Where in the world is…Baruch College Alumni Relations?
This past year Alumni Relations hosted several events around the country and the globe. While the majority of Baruch alumni still live and work within the tri-state area, more and more graduates are seeking their fortunes in other cities and countries. By hosting regional events and establishing regional alumni clubs, Alumni Relations aims to:
- Build greater Baruch College brand recognition outside of the tri-state area
- Provide opportunities for lifelong learning and networking for alumni wherever they are
- Recruit volunteers to help with regional admissions efforts
- Identify companies interested in hiring Baruch College talent (undergraduate, graduate, executive, and alumni)
- Create a lively, robust, worldwide community of engaged and accomplished Baruch College alumni
To further these goals, Janet Rossbach, director of alumni relations and volunteer engagement, and Kevin Taylor, director, graduate admissions, Zicklin School of Business, traveled in May to Dubai, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Singapore to host inaugural events in all four cities. The 10-day trip was underwritten by alumnus Kam Wong (’81), a Hong Kong native who is eager to see Baruch strengthen its alumni network in Asia.
Janet and Kevin started their trip by hosting a luncheon in Dubai. Six alumni attended, and the majority of them had no idea there were fellow Baruch alumni in the United Arab Emirates! They learned from Janet that there are, in fact, several dozen graduates living and working there, and all of the attendees expressed enthusiasm for future networking outings in Dubai as well as Abu Dhabi.
Kam Wong presided over the Hong Kong alumni event on Monday, May 11, as 45 stalwart alumni attended despite the stormy weather from nearby Typhoon Noul. Janet gave an update from the College and put out a call for volunteers to help plan regional events, meet with visiting study abroad students, and work with their employers’ local and NYC-based recruiters to hire Baruch College students and alumni. Kevin Taylor followed with an update on College-wide admissions stats and encouraged alumni to serve as ambassadors for Baruch. Kam then shared his personal story of how he first came to New York, studied at Baruch, and worked his way to his current position as president and CEO of the Municipal Credit Union. He was glad to support this Baruch trip and hoped it would help launch a robust network in Hong Kong, and attract the next generation of Baruch College students.
Janet and Kevin then traveled to Taiwan to host the first-ever Baruch-supported alumni dinner in Taipei. Planned in partnership with the Baruch Taipei Alumni Association, a club established by alumni of Baruch’s Executive MS programs in Taipei and led by Charlie Huang (EMS ’07), the event attracted 130 alumni and guests. A local newspaper even covered the event, as Janet and Kevin once again updated alumni on College news and encouraged alumni to be active volunteers, ambassadors, and corporate liaisons for hiring Baruch students and alumni.
Finally, Janet and Kevin hosted an event in Singapore with 160 alumni and guests in attendance. The majority of attendees were graduates of the Executive MS in Marketing and Finance Programs that take place in Singapore, while there were several other alumni guests who had studied in New York as well as a few current and prospective students. Kevin Ho (EMS ’05) gave a passionate welcome, entreating his fellow alumni to give back to Baruch College and be active ambassadors and volunteers.
In the month since their trip to Asia, Janet and Kevin have already heard from several alumni willing to volunteer to plan events and help with recruiting, as well as from alumni eager to continue their graduate studies at Baruch.
LinkedIn groups have been established for alumni in the UAE, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, adding to those already established for Brazil, Turkey, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Naples, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Washington DC.
Looking ahead, here are a few ways you can get involved and help strengthen the Baruch College brand worldwide:
- Join one of the above LinkedIn groups and/or tell us where you are and we can look into creating a local LinkedIn group for you. We also invite you to join the main Baruch College Alumni and Friends Linkedin Group and ‘like’ the Baruch College Alumni Facebook
- Want to help plan an alumni event in your area and/or launch an official alumni club? Please reach out to Janet Rossbach at [email protected] and she will schedule a time to speak with you about possible next steps.
- Interested in serving as an Admissions Alumni Ambassador, speaking with prospective/admitted undergrad, grad, or executive students about your experience at Baruch College? If so, e-mail Kevin Taylor at [email protected] to discuss how you can help.
- Are you/your company looking for new talent? If so, please e-mail Janet and she can introduce you to Baruch College’s Employer Relations team to talk about posting positions on our job board (for undergraduate, graduate, and alumni), recruiting on campus, and/or other possible partnerships.
- Are you planning to move to a new city or country? If so, contact Janet and she will happily help you connect with the alumni we know in that region.
- And finally, have you recently updated your contact information with the College? If not, please e-mail [email protected] with your preferred professional and personal contact details so that when we are planning events–regional, industry, or class-specific–we know where you are and will invite you.
Janet and Kevin look forward to hearing from you, as well as to seeing their new friends in Dubai, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore again soon.