The prestige of any institution depends a lot on its academic performance. The students enrolled and their achievements and the alumni network at large. The alumni boast a lot about the quality of education provided by an institution. In the by-gone days, the alumni and the alma-mater were distinct, not so well connected, and existed independently. They were just a few institutes that made an effort to connect with alumni through alumni associations.
However, the dawn of social media has favoured the connection of institutions and alumni to a different level. The various networking platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc, have emerged as a reasonable means for the universities to connect with their alumni by creating groups and profiles on these platforms.
Importance of Alumni to MBA students
A strong alumni network is beneficial for students to stay connected with their institution, batchmates, mentors and share about happenings professionally and personally. Some of the students want to pay back to the institute as a means of gratitude. The alumni associations aid to facilitate the same. They also enable the alumni to stay connected with the institute even long after they leave school. Besides this, the alumni work as a support network that can benefit the current MBA students with job openings, social opportunities and also work as a support network.
- Mentoring current students: Most of the alumni have gratitude towards their alma mater. They share a special bond with their institute and are likely to extend support to the current MBA students when the need arises. Connecting with alumni, especially the ones who are industry experts, can benefit the current students. The alumni visit their institute, provide lectures or guidance to the current students with real-life experiences after graduating. The students can also seek support through their journey in the course, a project, or their future decisions.
- Expertise and Guidance: The successful alumni are a talent pool who have worked their way through planning, failures and success. They house a wealth of experience and skills that can be shared with the current MBA students. While the institutions provide their students with the best know-how, practical experience, the real world serves different scenarios. Thus, an alumni expertise through a lecture, school website, newsletters can benefit the students who wish to pursue their interests, seek out job placements and begin their career.
- Career support: Academics in MBA is about applying the theoretical concepts into practical application. Associating with former students through the institute’s alumni network can provide the current students’ career support. The students can benefit by working with alumni in the chosen field and gain some experience. Besides this, the students can get in touch with an alumnus for advice. Thus, more the connections an institute has with its alumni, the more the current students can benefit.
- Placements: The alumni are well placed in their respective organisations. The alumni network serves as one of the largest sources of placement opportunities for MBA students. The alumni can assist the deserving current students in getting placed in their respective organisations.
- Fundraising: A strong alumni network serves as one of the most substantial benefactors an institution can have. The alumni have a strong dedication and gratitude towards their institution. This can be of great help in times of fundraising. The alumni help their alma mater in terms of donations or offer scholarships to the current deserving students.
The alumni network serves as a strong backbone of any institution. Thus, this network serves as a good opportunity for the former students to connect with their batchmates and industry experts, provide guidance to the current students, assist with placements, and payback to their alma mater. Thus choosing an institute with a strong alumni base can benefit one to develop a strong career in today’s business world.
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