Alumni Council Accomplishments

The Maroon Advantage: Career Advising for Colgate Alumni
The Maroon Advantage is a career information and advising program which administered by Colgate alumni for Colgate alumni. It features networking events, online webinars, and other career-related activities. Events are held in six to eight cities a year, and have included events in Boston, NYC, DC, Chicago, and San Francisco. They focus on various career fields and career transition issues. The concept was developed by the Alumni Council’s Career Services Committee in conjunction with the Alumni Relations and Career Services staffs.

Real World
Each January, the Alumni Council’s Winter meeting coincides with this important program for seniors at Colgate. A series of seminars and workshops is planned to help students adjust to life after Colgate and to be successful in their job search. Members of the Alumni Council play a critical role in the success of this program by helping to plan it, by moderating and appearing on the dozens of panels that students attend, and by networking with students between panels. Real World is a signature Colgate program, and the participation of Colgate alumni differentiates it from programs offered by peer schools.

The Partnership for Community Development (PCD) and Hamilton Initiative
This non-profit organization was established in 1999 to “enhance economic opportunity and community vitality in and around Hamilton, New York.” The PCD has been instrumental in the revitalization of Hamilton and the Alumni Council provided financial and professional support during its formation. A major fundraising effort of the past few years, the Hamilton Initiative was founded to revitalize the downtown buildings owned by the LLC. In recognition of the importance of this project, the Alumni Council demonstrates its commitment and 100% of the sitting board made a financial commitment.

Student Networking and Mentoring
The Alumni Council meets with hundreds of students over the course of the year, hosting networking receptions and inviting student panelists and presenters to committee meetings. Council members also find informal time on and off campus for individual and small group meetings with students.

Sophomore Year Spring Break Immersion Programs
Members of the Council, working with the Career Services Sophomore Year Experience Offices, have created and organize three alternative spring break programs: NGO’s in Washington, DC, the Arts in New York City, and Education in Boston.

Communications
Each Alumni Council member reaches out to his/her personal network to share information about Colgate and act as the liaison with the university. They played a critical role in the development of the alumni website, colgateconnect.org, and also serve as advisors on the Colgate SCENE, e-communications and other publications.

Maroon-News
In every edition of the paper, there is an alumni column and volunteers from the Alumni Council frequently author these articles. The topics vary considerably and provide a forum for our alumni and another means of raising student awareness of their involvement with Colgate.

Rowdy Raiders
This program—through distribution of T-shirts and hosting of special events before games — encourages greater fan participation at sporting events. Council members initiated this program and continue to provide financial support.

Focus Groups
The Council provided advice on important Hamilton Initiative plans, ideas for Alumni
Intellectual Engagement, and other topics of interest to the university.

Volunteer Leadership Summit I and II
Leading Colgate volunteers, representing Admissions, Advancement, Area Clubs, Colgate Affinity Groups, and other volunteer groups, joined the Council in brainstorming new and better ways to connect alumni to Colgate and to one another. Great ideas and new energy were abundant as the Council received front-line critique and advice from some of Colgate’s top volunteers. The Council is committed to inviting key volunteers on a regular basis at future meetings.

Annual Fund Outreach
The Council often offers to help the Advancement team in the home stretch of Annual Fund solicitations. The goal is to bring in an additional 1% participation—which would have a material effect on Colgate’s US News and World Report ranking—by having each willing Council member contact five alumni who have not yet given this year.

Young Alumni Connectedness
The Council has been generating ideas to help recent graduates feel more connected to Colgate, finding ways to meet their needs, get them involved and keep their voices heard in the dialogue. A measure of success will be increasing young alumni participation. There have been many ideas generated and implemented including young alumni events and “Welcome to the City” receptions.

Financial Participation
The Council understands the importance of investing in Colgate’s future, as generation of alumni have done in the past. While the size of members’ gifts vary greatly, 100% of the Council makes annual gifts to Colgate.