INTRODUCING THE ALUMNI & PARENTS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

By Betsy Seaton, Director of Alumni& Parent Engagement

IN OCTOBER , GUILFORD COLLEGE launched a volunteer program for our alumni, parents and friends of the College. I spent a lot of time talking with alumni, parents, campus colleagues and students. I spoke to each of them about what Guilford means to them. Over and over, I heard the same thing: Guilford College is so special because of the relationships that are built here.

This new volunteer program simply builds on that — creating networks that can help support students. Through the program, today’s students can work with our alumni to learn, grow and succeed during their time here at Guilford. But most importantly, it will impact their success after they leave the safety of Guilford’s grounds.

There are a lot of ways to participate. You can have a one-on-one conversation with a student in an “Informative Interview,” which may last 30 minutes to an hour. During this phone call, you could discuss your career path, answer questions a student may have about graduate school or help review their resume.

Another way is to host an event for incoming or prospective students in your area — or even other alumni. This is a great way to embrace Guilford for those of you who don’t live locally. Finally, if you like to volunteer from the comfort of your own home, you could simply hand-write some notes to prospective students or parents about your experience here at Guilford.

You can learn more by visiting www.giving.guilford. edu/volunteer. There you’ll find more examples of ways to get involved as well as an easy online form to begin your volunteer experience.

Through The Guilford Edge, we’ve made a strong commitment to our students to help guide them through their time at Guilford and prepare them for whatever comes next. But we can’t do it without your help — we need your advice, your expertise and your guidance to make this program a success.

Through your support and with your help, we can truly make a difference in the lives of today’s students. Betsy Seaton Director of Alumni & Parent Engagement LEARN MORE To begin your volunteer experience, visit www.giving.guilford.edu/volunteer

Photo by Jenna Schad