From the Alumni Association: Power of Networking

As I write this letter, the temperature outside my window in Hartford is pushing zero, and freezing rain is in the forecast. To those of you in the Gulf Coast and Arizona chapters, your Alumni Association president is always up for a chapter visit in the depth of winter.

In January, the Alumni Association, working with the Career Services office, held networking events in Philadelphia and New York. These annual events, along with a similar night in Washington, D.C., are among the high points of our year of service. In total, about 300 alumni gathered to touch base, exchange professional contacts, and informally discuss what is happening in their industries. Equally important, Lafayette students joined us—learning networking skills and meeting with a variety of alumni and potential mentors. Keep an eye on the College’s website for information about next year’s events. They are chances not only to gather with a large group of alums in your area and business, but to provide a service to the next generation of Leopards. Remember, the greatest resource for first jobs is an internship or other “shadowing” experience. Contact Career Services if you can offer an opportunity (610-330-5115, careers@lafayette.edu).

One of the Association’s goals has been to increase the academic ties between the College and alumni. Lafayette is now opening up to alumni JSTOR—a digital library of back issues of more than 2,000 scholarly journals. This is being made possible by the Friends of Skillman Library in honor of the library’s 50th anniversary through a generous donation from Arthur ’55 and Barbara Rothkopf. You can access JSTOR by using your alumni network ID. To obtain your network ID, visit http://help.lafayette.edu/faqs/alumni.

This is my last letter as president of your association. The past two years have emphasized for me the importance of alumni to the College—and the importance of the Lafayette experience to so many of us. The friends we made, the skills we developed, and the love for learning that we absorbed have undoubtedly played a large role in creating the people we are today. Thank you for all you do to make those same opportunities available to those who follow us. Keep up the good work.

Cur non.

David Reif ’68
President