Engineering Foundation creates Young Alumni Advisory Board
In an effort to help engage younger NC State Engineering alumni in their relationship with their alma mater and provide an opportunity for them to connect with each other, the NC State Engineering Foundation has created the Young Alumni Advisory Board (YAAB). This board, made of 18 young professionals, represents various engineering disciplines from NC State classes of 2003 and later.
The YAAB strives to increase involvement with the College by helping cultivate and foster a community of young NC State engineers while also promoting and encouraging opportunities for those alumni to give back to the College. The board is made up of four committees, each with a chair: Events — Laura Geary ’17 industrial and systems engineering, Communications — Joseph Silvers ’12 electrical engineering, College Relations — Sam Wurst ’15 industrial and systems engineering, and Development — Jacob Bowes ’16 civil engineering.
“Expanding the communication channels between the College and young alumni, hosting networking and informational events, increasing interactions between young alumni and current NC State Engineering students, and growing the number of young alumni who give back to the College, these are some of the board’s goals,” shared Silvers.
Looking to long-term goals, Silvers said it could be summed up in one word: sustain. “We want young alumni to sustain their involvement with NC State and to sustain their support of the College throughout their professional careers and their lives.”
The board made its first steps in connecting with young alumni with a networking event held on May 22 to help establish the first annual young alumni and new graduate celebration. A total of 75 alumni attended, coming together over appetizers and drinks on NC State’s Centennial Campus to hear a panel of six expert engineering graduates talk about the different career paths they took, highlighting the multitude of options available to someone with an engineering degree from NC State.
“The event in May was a huge success. We had a full house at the Lonnie Poole club house, and there was a lot of great interaction and discussion among all attendees,” said Silvers. “The high event registration numbers indicate that there are young alumni in Raleigh and the surrounding areas who want to engage with the college and other alumni, and we look forward to carrying that interest and excitement forward as a board.”
The YAAB is currently planning a special event for young alumni during the College’s homecoming celebration the weekend of Nov. 2-4, 2018. To learn more about this event and the Young Alumni Advisory Board, please contact Erica Fuller, assistant director of development and alumni engagement with the Engineering Foundation, at eacinder@ncsu.edu.
Return to contents or download the Fall/Winter 2018 NC State Engineering magazine (PDF, 3MB).
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