The Office of Advancement and Development has selected five recent graduates as its 2020-21 Young Alumni Ambassadors. The Young Alumni Ambassadors will work to expand the reach of University Advancement through event volunteerism and communications, bring a new focus to the power of recent graduates’ giving, and highlight new and innovative ideas for young alumni engagement.
Recently, during the celebration of Tuskegee University’s 139th Founders’ Day, the Young Alumni Ambassadors, and other young alums set up the ‘1881 Challenge’ – calling on alums, friends, and other constituents of the university giving a gift of $18.81, $188.10 or $1,881 to the Golden Tiger Fund on behalf of the university’s founding date. The group, through the campaign and with the help of the university’s loyal donors, surpassed the initial goal of $25,000 and finished with over $60,000 from over 1,400 donors.
“The power of our alumni network has always been strong, and now we see what a difference young alumni are making to the University. It is really exciting to see. Their role in Tuskegee’s fundraising success will only grow as they go about their work,” explained Bradley Watts ’16.
The program offers the ambassadors the ability to become the University’s future volunteer leaders. Their duties will range from assisting with communications from the office to all alumni and donors as well as helping with the push of social media campaigns. The Young Alumni Ambassadors will be located across parts of New Jersey, Georgia, California, and central Alabama.
“The Young Alumni Ambassadors’ work is critical in the ongoing support of the university – we know our young alumni leaders’ vision and voice will help strengthen alumni engagement and relations,” said Watts. “We are thrilled to welcome the Young Alumni Ambassadors to the team and we hope to continue to grow the program in the coming future,” he added.
The ambassadors will be charged with bridging the engagement gap between young alumni and the university, assisting in promoting campus-wide campaigns such as ‘Giving Tuesday’ and Homecoming, relaying important information to the Office of Advancement and creating new and innovative ways for the university to better engage with recent graduates.
The 2020-21 Young Alumni Ambassadors include:
- Robert Constant ‘98, B.S. in Business Administration from Miami, Florida
- Robert Stewart ‘12, B.S. in Accounting from Selma, Alabama
- Shaelan Perry ‘14, B.S. in Sales and Marketing from Birmingham, Alabama
- Jamon Pulliam ‘15, B.S. in Psychology from Detroit, Michigan
- Kieauna Strickland ‘19 B.S. in Biology/Pre Health from Roanoke, Alabama
“This is a testament to what our young alumni can do, they are creating opportunities for influence.” “It’s not about the amount you give as an individual; it’s about participation and making your gift count,” noted Watts.
