DCU’s Student Alumni Initiative (SAI) plans to closely align itself with DCU Clubs and Socs and Class Reps to enable students to network and connect with the graduate community and develop contacts while they are still at university.
It intends to create linkages between Clubs and Socs and Class Reps and postgraduates from a wide range of industries and areas.
Member of the Alumni Council and DCU Electronic Engineering graduate, Peter Smith, said at the SAI meeting last week that “graduating should not end student’s relationship with the university, it should continue all the way through their careers”.
The SAI currently has 48,000 graduates on its database. “There is a huge body of graduates out there that are very interested in supporting everything the university does whether it’s finding jobs for new graduates or all of the other initiatives,” said Peter Smith.
“The council is about creating that continuous connection between the student body, the college and all the graduates who work in all fields in all the countries around the world.”
SAI Co-Chairperson and PR Officer, Nicole O’Connor, studies Journalism. She explained that building contacts was an important part of her course and that she got involved with the initiative to try and gain contacts in her area of work.
On the other hand in the computing industry students don’t really need contacts, as explained SAI Co-Chairperson, Jessica McGrath. The second-year Computer Application student feels her course is more about “what you know and how you do it”. For her, the initiative was more about trying to get work experience and finding out about different areas in the industry.
The SAI wants to tailor events to each branch of studies on campus and encourages students to get involved.
SAI Relations Officer, Celine Nic Oireachtaigh, emphasised that alumni was not just for postgrads and is a great resource for current students also.
Marie Lecoq
Image Credit: Marie Lecoq
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