Community
THE ALUMNI IMPACT AT GWSB
The GW School of Business (GWSB) community showed its muscle during 2020–2021 academic year as alumni gave in abundance of what is most valuable: their time and their expertise.
Career treks that normally took small groups of students to New York or San Francisco to meet executives instead became live-streamed events with hundreds of students and alumni from all over the world. Student consulting projects overseas continued from U.S. locations thanks to the virtual participation of companies in other countries. Alumni who never had the time to travel to the GW campus to address classrooms or seminars were now able to jump onto hour-long Zoom calls with students.
Alumni, including members of the Board of Advisors and Corporate Council,also participated in online seminars and workshops, provided scholarship funding, spoke to classes over virtual platforms, offered long-distance mentoring, and supplied career advice. They connected their companies to the GW School of Business to generate case studies, internships, and experiential learning opportunities and made a positive impact that included market-driven curriculum changes.
“During COVID-19, we really relied on our more than 53,000 alumni. And working in the virtual world allowed many more of them to engage with our students and the school,” said Victoria Morgante, associate director of alumni relations at GWSB.
When international borders closed, alumni talked on live-streams to students about disruptions in their industries. Alumni with business links to government agencies provided a front-line commentary of how business and government interact during times of crises. Alumni also stepped forward to take part in the high-profile George Talks Business interview series.
Northrop Grumman CEO and Chair Kathy J. Warden, MBA ’99, spoke on George Talks Business about the importance of advancing women in STEM fields while Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, MBA ’87, chair and president of the Charles Schwab Foundation, discussed financial literacy and financial education. BenevolentAI CEO Joanna Shields, GMBA ’87, was interviewed about creating responsible technology that benefits humanity. And Christophe G. de Taurines, BBA ’86, senior advisor and partner at Long Harbour LTD London detailed his career in private equity fundraising.
Dr. Anuj Mehrotra, dean of the GW School of Business, and Dr. John Lach, dean of the GW School of Engineering, interview Kathy J. Warden (MBA ’99).
Dr. Anuj Mehrotra interviews Christophe G. de Taurines (BBA ’86).
When it came to alumni outreach, everyone was in — from the alumni relations team to the F. David Fowler Career Center to graduate and undergraduate programs to student organizations.
“In the past, student organizations would reach out to alumni on an ad hoc basis,” said Richard Goldstein, assistant vice president of development and alumni relations. “By working with our deans and the student associations and those responsible for student groups, we could support the student organizations. When students need alumni to [virtually] come in, we could pinpoint the right alumni.”
Alumni ambassadors encouraged others to become engaged. Alumni followed the school’s social media accounts and spoke on podcasts about how a GW education helped them build their business. They did this while continuing to channel their philanthropy to support students and strengthen the school. International alumna Isabella Zhang, for example, donated to a new need-based scholarship for two undergraduate women a year for five years. Zhang also contributed her time and service as a member of the GWSB Board of Advisors.
Another alumni member of the Board of Advisors, Marvin Turner, stepped forward to make sure the school’s chapter of the National Black MBA Association regained its accreditation, which unintentionally lapsed during the early months of the pandemic. The accreditation is held by the school, not the student organization. Turner, the D.C. area director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was instrumental in making GW aware of the value of the national connection, which includes scholarships, a case competition and networking opportunities.
Besides increasing alumni engagement, Morgante noted that virtual connections also broadened the diversity of the alumni interactions. More industries were represented. Professionals of all age levels — including retired business leaders — stepped forward. More women and more executives from diverse racial and ethnic groups became involved with the school.
“As in any kind of organization or institution, it’s what the leadership puts value on that is important. I feel strongly that the GW School of Business — from the dean on down — is putting value on alumni engagement and the way we are building our community,” said Goldstein. “Through their continued connection to the school and the overall university, alumni are providing opportunities that are valuable for our students.”