We Heard You
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Over the past two years, Berklee has been developing a strategic plan to improve upon what we already do and to expand upon the programs that are central to Berklee's mission. I want to report on the alumni relations part of the plan.
The college's relationship with a student does not end upon graduation. In an effort to reach out to alumni, staff in the alumni and development offices spoke with thousands of alumni face-to-face, by e-mail, and through surveys. Three commonalities became clear: Berklee graduates want ongoing education, a stronger alumni network, and for the college to be mindful of their locations, careers, and relationships to music.
There are 35,000 Berklee alumni worldwide, and many of you have multifaceted careers. Some of you have put aside your instrument for computer programming manuals or the financial pages to earn a living, but music still remains at the core of daily life for a majority of you. You might start to see our challenge in planning alumni events; no single program will pique the interests of everyone.
Many of you expressed desires for educational programs, so we expanded them. Programs have ranged from the business how to's to the technology how to's. We have also held events for writers, singers, and those who want to jam; museum tours; and a day-long Career Expo.
While most events have been music-related, you have expressed interest in topics like financial and estate planning. For more informaton, visit alumni.berklee.edu. It lists our educational programs and lets you suggest programs you would like us to consider.
This newly launched site has been a major focus of our efforts this past year. While it will continue to evolve, presently you can buy Apple Computer products at the college's educational discount, advertise in Berklee's "yellow pages,” search for gigs, list gigs, and keep up with what other alumni are doing. Future versions may feature a yellow pages section that includes digital files of your music and an online alumni directory.
Some alumni have asked why we create these programs. The answer is straight forward. The focus of the strategic plan is to develop a two-way relationship with alumni and provide advantages to help you succeed in the music industry. One way to accomplish that goal is to strengthen our alumni network in order to help one another become more competitive. Part of that relationship also includes your financial support so that we can continue to provide the music industry, schools, and hospitals with well-prepared graduates.
I welcome your comments, and I look forward to the time when we might meet at an alumni event or even in your living room.
