ASIJ Alumni Connect

We take a look at how ASIJ’s latest initiative has helped alumni network, build new connections and share career advice.

Staying connected to our alumni is one of ASIJ’s overriding goals — even if COVID-19 is demanding work from home, social distancing, and the canceling of events. Our challenge was to find a way for us to continue to engage with alumni during the pandemic. What could bridge the personal connection and keep us in-touch? As platforms such as Zoom gained a higher profile and expanded usage we saw an opportunity for us to stay in touch and a way we could launch our new program — ASIJ Alumni Connect: Industry Meetup.

At many schools this year, online events are replacing inperson reunions, alumni receptions, and small group gatherings of classmates. The shift to new platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet is providing an option that actually fits ASIJ’s global alumni community quite well. With alumni spread across multiple time zones, using Zoom allows for convenient meeting times, eliminates travel costs and encourages attendance by those across the generations. Perhaps most surprising is the high degree of connectivity attendees find with each other in a Zoom session. “It was the best alumni event. It was

Director of Institutional Advancement Clive Watkins moderates the inaugural Alumni Connect

extraordinary to be with so many ASIJ Alumni from so across the decades,” commented Joseph Schmelzeis ’80.

How does Alumni Connect work? ASIJ graduates, with a shared interest in a particular industry, attend a panel presentation by fellow alumni and then break into discussion sections to make further connections with each other. Mifumi Asano ’02 said “I seriously loved the breakout room. We definitely got to know each other better and it was great seeing some old friends. I cannot wait for another one!” Meaningful conversation and shared experiences benefit everyone and the format makes it easy to attend, whether you were located in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco or New York. ASIJ graduates from the 70s and 80s are just as likely to attend as recent college graduates and everyone brings something to the discussion. Stefanie Mullins Johnson ’86 said “it hit all the right notes — structured but free-flowing and authentic.” The conversation provides new and refreshing ways to forge stronger bonds in our alumni community.

Offering young alumni this type of opportunity has brought more to our alumni network, with an enthusiasm for ASIJ that is matched by alumni who graduated long before. We know that ASIJ graduates share special bonds with their classmates. Stories about sports, teachers, favorite hangouts and great food usually abound at every alumni gathering, but Alumni Connect offers another path to forge a relationship focused on industry topics. Rei Suzuki ’84 highlighted that “it is critical to get the young alums involved in the alumni community at an early stage.” ASIJ’s Alumni Connect is bringing the past forward and making an even stronger bond across the decades. Alumni are sharing valuable insights with recent graduates and finding out what their own classmates have been up to in the decades since they walked the halls at ASIJ.

Whether you were a successful entrepreneur on your third or fourth start-up, or a young college graduate struggling to launch your first idea, Alumni Connect’s entrepreneurship panel on December 9 offered something for you. Moderated by Brian Nelson ’85, a veteran of several start-ups, the panel included Philip Seiji Vincent ’07 the founder and CEO of Plug and Play, Kay Teo ’12 the director of Dining Innovation and Hee Gun Eom ’12 from recruitment platform Skillzilla.

The February 26 session on international relations brought together alumni with an interest in world affairs and desire to work in the field of public policy and/or government relations. For experienced foreign service professionals such as panelist Steve Knode ’86 this was an opportunity to share their career experience. Joe Schmelzeis ’80 drew on his experience as Senior Advisor to the Ambassador at the US Embassy in Tokyo, while Asmita Barua ’96 shared what it is like working at the United Nations and Hannah Rosenfeld ’13 discussed her work for the Center for International Private Enterprise’s Asia and Pacific team. Younger alumni took the opportunity to discuss decisions about graduate school and sought guidance on when or whether to attend in the breakout rooms.

Seiji Vincent ’07 shares his advice with attendees of the entrepreneurship alumni connect

As we go to print the details of our third event of the year are being finalized and the May 20 Alumni Connect will focus on the area of sustainability. Our panelists are Robert Redlinger ’81, Robin Lewis ’06, Mirei Takashima Claremon ’00 and Mana Saza ’14.

The series will continue next fall with our next session planned for early October. We welcome suggestions for topics and participants, so please get in touch with the Advancement Office with your feedback. You can reach us at <alumni@asij.ac.jp>.