Alumni reunite in the dining hall during Choate’s 2017 Reunion Weekend last spring.
Choate is known for having a welcoming environment, and this reputation translates to the alumni world. Believe it or not, there are currently 16,000 living Choate alumni, and most still remain connected with one another.
Ms. Monica St. James, Head of Alumni Relations, has a keen perspective on the alumni network. She expressed, “Choate alumni remain connected to each other and connected to the School years after they graduate. For example, on Reunion Weekend, we will host over 175 alumni from The Choate School and Rosemary Hall who are celebrating 50-plus years of friendship that were forged at their Schools. ‘Alumni network’ is simply a term describing connections that allow Choate grads to access the people who share common experiences and values, commonly in professional arenas.”
Being able to connect with a Choate graduate in a professional environment has always been beneficial. Ms. St. James explained, “There are several ways that alumni connect professionally. The easiest is through the Choate Alumni Portal on the main website. Alumni can search by class year, location, company, industry, etc. and find contact information. We also have an active LinkedIn page where nearly 3000 alumni share information and professional opportunities. The Alumni Association Executive Committee, which is made up of 25-30 active and dedicated alumni, is singularly focused on enhancing the career networking aspect of the alumni network. If all goes well, this spring we will launch ChoateConnect, an app that will greatly enhance the Alumni Directory and allow alums to network easily.”
Many colleges have special programs which facilitate current students working or interning alumni. Choate students are often curious about whether Choate alumni have done anything similar.
When asked about networking, Ms. St. James remarked, “My colleague Ms. Ruthanne Snelson is specifically focusing on enhancing the career networking aspect of the Alumni Relations Office. When we have finished ChoateConnect, an app that will allow easy access to the Alumni Directory, alums will be able to search, connect and schedule meetings themselves. The Alumni Relations Office also offers a robust series of networking events across the country. One of our specific programs, ‘StartUp,’ is a Choate event series for young alums and those changing professional focus. We have an upcoming event at LinkedIn offices in NYC for young alums to network.”
Ms. Snelson, who is currently in her first year working at Choate, is well-versed in alumni relations. Ms. Snelson explained, “For the past ten years, I have been running the Alumni Relations program for The American School in England which sits in the leafy suburbs of London, England. Our base of more than 17,000 alumni, former students, former parents, and the staff is an international community spread across the globe. While in this role, I started a formal Alumni Speaker program, facilitated our Career Shadowing & Mentoring program, developed a mentoring and networking program for alumni, in addition to alumni programming, events, and working with my assistant to keep the school database up-to-date. It was an amazing place to work. I loved it there.”
On her transition to Choate, Ms. Snelson commented, “I moved back to the U.S. after living in England for the past 15 years. I was married this past summer and live with my husband at Avon Old Farms School where he teaches biology. Upon returning to the U.S., I took some time off to get settled. During this time, I was keeping my eye out for a position within an alumni team. I found the Choate job listed and applied. It was exactly the job I had been searching for. I was hired here in January and feel very fortunate. This is a great community, and every day I am amazed by another aspect of the school.” She remarked.
There are, in fact, many interesting stories of past Choate students who have been positively impacted by the alumni network. Ms. St. James said, “In recent years, we have helped quite a few graduates. We have helped two alumni with jobs on the news network ‘Good Morning America,’ a summer internship at a Boston biotech company, and an alum’s first position in the financial sector.”
Many recent graduates don’t realize just how connected and useful the Choate alumni network can be. An alumnus is welcomed and encouraged to contact another alumnus for almost anything, whether it be for a big or small reason. Being able to consult accomplished experts in virtually any field is an opportunity that Choate students should not pass up.
