Alumni Voices: my internship in the Alumni Office and why students should get involved

Supporting graduation ceremonies

One of my initial tasks included taking on the challenge of managing the Alumni Office’s presence at the summer graduation ceremonies. Thanks to my colleagues I was able to learn a lot about the many benefits available to graduates as well as students from the Alumni Office. I enjoyed being there and sharing those resources with graduates who were very keen to learn about opportunities such as mentoring and connecting with others on King’s Connect which is an online networking platform where current students can connect with alumni.

Welcome Week for new students

From being a part of a celebration where I got to see the graduates end a chapter at King’s, I had the next task of welcoming freshers who are just starting a new chapter at King’s. During Welcome Week, I had the opportunity to introduce new students to King’s Connect and the many resources the Alumni Office has to offer. We also ran a Ask Us Anything, online Q&A session on King’s Connect. This gave freshers the chance to ask any questions they had about joining the King’s community and gave alumni and returning students the opportunity to share their advice and experiences.

Alumni reunions

I had the amazing opportunity to support organising different reunions, including the John Fry reunion which is an annual event for Guy’s medical alumni who graduated between 1930 and 1986. I learned so much about the various aspects of organising a reunion which made me excited about possibly organising my own reunion sometime in the future!

What I learned

Overall, working in the Alumni Office allowed me to make valuable connections that otherwise would not have been possible. I have received so much advice and was met with so much patience for any questions I had which, as a student, is invaluable. The experience made me so much more comfortable with asking questions, taking the initiative, and going out of my comfort zone.

Five reasons I believe every student should get involved with the Alumni Office

1. The Alumni Office is committed to helping students from freshers to long after you graduate

2. Alumni are fantastic role models and therefore make great mentors for example, there is a leadership mentoring programme

3. There are so many networking opportunities. King’s alumni have similar experiences to you as they were a King’s student too so it’s usually a great place to start building those connections

4. You can begin to learn about the support and resources the Alumni Office has in place for students even after graduation

5. Your shared experience with alumni means they are best suited to give you any advice you may have about university life.

To find out how the Alumni Office can support you, email forever@kcl.ac.uk

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