Impacting Alumni Careers
Vanderbilt alumni truly are Vanderbilt for Life. By giving back as volunteers and donors, we directly impact future alumni and prepare them to take the next steps in their lives.
Many help students find their way in the real world by sharing career advice and offering internships. I started the Vandy on Madison Avenue summer program a decade ago, and I get such satisfaction watching former student interns, like Lauren Mandel, BA’15, flourish as they make their way to the top of their industries. She is a writers’ assistant on Saturday Night Live and producer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, and is active in helping current students explore media opportunities through Vandy on Madison Avenue.
Alumni volunteers share insight into their professions via email as career advisers and during networking events held on campus and in cities popular for summer internships through the Opening Dores program. Students can even e-shadow alumni during a typical day on the job on Twitter or Instagram through DoresAtWork.
Some alumni in particular go above and beyond. I have gotten to know Todd Graham, BE’96, this year, as we serve together on the Alumni Association Board. A principal with the Booz Allen Hamilton management and information technology consulting firm, he has returned to Vanderbilt for years to recruit students for internships and employment at Booz Allen. I admire his personal approach, taking the time to meet with faculty and engineering student clubs to build a pool of alumni at his firm. He also has consistently given to Vanderbilt for the past 15 years.
Many alumni positively impact students through gifts of all sizes, helping fund scholarships, classroom resources, student clubs, and so many other areas of the Vanderbilt student experience.
The time, energy and financial support alumni give mean so much to Vanderbilt students. If you have not already joined our community of volunteers and donors, I encourage you to find a meaningful role in the areas of Vanderbilt that you want to support today.
—DAN LOVINGER, BA’87