Fostering a Community of Webster Vienna Alumni through New Initiatives

To refocus and reinvigorate its alumni services, WVPU and the Webster Vienna Alumni Association hosted a workshop with some of its most engaged alumni. The online session, held at the end of January, was designed to brainstorm ideas for meeting and addressing the needs of 4,500 Vienna alumni.

During the two-hour workshop and many entertaining moments, the 17 international participants shared ideas on how to invent and reinvent alumni activities. Some of the ideas discussed included expanding opportunities for alumni to support the community (e.g. mentoring, internships and incubators), introducing industry-specific hybrid networking events, "Back to School" talks for alumni on innovative topics, streamlining and reinvigorating alumni communications, providing a searchable database of  alumni and launching a dedicated alumni communications platform.

Alumni can support each other and students with advice, contacts, as clients, in strategic relationships and as potential employees."

"Our Vienna Alumni Association was founded in 2005 and we are proud of the commitment of our alumni. However, there is room for improvement, so this workshop was an excellent opportunity to drive the development of our alumni services," said Verena Karlsson, executive assistant to the director. "The results of this workshop will guide our alumni activities and priorities in the coming years."

To respond to the constructive feedback from the workshop, WVPU has assembled a project team to work closely with Webster Vienna Alumni Association leadership to increase engagement with our community. "Alumni can support each other and students with advice, contacts, as clients, in strategic relationships and as potential employees," said Stefano Cantini, president of the Webster Vienna Alumni Association.

"Webster Vienna knows how important it is to keep the connection between us and the alumni,” said Allison Snowden, special project officer. “Therefore, it is important to listen to them and their needs, which can also lead to a contribution to the University."

The results of this workshop will guide our alumni activities and priorities in the coming years."

In addition to the planned new initiatives, WVPU and the Webster Vienna Alumni Association will continue to offer helpful benefits to alumni, including the opportunity to audit courses for free, access to the library and Learning Centre resources, and grants for second degrees and legacy tuition. Visit the Webster Vienna Alumni Association website to learn about the resources currently available.

Do you have ideas for the Alumni Association or can you give back to the WVPU community? Contact alumni@webster.ac.at.