Seeking new GSAA Board members

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Expanding Horizons:
GSAA Invites Alumni to Shape the Future of Alumni Engagement

Application Deadline: March 1, 2024
 

To foster strong alumni connections, the Graduate School Alumni Association (GSAA) extends an invitation to our alumni to play a more active role in shaping the future by joining the GSAA Board. Working in tandem with Dean Lynn Cooley, the Yale Alumni Association (YAA), the Office of Career Strategy (OCS), and the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the GSAA Board’s mission to build community among the vast network of the Graduate School's over 30,000 alumni.

Navigating Career Paths Within and Beyond Academia

The GSAA is actively engaged in supporting current students in understanding and exploring career opportunities beyond the academic realm. By participating in programs such as "Where Do I Go from Yale?" from the Office of Career Strategies and YAA's "Careers, Life, and Yale," the GSAA aims to broaden the horizons of current students and prepare them for diverse career paths.

Strengthening Local Connections

Recognizing the importance of local connections, the GSAA is dedicated to involving Graduate School alumni with local Yale Clubs. By fostering a sense of community beyond campus borders, this initiative aims to create lasting bonds among alumni.

Building Bridges Through Cross Campus

One of the key initiatives of the GSAA involves leveraging the university’s Cross Campus mentoring and networking platform to connect alumni with fellow alumni and current students actively seeking mentors in their respective fields and industries. 

Collaborating With Academic Departments

A distinctive feature of GSAA's efforts involves working closely with individual departments to facilitate connections between current students, faculty members, and alumni who have pursued diverse career trajectories. This collaborative approach seeks to enrich academic experience and provide valuable insights into the various paths graduates can take.

Diverse Perspectives for a Robust Board

The Graduate School has seen significant benefits from the growing demographic diversity of its student cohorts. The GSAA encourages candidates from varied backgrounds to actively participate in Graduate School alumni activities, thereby contributing to the vibrancy of the alum and student communities.

The GSAA board, comprising 30 voting members who serve staggered three-year terms, is looking to create a dynamic and diverse composition. We seek individuals whose graduate education span the divisions of knowledge, whose careers reach across various sectors, who represent diverse life stages, and who can call on experiences that enrich the Board’s efforts. Note: the Board does not have fiduciary responsibilities.

An Open Call for Involvement

Interested alums should submit an online application by March 1, 2024. Applications will take 15-30 minutes to complete, and include a request for a recent resume. 

Additional information about the Board activities, committees, and member roles and responsibilities may be found on the GSAA Board website.

Individuals with have further questions or want to explore potential contributions, please contact any of the following GSAA leaders:

  • Jia Chen, ’00 PhD, Physics, GSAA Board Chair
  • Ed Balleisen, ’85 PhD History, GSAA Board Vice Chair
  • David Sanchez ’84 Political Science, GSAA Board Secretary
  • James Shulman, ’93 PhD, Renaissance Studies, GSAA Board Immediate Past President and Chair, Nominating Committee

The GSAA looks forward to the active involvement of its alumni in these exciting activities, as together, they work towards keeping Yale graduate education adaptable to evolving work environments and strengthening alumni networks.

Posted: December 12, 2023