By Ralph Ranalli
THE HKS WASHINGTON, D.C., Alumni Council has consistently worked to inspire connections and provide professional development. Today, alumni in the region are facing new and difficult challenges related to federal policy shifts—and the Council has stepped up to strengthen the community and offer resources.
“Especially this year, there has been a push for more practical and hands-on, practitioner-based convenings,” says Gwen Young MPP 1993, a member of the Council’s leadership team. “Not just on the latest research or the latest author or topic, but more related to what’s going on in the job environment, or in the business world or the world of the government.”
With an increased demand for professional networking and job assistance, the Council shared HKS-specific content as well as career and employment resources from other Harvard professional schools. They regularly email their list of 4,500 HKS alumni with programming news and career guidance and have established two-way communication to ensure events are shaped by alumni feedback. As one example, the Council listened to alumni to identify specific support they needed to address the changing political landscape, then held panels about job transitions, career pivots, and opportunities in public service across sectors. These events supplemented the Council’s traditional programming, including its signature reception welcoming new alumni to D.C. The Council is also developing a more interactive website with accessible resources for all members and has expanded its social media presence across multiple platforms to better connect with alumni and meet them where they are. Other efforts include curating resources on career development, mental health, and how to leverage alumni expertise for advocacy.
“We have always said that the alumni are a lifetime community of people who have committed themselves to public service,” says David Rosenberg MC/MPA 1986, a member of the leadership team. “To be clear, when we talk about public service, we’re not just talking about government service. We’re talking about public service nonprofits, private organizations that do things related to government, contractors, consultants, foundations—it’s very, very broad.”
The Council’s efforts to nurture an inclusive environment for all D.C.-area alumni in public service have paid off. Says Rosenberg, “We are a local, geographical group that tries to give people a closer community, which is what people liked about the School. Opportunities to learn from peers about issues and methods and to make comparisons across locations and states and countries—we help to develop networks to assist them in their public service careers.”