Southwestern Magazine | Fall 2020

ALUMN I ASSOC I AT I ON ' S L E T T E R 6 | SOUTHWE S T E RN CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY Dear members of the Southwestern University Alumni Association, The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of personal and professional connections. We have all had to learn to connect virtually for guidance, support, and a much-needed laugh. The Southwestern network is a proven connection for our alumni community and our students. Over the last eight months, we have seen increased engagement by alumni—both in the support of one another and in the support of current Southwestern students. When the members of the class of 2020 completed their degrees in May, they met an uncertain job market, with internships rescinded, hiring freezes, and a lack of job opportunities. Our alumni stepped up by mentoring graduates through their job searches and offering short- term virtual experiences through the BridgesAlliance. Current students and recent graduates are gaining professional experience in a virtual world in everything from editing books to developing marketing strategies. Since the start of the pandemic, alumni and friends from around the globe have connected with one another through online programming. Current and retired faculty and alumni participated in the Virtual Travel Program, alumni presented on their professional work, and more than 200 alumni registered for the new virtual book club. The book club's Let’s Talk about It series brought together alumni, faculty, and staff to discuss fiction and nonfiction that addresses racial equity and justice. After hearing that current students were in financial need as a result of the pandemic, more than 853 alumni and friends contributed to the SU Emergency Fund. Many of you supported the fund and received a Southwestern face covering in appreciation. In the early fall, we set out to update our alumni contact information. Over the course of several weeks, more than 3,000 alumni updated or confirmed their mailing addresses, email addresses, and employment information. This allowed more alumni to receive monthly emails, event invitations, and outreach from students interested in their chosen careers. Also this fall, we launched affinity group career communities within PirateConnect (pirateconnect. southwestern.edu) to encourage student–alumni discussions and networks based on campus organization memberships. Hundreds of students and alumni connected through their respective Greek memberships and involvement in organizations in the Coalition for Diversity and Social Justice. The world may be changing, but our community is growing even stronger. Throughout the upcoming year, the Alumni Council will focus its work to connect alumni even further through its three main goals: ■ Supporting student internships ■ Supporting first-generation college students ■ Providing professional-development opportunities for alumni and students TheseinitiativescomplementandsupporttheUniversity's advising and retention efforts. Also, they intersect with the more timely challenges of COVID-19 and work to heal the racial injustice in our society. I hope you will consider how you wish to be connected to the Southwestern community—near and far. Please reach out with questions or ideas to alumni@ southwestern.edu. Megan Frisque Associate Vice President for Alumni and Parent Relations