Student Societies: An Untapped Resource

Something else I'd like to put for your consideration. While student-Alumni networks should be first and foremost the students and Alumni of each profession, I believe that the networks will also benefit from one untapped resource: the student societies.

The addition of student societies with the same are of interest as the students and Alumni, has been used to great effect in schemes such as New York State University's 'Constituent' scheme, which I believe is a brilliant idea for several important reasons.

When we think about it, who are the best professionals in the world? Chances are, they will be the ones who wanted to be in that profession. The best doctors are the ones who wanted to be doctors, the best plumbers wanted to be plumbers.

There are many so called 'amateur' societies: amateur sports clubs, amateur dramatic societies. But although the word 'amateur' is often used as an insult, it's literal meaning is indeed 'for the love of it.' After all, what is it that we love about athletes? Their passion. Passion goes a long way. A group of people who are passionate about what they do will always achieve much more, than a group who were simply paid to do the same.

This is the potential that we have with student societies. There are many young people who had a passion they had to give up, in favour of a more stable career, but they continue their interests through a group of like minded young people who are also doing the thing they love.

I believe that these societies can bring a lot to the student-Alumni networks. Their members have a genuine interest, and may have original ideas to contribute to developments in each industry. For example, members of the universities' sports clubs may not be qualified athletes, but they will bring a fresh perspective to the development of student Alumni knowledge transfer within professional sport.

Another very good example I'd like to use, is one of my old student societies, the Guild Musical Theatre Group, at the University of Birmingham. For over 25 years, within GMTG (as it is known), student volunteers from all schools of study have come together to perform shows to a very professional standard. The society has built up an organised operation, and its Alumni have gone on to do great things throughout the performing arts and other industries.

A group like this could bring some very interesting ideas to the student-Alumni networks of music, drama and dance, to name but a few. The genuine passion of GMTG's members would make all the difference, were they to discuss with performing arts students and Alumni who perform for a living. I can guarantee you that they would bring some original insights from the raw, original work they have done. And of course, this approach could be tried for all schools of study.

I once heard of a student technical society who spent their passion by rigging and assembling the gigs for all other societies on campus. It was an ingenious idea, and obviously helped them to do the thing they loved, by providing a worthwhile service to others.

There are many such examples of successful student societies, where young people come together as volunteers, to do the thing they love. I believe that their original insight would make an important contribution to existing student-Alumni networks, and I strongly recommend that it be considered as an integral part of each school of study.