I encourage them to network and build relationships with as many of their classmates as possible. I tell them you don’t have to be best friends with everyone, but you should try to be friendly with as many people as possible. You never know where your classmates will end up, how they can help you in the future, and how you can help them.

But what if you weren’t much of a networker and relationship builder during college, and now you want to connect with former classmates? My message to you is simple: It’s not too late!

One valuable – and often overlooked – source of information and conversation starters is your alumni magazine. There is often a class notes section that contains information about work promotions and other professional and personal achievements. Information that can be used to start conversations, be it in-person or online.

I know what you’re probably thinking: Silly Billy, LinkedIn has all that information! Maybe. But probably not.

For instance, when I was paging through the Class Notes section of my (2021) Millersville University Review magazine, I found out that Nathan ('11), “in under one hour, became the ninth person to ever finish the 5-lb. ice cream sundae “Mountville Meltdown” challenge at Scoops Ice Cream and Grille.” That’s an awesome conversation starter and not something likely to be found on LinkedIn. 

In addition, Luke ('02), not only received a work promotion, but was elected to another corporation’s board of directors, the latter of which is not on LinkedIn. 

🗝 If you’re looking to grow your network and build relationships with your former classmates and college alumni, pay attention to your alumni magazine. It contains valuable information you can reference in an introductory email, LinkedIn message, or face-to-face conversation. Information you can use to easily get the conversation started. 

The next time your alumni magazine arrives, think networking resource, not junk mail!

[This article was originally published on LinkedIn on 2/7/23: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-alumni-magazine-overlooked-networking-resource-leonard-mhrm%3FtrackingId=oSKfEhptQFKbzH8AkRbosA%253D%253D/?trackingId=oSKfEhptQFKbzH8AkRbosA%3D%3D]