By Stephen A. Jones, School of Accounting and Finance
“Alumni are looking for means to stay connected with fellow alumni, the School and the University, and they’re seeking ways to give back,” says Elaine Lee (BA ’03), the new President of the SAF Alumni Association. “We want to meet their needs by keeping them engaged and by showing how they can make a contribution.”
Elaine, formerly the Association’s Vice-President of Communications, heads a team that includes: Dinesh Balakrishnan (MAcc ’14), VP Young Alumni; Victoria Davies (MAcc ’88), VP Connections and Events; and Arthur Wang (MAcc ’13), VP Communications, along with continuing executives Vlad Moisseykin (MAcc ’08), Gavin Swartzman (MAcc ’88) and Jesse Waltman (MAcc ’05).
When asked about her decision to lead the Association, Elaine explained “I am proud to be a SAF grad and wanted to share and grow this feeling with other alumni by creating opportunities to stay connected with the School and each other.”
Aside from her Alumni Association duties, Elaine is Senior Manager, Finance at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and has an extensive background of involvement in a variety of areas. She has chaired the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s successful Federated Health Campaign, founded a conference to empower unemployed women in the GTA, and is active with CPA Canada’s Audit Data Analytics Committee.
Alumni are generally looking to the Association for three things, suggests Dinesh, the first person to take on the executive’s newest position; VP Young Alumni. They want a social element—for reconnecting with old friends and making new ones; a professional development element—for learning, growth, and career progression; and a philanthropic element—for opportunities to give back.
Building on solid foundation
“Our vision is to encourage alumni to get involved and stay connected straight out of graduation as Class Champions, and to leverage the Class Champion program and social media to stay in contact,” explains Elaine. Coincidentally, this is exactly the program that inspired her VP Young Alumni, Dinesh, to consider joining the Association.
For his part, Dinesh will work with a newly formed Young Alumni committee. “The most promising areas for growth and innovation will come from feedback and new ideas from alumni,” he predicts. “The key challenge is ensuring our approach is as diverse as the interests of the alumni.”
The new alumni executives would of course love to see 100 percent participation by alumni. “But that’s easier said than done!” Dinesh admits. Some initiatives will resonate better than others. As his colleague Victoria says, “I think it’s about finding the right balance and setting realistic goals.”
Association and School connection
The SAF is a symbol of strength for all alumni, according to Dinesh. “Whether it’s through the development of program offerings, or support of the diverse achievements of students, the SAF provides a firm platform for students to launch and grow their careers and interests,” he says.
Executive members agree that alumni want the SAF to maintain its strong presence in the marketplace, and to build on its reputation as a leader academically and professionally. They expect the School to attract high calibre students who will graduate with strong business acumen.
To ensure this vision does not go unnoticed, Elaine envisions the Alumni Association assisting the School with finding classroom guests speakers, nominating alumni for the Fellowship program, or helping arrange co-op terms to get alumni more engaged with students.
At the same time, alumni are often just as keen to know what’s happening at SAF. “They want to hear about new courses, skills being taught such as data analytics, as well as new computer labs, professors, retirements, and much else,” Elaine observes. While alumni are certainly interested in what the school is doing today, Victoria contends that many are “simply very proud of what the school gave us” and want to maintain that pride.
Share your feedback and new ideas with us, we'd be delighted to hear from you! E-mail us at safaa@uwaterloo.ca.