Dear Alumni Family,
And just like that it is December again—another year flew before our eyes. I don’t know if the pandemic modified our sense of time, or maybe I am getting a little older, but this particular year went by even faster than others. Fortunately, we have been working hard and steadily, building a pipeline of projects and activities that will serve our community, so it’s been fast paced but productive.
As most of you might know, the Board works in committees that may or may not change depending on the year. This time around we decided to maintain last year’s lineup: Executive Committee, Engagement and Continuing Education Pilot, Connections and Mentoring, Recognition and Communications, Diversity and Enrollment, Reunion and Annual Meeting, and Nominating Committee. If you want to know more about what each committee has planned for this year you can check out our webpage.
Two weeks ago, the Board had its first in-person meeting in three years. I am happy to report that it was a very good and productive meeting. As the 12 newly elected and appointed Board members started out at the onset of this new 2022–2023 cycle, one of our top priorities has been to onboard them. This process not only requires providing them with all the material and information they need to be set up for success, but also to make them feel at home, and the Board meeting was the perfect place to start building this community.
During the meeting, we had a chance to meet and have very stimulating and informational conversations with Dean Elmendorf and Senior Associate Dean Christy Jackowitz. We also spent time with KSSG representatives talking about student life and needs. But most importantly, we had a chance to work together, discuss ideas and issues related to alumni life and build stronger ties by participating in a community building exercise to explore our journey as alumni, and our priorities as members of the Board. As an awesome treat, we had the chance to “go back to the classroom” enjoying an interesting talk by Professor Eric Rosenbach.
The Board meeting not only reminded us of the beauty and importance of talking face-to-face, but also provided us with the opportunity to reaffirm our objectives as a Board. First of all, we are here to serve alumni and to represent them. We come from different walks of life but have a lot in common, mainly our intention to participate in alumni life to serve, to deepen the ties that unite us, and to create a sense of belonging even if most of us are far away from Cambridge. We also believe that it is important to improve and deepen our relationship with the School, always, on the basis of the work that we do and our relationship with the alumni body, to be their true representatives. Finally, building on the work done during the past years we want to cement a Board culture based on the idea that volunteer work should create value for the community it serves, while performed in a cordial and collaborative environment. Working on the Board should be a joyful experience where Board members model the civil, amicable, and productive learning experience that we aim at providing alumni through the initiatives we put in place.
On behalf of all Board members, I wish you all the best for this holiday season and for the new year that will start so soon. We also wish you, your family and friends, a peaceful time to reflect on the values that we share, the differences that make us vibrant, and the challenges that motivate us to keep growing.
Un abrazo, as always,
Corina
Corina Santangelo MPA 1999
Chair, HKS Alumni Board (2022–2023)