Members of BU’s alumni community gave more than 1,200 hours of volunteering over the past academic year.
The figure represents contributions from 176 alumni (a 20 per cent increase on 2018-19) who have supported BU’s staff and students by giving guest lectures and masterclasses, contributing to course advisory panels and by sharing their experiences through case studies and open days. It also encompasses a growing alumni mentoring scheme, which benefited 120 students in 2019-20.
Jonathan Goode, Head of Alumni Relations, said: “Our volunteering programme has continued to grow year on year and we are extremely grateful to the support of our alumni who give back in different ways. Our vision for alumni volunteering is to facilitate activities which enrich the student experience, enhance student employability and build the reputation of BU. It has been satisfying this year to hear how much students value the opportunity to work with alumni. A number of student mentees have gone on to secure work placements and internships as a result of their mentoring relationships.”
Tessa Thomas, a student mentee within psychology, said: “The alumni mentoring scheme has enabled me to gain an understanding of life after graduation and how to navigate my way through applying for jobs and building an outstanding CV. It has also been uplifting building a professional relationship with someone in a position I aspire to be in.”
While this year’s volunteering celebration event had to be cancelled, all volunteers received a digital thank you card to recognise their contribution over the past year.
If you are a member of BU staff who would like to engage alumni in your activities please contact [email protected]. If you are a BU graduate who would like to get more involved, you can register your interest via our online alumni details update form.
