Media Contact
Jennifer Ellen French
Public Relations Manager
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
[email protected]
ATLANTA — What does it mean to be an alumnus of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies (AYS)? For Troy Crittendon (M.P.A. ’19), who serves as the assistant director of alumni relations for AYS, it’s as simple as feeling like you have a forever home in the college long after graduation. So, this fall, he will launch the AYS Alumni Education Initiative to find ways to foster a deep sense of community within the college’s alumni network and among the alumni of tomorrow.
Crittendon is drawing upon his experiences as a member and president of Georgia State University’s (GSU) Young Alumni Council to develop the initiative.
“I’ve seen the beauty of alumni building community and supporting a cause together,” he said. “We are all brought together and invested in this idea that we’re alums, and there’s community among us. I learned that in the council, and we can build that here at AYS for ourselves.”
He calls the AYS effort an “education initiative” because plans to help graduates who are alumni learn what it means to be a graduate of the college and how being fully engaged with the extended AYS community can benefit them. His office plans to share a series of social media posts that will explain and promote alumni engagement along with planned experiences that help build and bond the AYS alumni community.
“We’re interested in promoting some of the key steps in the experience of an alum,” Crittendon said. “We want to answer the questions, ‘What can I do? How can I get involved?’ So, I crafted a blueprint of the steps it takes to build an alumni family, a community, and how to start by showing up. Each step in the journey is related and will invite our alums to join our family in whatever way is most comfortable for them.”
The initiative will start with undergrad students in their third year of classes up through graduate studies and focus on activities and making connections the first few years after they graduate. The activities will be intentional, varied and accessible.
“We will be sensitive to our alumni who feel they’re too busy to get involved,” he said. “Why not take an hour or two to participate, join us, build your network and uncover new stories from other alumni? It will be worth your time. What’s transcending is the connections you make during these experiences. They enrich not only your professional life, but your journey. They expand your boundaries.”
In addition to networking events, the experiences developed for AYS alumni will reflect the service-oriented nature of the college.
“That’s why many of us went to the Andrew Young School,” he said. “We want to make sure our communities can offer safe and affordable housing and expanded public transportation, that the local community center has the funds and wrap-around resources for children of single-family homes. We want to support the prevention of domestic violence in the household.
“I’d love to see more public service and outreach with these events, see our alumni out there in the community doing work, supporting others who have less. It’s one of our values,” he continued. “Our engagement with this college is rooted in the idea of public policy and public service. I think it’s important for us to remember that, and to have conversations about what it can and should look like for our community.”
How do AYS alumni find these opportunities? The AYS Office of Career Services and Alumni Relations shares them in emails, on its website and through its LinkedIn Digital Community and Facebook Digital Community. To date, the AYS alumni community includes more than 6,500 active email subscribers.
“The easiest way to make sure to learn about our alumni opportunities is to update your information on our website and look out for emails,” Crittendon said. “Go to the Office of Career Services & Alumni Relations page on the website and click on the Get Connected link under the Alumni tab that allows you to subscribe to our mailing list.”
Learn more about being an alum of the Andrew Young School here.