Q: How do you approach your role as Director of Alumni & Parent Relations?
A: In alumni relations, if you're doing it well, you’re fostering and creating opportunities that build collaboration, interest, and connection, and ensure alumni know we value their perspectives and contributions. It's most important to me to see what lights alumni up, then find a way to build a bridge so they come to an event, do a volunteer experience, or invest in our institution and students financially or with the expertise they have. The work has the most impact when the communities you work with feel that you understand them and can connect with them in collaborations that matter to you both.
Q: How does your background in social work inform your position at Puget Sound?
A: It was a bit of back and forth. I did administrative roles in student support, admissions, and advancement before social work. Then I got to manage admissions and student leadership for the Department of Social Work at California State University, Northridge, in Los Angeles, and that's the first time I heard anything about social work. After that, I had the opportunity to work as a research assistant on a grant for the app-based Positive Parenting Program in Southeast Los Angeles.
I became so intrigued by what social workers could do in the community and what it looks like when you're not working for people or telling them what to do, but really working with them. I went and earned my graduate education and worked in advancement at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. I learned how to work with people from very different backgrounds and life experiences on things that they're very passionate about, getting them focused and building alignment on mutually defined goals. It's the same with alumni relations. There are theories of relationship management that come from social work. We smile all the time, but really we're social scientists — you'd be surprised how we use it.
Q: What upcoming events are you most excited about?
A: I always love the milestones and the happy tears, so my favorite day of the year is when people become alumni. I love commencement. I have experience running commencement ceremonies at previous universities, and it really is the moment when the rubber hits the road, and students launch into that next step in life as emerging adults. There is nothing better than watching everyone cry and cheer, and become a delightful mess when their student crosses the stage. And to know that you had a part of that and then to know that that's really where my relationship with them and our office begins, is so exciting.
Students have heard about Alumni & Parent Relations, hopefully, because usually they've been able to engage with an alum as a mentor, as someone that they interviewed, or as someone that offered them an internship, or who came as a class speaker. There are all these different ways that we connect with alumni, but really that post-grad summer is when we start going, ‘Hey, we can't wait to see you as part of this community, we hope that we will be your hub of learning and engagement for the rest of your life.’
Our alumni are the owners of this brand, this experience and what this institution means. We want to show them where the institution is headed, and whatever initiatives or priorities they can take pride in themselves and be a part of supporting. Time, talent, or treasure, we’ll take it all!
Q: What are some of your favorite things that you’ve discovered about campus or Tacoma?
A: I didn't know about the whale skeleton in Harned. I thought that was really cool, as someone who was a Marine bio major until I hit organic chemistry. It was also awesome to see some specimens at the natural history museum. I can't imagine many institutions of this size being able to have such a cool and important resource.
As for off-campus discoveries, the Point Defiance Aquarium has a new river otter baby named Bao, and I cannot wait to go see him! I also live right on Lake Washington, so I can't wait for the weather to warm up. I have a stand-up paddleboard and a kayak, and I will be out there. I'm also updating my certification in scuba diving.
