At the Ford School, we talk a lot about networks and how policy work thrives on relationships, mentorship, and shared experience. Every October and March, that idea comes to life through Alumni Office Hours Month, a program that pairs current students with Ford School alumni for one-on-one career conversations. It's simple in structure but powerful in impact, and this fall, it reached new heights.
We had a record 130 students meet with 50 alumni volunteers, some multiple times. This resulted in 170 total 1-on-1 alumni-student conversations throughout the month.
That's 170 moments of insight, encouragement, and career inspiration, all made possible by the generosity of Ford School alumni who want to give back.
Each semester, Elisabeth Johnston, assistant director of Alumni Relations, begins by reaching out to alumni and inviting them to take part. They choose how many students they'd like to meet. Some alumni take one or two appointments, while others open their calendars wide. No matter how much time they give, the impact is huge.
Once the alumni sign up, the process becomes a Ford School team effort. The list of participating alumni, complete with bios and career summaries, is made available to the students by the Career Services office. The students scroll through the names, find alumni whose experiences resonate with their own interests, and sign up for conversations.
From there, Career Services connects each pair by email, and the rest happens organically. Most meetings take place on Zoom these days, though a few happen over the phone or even in person, but the format doesn't matter much. What matters is the connection.
Students say the conversations often go far beyond résumé advice or internship tips. "I was surprised by how personal and open the discussion felt," said second-year MPP Elizabeth Mugo. "My alum connection really helped me think about the kind of work environment I want to be in and how to get there. It was a confidence booster. It's really encouraging to see where a Ford School degree can take you."
Alumni, too, rave about the experience. "They've all been great and very professional," said Michael Cahill (MPP ‘99), Professor of Law at the Brooklyn Law School.
Behind the scenes, organizing Alumni Office Hours Month is a true logistical feat.
- 50 alumni signed up, from 25 graduating cohorts going back as far as 1981. They represented dozens of policy interests, from advocacy to international development and everything in between. The alumni hailed from 29 cities and seven countries.
- 130 students and hundreds of email introductions require careful coordination, but the payoff is undeniable.
"Alumni Office Hour Month is a strong representation of the strength of the Ford School community. Alumni from across the U.S. and worldwide give time to have intentional conversations with current students about public policy, careers, and the pursuit of the public good," said Peter Vasher, Director of Ford School Career Services.
For students considering a Ford School education, that sense of connection is part of what makes the experience unique. The Ford School network isn't just something you access after graduation. It's something you join from day one.
With record participation this semester and enthusiasm running high, Alumni Office Hours Month is showing no signs of slowing down. Plans are already underway for the next round of conversations in March.
In a policy school where collaboration is a core value, programs like this remind us that impact doesn't just happen in classrooms or on research projects. It happens in the connections we make, one conversation at a time.
Written by Eric Coughlin, administrative assistant in the Ford School's Office of Career Services.
