By Reid A. Robison, ‘75
IN recent years BYU has placed greater emphasis on providing mentored-learning environments for its students. To continue mentoring opportunities beyond graduation, the BYU Alumni Association has created the Young Alumni Program, which aims to connect recent graduates with older alumni who want to share information regarding career planning, admission to graduate school, financial planning, and general tips on how to succeed in life.
BYU is offering the opportunity for recent grads to make that desired connection through the Young Alumni Program, which serves those who have graduated in the last 10 years. The program leaders seek to establish Young Alumni groups affiliated with alumni chapters around the world.
“We are pleased to create this opportunity,” says Roy A. Brinkerhoff, ’84, alumni relations staff manager who directs chapters in the United States and Canada. “It provides opportunities for interactions between people who have had similar experiences.”
“We want our young alumni to know there is a large organization ready to receive them,” says Todd J. Hendricks, ’00, administrator of the Young Alumni Program. “We also believe they can help. Young alumni are especially helpful during the alumni chapters’ annual back-to-school events each summer. They can share information about attending BYU and help alleviate concerns that students and their parents might have.”
Of particular note is the interest in young alumni activities shown by international students, who, like their U.S. counterparts, can connect with their local chapter and create a bond that will help pave the way for them to return home.
Current alumni chapters experiencing success with their Young Alumni programs are located in such diverse places as Washington, D. C.; Seattle; Phoenix; Logan, Utah; Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Provo. These groups have sponsored training of emeritus alumni on computers, back-to-school events, and financial-planning seminars. The Utah County young alums prepared Gradguide 2002 for this year’s graduating seniors, designed the graduation T-shirt, and sponsored a “Show Me the Money” financial-planning seminar.
