Dr John A Nguyen knew nobody when he arrived at the University of Melbourne to embark on a PhD.
“I packed my bags, said goodbye to Adelaide and came here,” he said.
“But I found a collaborative environment. It was an opportunity to meet really smart, driven and supportive students and faculty members and I wouldn’t have been able to go through my PhD without them.”
A year after graduating, John has joined the University’s Alumni Council, and is excited to help promote the ongoing benefits of the community that has helped him.
“I applied because I wanted to meet my fellow alumni, see where they’re at and discover the amazing things they’ve done,” he said.
“I think there’s a real opportunity to bring people back to the university community, share their stories and support younger generations.”
After graduating from his PhD, which he undertook at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Royal Children’s Hospital, John shifted gears into management consulting.
He returned to study an MBA at the Melbourne Business School, and was impressed by the alumni networking events on offer.
So, he decided to investigate what events he could participate in, as an MDHS alum at the University of Melbourne.
He notes that many alumni aren’t aware of just how many opportunities there are to get involved, something he wants to change now he is on the Alumni Council.
“If you ask 100 alumni if they know about the Alumni Council, I’m sure 99 of them wouldn’t,” John said.
“But everybody should know that they can easily reach out to us, get the conversation going, and ask about how they can be more involved with the alumni community.”
Raising awareness
Fellow early-career Council member Deborah Zhang agrees that a key priority for the Council is lifting the profile of the Council, and the opportunities for alumni engagement in general.
“One of the big issues that’s emerging through our conversations is visibility,” said Deborah, who studied a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Teaching, and now works as a secondary school English teacher.
“We know that people want to remain connected to the university community, and that they’re proud of having gone to the University of Melbourne, and want to share their experiences with others. But they might not understand the platforms to use or what events and places they can go to do that.”
The Alumni Council has up to 18 members, including two non-voting University representatives. The six elected alumni members represent each of the University’s six different faculty groups.
The Council meets at least four times per year. The role includes advising the University on its alumni engagement programs and strategy, representing an informed alumni voice to help guide services and activities for students, and advising on how the University can continue to improve in all areas.
Deborah put her hand up to join the Council after a friend of hers read about it in an alumni newsletter.
“He knew I wanted to gain more leadership experience, particularly as an early-career professional, and he said ‘hey this is a really good opportunity you can apply for’.”
Fostering connections
Before joining the Council, Deborah experienced the personal and professional benefits of the University’s alumni networks first-hand.
In 2019, she moved to Beijing. Not knowing anybody in the city, she attended events run by the Beijing alumni network, and quickly forged new connections.
“For me, it’s really important that there was early-career representation on the Alumni Council,” she said.
“Being on the Alumni Council is an opportunity to advocate for the needs of younger alumni, who maybe aren’t as into events like reunions, but still want to be involved.
“Many younger people also want advice on how they might be able to do a career pivot or career change. That’s really in the zeitgeist at the moment – people can jump from industry to industry, job to job, but there’s still some anxiety about how to do that. Alumni can help.”
Gaining key skills
As well as being an accessible way to give back, both John and Deborah agree that volunteering on the Alumni Council has helped them in their own careers.
For Deborah, that means embracing the opportunity to learn more about strategy and risk management.
“It’s been so helpful being on the Alumni Council, getting a more in-depth understanding of the strategic direction for the University, and the important role alumni play in that,” she said.
As a management consultant, John often advises organisations in the higher education industry. He said being on the Council has allowed him to develop a better understanding of the industry.
“I know how it works internally, which can help me provide better strategic advice to my clients. It’s also been beneficial in terms of knowing what’s on offer for alumni, so when people ask me how to get more involved, I can tell them what the university is doing.”
He is passionate about the benefits that can come from being involved in the alumni community, which can be wide-ranging.
“An alumni community is not just about networking. People find jobs, their partners and friends and colleagues to connect with. There are just so many benefits that come simply from being able to connect over that common ground.”
Learn more about your Alumni Council.