Alumni Offer Exclusive Insight

We invite our alumni to become a part of the Alumni Insider’s View…Program, a great way to help students make the most of all that St. John’s has to offer and get a head start on a rewarding career after graduation.

Last fall, over 800 students attended at least one of 24 AIV events. They benefitted from the personal expertise of over 150 alumni who are committed to helping them succeed in college and develop the skills necessary to begin a rewarding career after graduation.

This spring, it can be your turn to become a part of these very special programs.

“The Alumni Insider’s View…Programs are great opportunities for both our students and alumni to benefit from interacting with each other,” said Victor Ramos ’91CBA, ’93MBA, Associate Vice President, Division of Institutional Advancement. “From the students’ point of view, they’re mentored by some of our most successful and committed alumni, and the information and guidance that they receive is really priceless. On the other side, the alumni get to meet bright students with a great work ethic who are eager to do whatever is necessary to succeed in college and in their future careers. Those are the students they’ll keep in mind when they’re looking to hire new employees for their own firms. These programs are a win-win for everyone.”

While the majority of AIV programs were held on the Queens and Staten Island campuses, there were a few in which students traveled to interesting off-campus locations for one-of-a-kind real world experiences.

At the 30th Annual AIV…U.S. Capital program, students participated in panel discussions and were taken on exclusive tours of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Capitol. The AIV…Day on Wall Street brought students to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, and included a visit to Standard and Poor’s and the vault of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation.

To encourage student feedback and foster all-important student to student communication, we introduced myAIV, in which Student Insiders share their videos on Facebook and Twitter.

Many alumni were eager to participate in AIV because it was a new, different and very personal way for them to give back to the University. They were happy to offer current students information and resources that were unavailable during their own time on campus, and saw their involvement as an excellent way to foster student success.

“When I was a student, I had the help of professors, but not as much help from alumni who had recently graduated,” recalled Lisa Dixon ’07C “It’s the alumni who can best help current students figure out what is involved after you graduate, what’s available to you and what paths you can take.”

Students who participated in last semester’s AIV agreed that having access to alumni was extremely beneficial. They realized that the skills they acquire today will help them to make decisions that will greatly impact their lives after graduation.

“I’m looking to apply to graduate school now and I’m running into a lot of questions, like which degree is the best route for me and what career I would enjoy most,” said senior Physics major Taylor Leach. “I appreciate hearing the alumni’s perspective and I hope I can use it to avoid some mistakes based on their experiences and advice.”

There are more than 35 AIV programs already planned for the upcoming Spring semester. We invite alumni to participate in these valuable events that focus on areas such as speed networking, business etiquette and mock interviews. There’s even an exciting business plan competition where alumni can serve as mentors for future entrepreneurs.

Albany area alumni may want to take part in a special, one-day program that brings students to the New York State Capital for an “Insider’s View” at what really happens every day in state government.

Alumni Insider’s View – access to alumni and insight you won’t get anywhere else!

To learn more about AIV, please visit www.stjohns.edu/aiv.

For information about Alumni Insider’s View…Programs in general, please call Mark Andrews, Associate Director, Office of Alumni Relations at (718) 990-5897 or e-mail andrewsm@stjohns.edu.

For information about Alumni Insider’s View…Programs on the Staten Island campus, please call Nicholas A. Legakis ’97SVC, ’07MPS, Director, Institutional Advancement, Staten Island at (718) 390-4146 or e-mail legakisn@stjohns.edu.