Members of BU’s alumni community have given more than 1,000 hours of volunteering in the last academic year.
This figure represents contributions from more than 140 graduates who have supported BU staff and students through guest lectures and masterclasses and course advisory panels, as well as by sharing their experiences through case studies and at open days.
Levels of alumni volunteering have increased significantly since 2018/19, largely due to a new alumni mentoring scheme which provides students with one-to-one support as they approach the end of their studies. These scheme has matched 116 students with graduates now working in industry.
Jonathan Goode, Head of Alumni Relations, said: “Our volunteering programme seeks to engage alumni in activities which enrich the academic experience, enhance student employability and build the reputation of BU. So many graduates want to give back and support the university and it is fantastic to see them sharing their experiences and insights to benefit the next generation.”
The alumni mentoring programme is designed to support final year and Master's students as they prepare to make the transition from education to employment. The scheme matches students with a mentor working in a relevant industry, who can share advice on areas such as preparing for interviews or building networks.
BA (Hons) Public Relations student, Yana Miladinova, was among those to be matched with a mentor this year. She shared: “It was very helpful to have a mentor in my final year at university. It was amazing to have that additional relationship with a professional from the industry. I would definitely recommend it to other students and I would love to be a mentor in the future.”
Alumni volunteers were invited to a thank you lunch, held at BU in June, to celebrate how their individual activities had combined to make a big impact.
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