Lily Campbell On the second-floor hallway leading to the band room lies an office few students know about, but many will need in the future. This office is for alumni relations, a department whose goal is to keep alumni connected to Latin and their fellow classmates by hosting events like lunches and seminars These past few weeks, the alumni association hosted an exciting seminar for former Romans. Centered around LinkedIn, it focused on helping former Roman students get acclimated to career development and job searching; in other words, it’s purpose was to help them transition into adult life. The LinkedIn workshop usually happens every winter, but the days vary due to the alums’ busy college schedules. In order to fully understand what being an alum entails, as well as the thought process behind the LinkedIn session, I reached out to Ms. Chu, Associate Director of Alumni Relations. “LinkedIn has become the way people in many professions maintain connections with people of interest,” said Chu. It is a crucial step in the process of getting employed, as it is generally the first place employers check before reading resumes. Employers go to LinkedIn in order to find sophisticated, qualified candidates. For this exact reason, understanding how to use LinkedIn is crucial to navigating the scary adult world. Ms. Chu told me that one of our own Latin alums, Alumni Association Board of Directors Steve Adolph, has an inside spot in the LinkedIn community and is a big supporter of the company. He was a tremendous help in integrating the site into a seminar, and Adolph even enlisted the help of LinkedIn strategist JD Gershbein. Gershebein helped teach the alums how to use LinkedIn, but more specifically how to create a successful profile, whether it be writing “positively and persuasively about themselves,” or just simply putting oneself out there. He also talked strategy with the alums, giving them tips about what aspects of a LinkedIn profile the employers tend to spend the most time on. Denise Orlin, a professional photographer and Latin parent, helped out by sharing her photography skills. She took photos of anyone who wanted a sophisticated, “business-like,” photo to upload and use in their profiles, whether it be on LinkedIn or another platform. The Alumni Relations staff once again worked their magic and found a way to steer the Latin alums on a path to success. Chu commented that the main purpose of the LinkedIn session was for alumni to “walk away with concrete tips and work product which makes them more confident in how to figure out what they want to do, and how to get there.” However, resources for alumni do not end here. Another upcoming seminar is the Thirty Minute Virtual Mentoring program, which, according to Chu, gives “young alumni the chance to connect with established alums of interest no matter where in the world either is located.” The alumni office and association are also constantly in communication with the alums, which helps make the transition into post-high school madness a bit smoother. The adult world can be a scary place at times, but those in alumni relations seem to always be looking out for their fellow Romans. “The main goal of the alumni program is to keep alumni connected to one another and to Latin,” said Chu. This is something that makes our school unique. Our Latin experience doesn’t end once we step off of the stage at Moody; that’s when it actually begins again. After we graduate, we begin our Latin experience as an alum, which means staying connected with peers as well as supporting the school that shaped us. Latin is constantly raising money for scholarships, continuing education, and special programs. A significant portion of the money comes from Latin alums. Because of the alumni program, we never have to truly feel like we are tackling the world alone.]]>