It was the hug that shook the world. Well, at least our world.
At the 2016 graduation ceremony for the Faculties of Law and
Engineering one young graduate, instead of simply shaking
hands with the Chancellor, Sir George Alleyne, broke protocol
and gave him a huge hug instead. While we would NEVER
encourage anyone to try that EVER again - that is exactly
the feeling that The University hopes to engender in all our
students and our alumni. A feeling that this institution is
yours to own and to love; to have and to hold. The future of
The UWI may very well depend upon it.
Established in 2015, the Office of Institutional Advancement
and Internationalisation (OIAI) counts alumni affairs among
its responsibilities and executes these duties through its
Fundraising and Alumni Affairs Office, headed by Ms Carol
Ayoung. It is not to be confused with the Alumni Association
which is a membership-based, regional organisation with
Chapters serving all UWI alumni based in the particular
locality, regardless of the Campus they attended. The Alumni
Affairs Office is meant to engage specifically with persons
who graduated from the St. Augustine Campus, and was
created to build a dialogue and strengthen the Campus’
relationship with its graduates, wherever they are in the
world.
UWI’s graduates are critical to The University’s development,
explains OIAI Director, Mr Sharan Singh, as they “feed us ideas,
collaborate with us, advocate for us and really drive us and
hold us accountable to them,” he says. They “are like a fourth
estate,” to the triangular relationship formed by students,
academics and staff. UWI’s graduates work in industry within
the societies The University serves, he explains, making
them“a wonderful source of market feedback, analysis and
guidance.” Forging a stronger relationship with graduates will,
therefore, provide UWI with the knowledge needed to sculpt
itself into a more dynamic institution that has greater impact
nationally and regionally.
Alumni engagement, as drivers, advocates and collaborators,
is also vital to UWI’s development, from a financial
perspective. The University is currently heavily financially
dependent on national governments and, while state
funding is necessary, the institution is aware that its needs
are draining one fount. Therefore, UWI needs to diversify
its sources of funding and increase its budget. Only then,
“can we make significant interventions in society,” advises
Mr Singh. That doesn’t mean using alumni emails to solicit
donations, although these are necessary and welcome. Other
ways of giving are possible, such as providing internships
or guest lectures, even serving on Campus boards and
committees.
The OIAI is sure that alumni will respond once graduates
see how their contributions benefit students and the wider
community served by the Campus. To achieve this, the
Office is developing a communication strategy to reach
individual Campus alumni directly, and that requires data,
i.e. an accurate database of names, faculties, work details
and contact information. Once that alumni database is
complete, analysis can be conducted to assist The University
in understanding its graduate population and to start a two-
way conversation on what graduates and alumni want from
the Campus, and how they can provide necessary feedback
and support to shape its future.
Ultimately, the OIAI is out to prove that a continued
connection with The UWI is as valuable as the old high
school ties that are so prized throughout the region. While
members of the Alumni Association get benefits, such as
use of UWI’s libraries and swimming pool, and participate
in mentorship programmes, staying engaged with the
Campus can bring alumni great personal and professional
benefit. Conferences, lectures, discussion fora and similar
event provide opportunities not just for learning, but, for
important networking with long lost peers, eager potential
interns, experts and policy-makers - all with similar or related
interests. The potential also exists to access programmes and
courses for continued professional development. Alumni
based abroad will have similar opportunities in keeping with
the University’s focus on Agility, Access and Alignment, and
the Vice-Chancellor’s directive to have a UWI presence in
major centres around the world.
For those already on the database, work has begun on
building a new relationship with the Campus. The Alumni
Affairs quarterly newsletter was created to share interesting
engaging
ourAlumni
and useful information about the Campus, including work
being done and views on current issues. A few social events
have already taken place around the country, with The
Gathering, held to commemorate the 55th Anniversary of the
Campus, being the largest to date. The Alumni Affairs Office is
also planning an annual “major homecoming,”modelled after
those held by North American universities.
The next major communication tool is the “Reconnection
Campaign” – an innovative, emotive digital application that
will allow UWI graduates to connect with the Campus and the
wider graduate community. “We’re this global institution,” says
Mr. Singh. “Our grads are literally around the world.”The app is
interesting and innovative, because it’s not asking graduates
to physically visit the Campus, and news and messaging can
be tailored to the individual’s preferences. Sending feedback,
reconnecting with classmates, donating money or offering
services, will take just a few clicks once the app is available at
the beginning of the 2017/2018 academic year.
“This range of actual engagement can take place once you
have the data. If you don’t have that data, you’re lost,” says Mr
Singh.
If you are a graduate of the St Augustine Campus, you don’t
have to wait for the Reconnection Campaign launch to start
your engagement. Just visit the OIAI Alumni Office website (at
/) and subscribe to its mailing list.
You will have access to the alumni newsletter, be first to know
when the app is ready and possibly have the opportunity
to join a group of beta testers before the launch. Be sure to
encourage other graduates to sign up also as the deeper and
wider the network, the more valuable it will be to you. This is
a great opportunity to re-shape the Campus and possibly the
University based on your student experience and all you have
learned since graduation.
“Just have a commitment to your alma mater,” says Mr Singh.
“Come back. If you didn’t like something, come and help us
fix it. If you liked something, come and contribute to it.”The
Campus is waiting with open arms.
