Musings in the Office

It took a long time for my results to come through. Fact is I only found out a couple of weeks back that I had actually graduated. That'll teach me to do student exchange programs to the U.S.A. (for those of you who didn't know I was in Texas for Semester 5). I've decided not to do any more study this year. I want to concentrate my energy on this new job, here, in Development.

Well as I said I struck lucky. Through the Hope Works program (campus jobs for students etc etc) before the semester ended I landed this job in the Development office. I'm hoping it'll turn into a contract so I can be around and involved in establishing a thriving alumni community. I really do feel passionately about this thing. Having been over to the States and seen how well established their Alumni Networks are over there, the chance to get involved in that sort of enterprise here at Hope was very attractive to me.

It's hard work, having to think up more and more new and imaginative ways of communicating with people. We've got a database of some 30,000 past alumni (graduates etc). The online community is now up to 950+ members. But we need more, many more. The more we have the more input will come into the network. People's experiences, in working life, in life in general, are so varied, so interesting. I'm sure we forget sometimes just how truly interesting our lives are and how much we really can assist each other, even by just sharing that.

Take me for example. I worked for 25 years, then gave it up and simultaneosly hit on the idea of University. Truth is once I encountered the idea I realised that it was something that had been in the back of my mind for many years.

Pat (Raynor) and I were at the Freshers fair yesterday. I bumped into an old colleague of mine, from the Girobank site in Bootle. Turns out he's just done the same thing as me, gave up work and come to University. It was so strange how he is just beginning something that I began the same 3 years ago and have now finished.

I've graduated! I still have to pinch myself sometimes. That's why I want people to sign on for this community. Without Liverpool Hope I could not have done this. Without St Kath's or Notre Dame etc there would be no Liverpool Hope. Without all those who have gone before me I could not have achieved what I have. Thankyou, whoever you are or wherever you are. Thankyou.