Dr. Maria Gallo sees serving on the St. Mike’s Alumni Association board as providing members not only a great way to meet new friends and engage in career networking but also a deeply meaningful opportunity to connect with a place that remains so special in alumni hearts.
That’s why Gallo, the current president of the association, is urging all alumni to consider nominating a talented former classmate or dormmate to fill one of the five spots on the board that will be open this spring. Self-nominations are also welcome. Nominations remain open until March 7.
“The time commitment usually works out to about four hours a month,” says Gallo, noting that board meetings are held every other month, with committee meetings happening monthly. Each member serves on one of three committees: alumni awards, reunion planning and nominations.
A standard term is two years, renewable for another two years.
One of the ideas the board as a whole is currently discussing is the creation of a volunteer bank, where people can see what opportunities are available as well as offer their services and talents for events like workshops or as speakers. Members also continue to brainstorm ways to support students via efforts such as AMPlify, the popular mentorship program allows alumni and students to connect. Member’ opportunities to serve in an advisory capacity to their alma mater offers great personal satisfaction, Gallo says.
One of Gallo’s goals is to continue “democratizing” the board, in hopes of truly capturing the vast range of diversity and experiences of alumni. For example, while the current board has a healthy representation from the 9T0s and recent alumni from the last 15 years, it would be great to see more members from the 6T0s, 7T0s, 8T0s.
“We want to be much more inclusive,” she says.
When applications close on March 7th, all names submitted with be forwarded to the nominations committee, which will create a short list for interviews. The committee will then come up with a final list of candidates, and a vote will be held at the board’s Annual General Meeting, to be held Sat. May 31, during the annual alumni reunion.
For anyone who has pondered joining a board, serving with St. Mike’s allows volunteers a gentle introduction to the responsibilities of board membership, Gallo says.
“It’s a great way to test the waters, to ask yourself, ‘Is this something I want to do?,” says Gallo, adding that the unique nature of the board offers gentle way to learn more about the tasks board members face. It also holds out the opportunity for intergenerational friendships and the chance to listen to people in a variety of different fields.
And those connections are far more than just social links, she adds.
“This is about social capital. You may go together to the pub at reunion and it brings back the magic of St. Mike’s,” she says. “It’s about reminding people of a sense of community and their roots.”
And that awareness – and an ever-stronger St. Mike’s alumni network – can only enhance the experience of today’s students, Gallo notes. Whether by burnishing the university’s reputation, which in turn attracts strong students and outstanding faculty, by tapping in to alumni experiences and expertise, or by encouraging financial support, an engaged and supportive network is able to give back to a place that has given so much to so many.
Please submit Board nominations by March 7th.