The Alumni Speaker Series originated from a partnership formed by the UT Knoxville Alumni Board of Directors with the Division of Student Success and the Office of First-Year Initiatives. Alumni board members served as small group speakers for students in the UT LEAD program, a living learning community program for first-year, first-generation students. During the sessions, board members covered topics of interest identified by students, including networking, building your brand, financial independence, time management, imposter syndrome, and more. Board members spoke to the group at large and also had the opportunity to engage in conversation and dialogue with the students, diving deeper into the topic of interest. These small group discussions have led to increased student engagement among first-year students both on and off campus. Alumni board members have continued relationships with students from the program through providing internships, serving as mentors, and even leading a group of students to attend a play at the campus theater.
From the Judges
This is a good early-stage programme. Costs have been kept at a modest level with time and resource dedicated to making the relationships work rather than glossy 'one off' events. It is a nicely delivered project, driven by the needs of the target audience, and as such is a great model for others.
