Scholarship funds, job connections result from the efforts of regional alumni groups.
Elon’s Washington, D.C., alumni chapter recently won an award that will fund two $1,000 scholarships for Elon students interning at The Washington Center, a nonprofit that connects college students with challenging opportunities to work and learn in the nation’s capital for academic credit.
The chapter was selected as one of two recipients for an annual award given by the Capital Alumni Network, an organization comprised of more than 250 groups in the Washington, D.C., area. Each year, CAN awards the $2,000 Mark R. Tallarico Scholarship to members that demonstrate outstanding commitment to alumni development. The other recipient was the University of Michigan.
“It’s amazing to be recognized for all the hard work our board and volunteers put into our local chapter and its programming,” said chapter president Jennifer Heilman ’07. “And, more importantly, we wouldn’t be successful without the participation and support of our alumni.”
The chapter was also awarded CAN’s Outstanding Social Networking and Development Award for its professional development opportunities and cultural enrichment programming.
Several Elon alumni chapters also took part in a recent event series designed by the Young Alumni Council to help current students transition more easily from campus life to internships or post-graduation jobs in major cities around the country.
The “Destination…” events held each spring provide current students with a look into life after college in cities such as Boston, New York and Atlanta from the perspective of Elon’s young alumni. Graduates contribute to a panel discussion about the city they live in and answer questions from current students.
“I attended the Destination Chicago event to learn more about human services connections in the area,” says Ellie Erickson ’13, a recent Elon graduate who plans to pursue a career in social work in Chicago. “Working with the alumni engagement office, I was connected with two Elon alumni now living in Chicago who also majored in human services studies. I’ve since talked to both of them, and will meet with one soon to discuss job opportunities.”
The Elon Alumni Association is committed to engaging alumni as partners, advocates and investors in the university. To learn more about the work of the Elon Alumni Association, visit www.elon.edu/alumni.