With an alumni community of more than 17,000, feeling the sense of connection to your graduate program can seem impossible. However, looking back at the countless hours spent in the Keffer Library and the evenings and weekend that were sacrificed to homework there is no denying that once I graduated there was no looking back as I began a new journey and became a graduate business alumna.
Over the past couple of years, I have been in conversations with others who had no idea that the University of St. Thomas offered such a wide variety of graduate programs. I would then take the opportunity to tell my story and explain my satisfaction and enjoyment in the MBC program at the Opus College of Business.
When the opportunity came to volunteer for Opus College of Business and its programs, I gladly accepted all invitations as my way to give back—including the opportunity to become a member of the OCB Graduate Business Alumni Board. I had no idea there was a group with the mission of building and maintaining a connection to the 17,000 graduate business alumni.
I’ve only been on the board for about a month and have attended one meeting. After the initial feelings of being overwhelmed passed, I gained a new feeling of energy as I realized that I am able to help make a difference within the Opus College of Business community of alumni and current students (future alumni!).
We all continued our education because we have a desire to learn and I would like to keep that desire alive. During my tenure on the Graduate Business Alumni Board I hope to build more of a connection between alumni and current students from all OCB programs through mentoring, volunteering and networking events.
I like quotable quotes and the one that comes to my mind as I enter my first term on the alumni board is from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
To all the new board and current board members, I hope that we can continue work towards our mission of fostering a lifelong connection between the OCB and its graduate alumni by promoting and supporting networking, career enhancement, leadership and learning opportunities.
Alicia Johnston '11 M.B.C., is a Marketing Manager with Taymark, which is part of Taylor Corporation. In this role, Alicia manages one of the newest consumer lines at Taymark. Before joining Taymark in 2011, Alicia worked for five years for at Target Corporation holding various merchandising roles.
