Alumni Insights & Inspirations Stories,

J. BRUCE LLEWELLYN ALUMNI DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

This past year saw the launch of the J. Bruce Llewellyn Alumni Development Program. Thanks to a generous gift by Shahara Ahmad-Llewellyn, a member of the Colin Powell School Board of Visitors, this program supports efforts to connect Colin Powell School alums with one another — for professional networking and community-building — and with the school and its current students in more substantive and substantial ways than ever before. An online networking platform, mentorship program, and professional development workshop series are among the new opportunities available to Colin Powell School alumni. Lesly Calle ‘22 joined the team as Alumni Relations Coordinator alongside Mentoring and Alumni Relations Director Cynthia Gutierrez.

The Powell School launched its own digital alumni community platform on People Grove in Spring 2022. Since then, our alumni network on People Grove has grown to more than 300 people, an increase from 182 in January 2023. This platform facilitates the connection between students and alumni in mentoring programs, alumni community, support for our fellowship programs, and provides a space for sharing career opportunities and resources.

We hosted our first-ever alumni mixer in October, with more than 50 alumni gathering for a memorable evening in Manhattan. The success of this first mixer inspired subsequent meetups, including an event in the newly-renovated Colin Powell School space. Virtual events such as a fireside chat with Dean Rich and an alumni panel on psychology careers expanded access to those outside of New York. A mixer in Washington DC, organized by alumnus Kay Atanda and held at the World Bank, brought together the Semester in DC students and regional alumni.

Over the past year, the Powell School has been actively engaging with its alumni community. The many activities and events held throughout the year have made our students’ lives better, enriched their college experience and invigorated the school’s alumni base. The impressive number of alumni actively participating in these endeavors demonstrates the appetite alumni have for connecting with each other and with the school.