Murdoch launches a new program for young alumni.
Murdoch University has over 88,000 alumni, whose ages range from 18 to 100. Recognising that interests, needs and priorities vary greatly depending on age, Murdoch’s Alumni Relations team have launched a new initiative specifically tailored for young alumni aged 18-35. The program is called ‘Alumni After Dark’ (AAD).
Featuring videos, events, information, social activities, advice, skills training, and networking opportunities, Alumni After Dark has been designed to address the priorities of our younger alumni cohort.
The most critical priority for this group is often the first stages of securing employment and commencing building a career. A huge topic that involves self-promotion, resumes, cover letters, getting a foot in the door or first experience in a desired profession, mentors, networks, and the myriad of ways to stand out from the crowd and establish a career path. AAD will regularly feature presenters who specialise in all aspects of career building.
To kick things off, the first products in the AAD suite feature video presentations from career specialists, financial experts and an entrepreneur. All are Murdoch alumni themselves and therefore ideally placed to advise new alumni on the journey ahead.
In one video featuring a lively panel discussion Murdoch’s Careers Manager, Suzanne Knuiman, was joined by Karen Thompson (B Commerce 2005) and Tracey McGrath (B Psychology 1997). Known among peers as a ‘Queen of Networking’, Karen outlined the importance of crafting and managing your own personal brand. She detailed strategies for finding your professional niche, the power of resilience and the unforeseen benefits of joining professional associations.
(L-R Karen Thompson, Tracey McGrath and Suzanne Knuiman)
Tracey used numerous personal examples to illustrate the challenges and opportunities found in all corners of a career journey and explained how to stop being a tenant in your own life. The engaging discussion covered goal setting, relationship building and included insightful examples of leaving personal comfort zones and handling fear.
Alumni After Dark has also created three videos that cover the world of financial planning, superannuation and wealth management. Murdoch alumnus Dawn Thomas (B Media B Mass Comms 2006) provides an easily comprehensible guide to superannuation and planning for retirement. Fellow alumnus Chloe Leow (B Criminology 2012) gives a unique presentation covering the financial knowledge she wished she had known in her 20s. Then the two presenters join forces, going head to head for a quick Q&A on all matters fiscal.
(L-R Dawn Thomas, Chloe Liew)
Rounding out the first presentations for AAD is fellow alumnus and well-known local entrepreneur Jeremy Chetty. Co-Founder and Director of Student Edge and current Entrepreneur in Residence at Murdoch, Jeremy discusses the world of start-ups and small business and delves into how commercial enterprises can seek to pivot when addressing the challenges brought on globally by the pandemic.
This collection of presentations is a timely launch for this new young alumni venture and all three elements have common themes of creativity, self-development, future focus and doing things differently. If you haven’t seen them yet and wish to register, as well as receive notification of future AAD initiatives and events, just sign up here.
Also, if you have a subject you’d love to see tackled by Alumni After Dark in the future, you can let us know here.
