University Alumni Travel Abroad

What Is It and Why Participate?

Article by Isabel Eva Bohrer

Staying Connected With Your Alma Mater

As a student, it is easy to remain connected to your school if you desire, and the network you create is often beneficial for your future ambitions or career. Emails fill your inbox daily, informing you about current events and networking opportunities. Similarly, it is relatively simple to maintain personal contact with friends, peers, professors, and other members of the university community.

With Facebook, Twitter, and other online networking tools, it is even easier to keep in touch beyond graduation for personal reasons and for networking. However, despite these technological developments, the bond to your former school will inevitably — at least to some degree — lose its strength post-graduation. If you move far away from your former alma mater, staying connected to the university community becomes even more difficult.

As an international student, I always had a somewhat different relationship with my alma mater, Columbia University. The tradition of identifying strongly with one’s university is not widespread in Europe. Wearing sweaters with your university’s name is less than typical in Europe, and buying a mug that says “Columbia Dad” (or “Mom”) does not happen at a university in Germany. The same goes for the tradition of “giving back” (which includes donating money and other educational resources and/or services); in Europe, you do not form the same connection to your alma mater as you do in the United States. I imagine a similar statement could be said about schools in Asia and other parts of the world.

An Experience On An Alumni Travel Program

Living abroad makes keeping in touch with one’s former university community more challenging. When I discovered Columbia was hosting an Alumni Travel program in Barcelona, I decided to try it and reconnect with my alma mater. As a freelance writer and photographer based in Madrid, I could take a fast train to get there in less than three hours; this was a selling point compared to the 8-hour flight to New York City, which was also naturally more expensive.

Moreover, the program sounded appealing: Art, Architecture, History, and Tapas were the focus of the 4-day Barcelona tour. I had visited the capital of Gaudí only once. I was disappointed I couldn’t enter the Sagrada Familia church due to the long lines. The Columbia program, on the other hand, would take care of all of such hassles for me; V.I.P. entrances were the key to all of the scheduled museum tours, where professional tour guides, actual Columbia professors, as well as the Dean of Columbia’s School of the Arts would accompany alums. As a great fan of art and architecture, I was hooked.

Of course, the details of every alum travel program will vary. My references to the Columbia program in Barcelona are, therefore, not applicable to all Columbia programs nor to all the university’s alum travel programs (assuming they have such programs available first). However, my experience in Barcelona may help serve as a starting point for fellow alums to see whether they, too, might consider traveling as a way to connect with their former college. Here are some aspects to consider:

• Cost. It is expected that a university travel program will want to show you the best of the best; thus, it can be expensive. Think about what you will be receiving in exchange for the cost:
  • How many days is the program?
  • What will you be seeing?
  • Are there V.I.P. tickets?
  • Will there be tour guides, professors, deans, etc?
    
    
• Accommodations. Usually, accommodations will not be included in the costs. Yet, a specific hotel will be designated for you to stay in, and a special group rate will have been secured. Consider arriving a day early and staying a day longer to adapt to jet lag. It may be possible to stay at a different (and perhaps cheaper) location, but be aware that you will lose time getting from one place to another (as well as communal breakfasts and other socializing opportunities).
  
  
• Food. The program will specify whether lunches and dinners are included in the cost. Note this beforehand if you have special food requirements and/or allergies.
  
  
• Program. Does it have a specific focus? Ask for a schedule in advance, and see how it is planned. You may be asked which activities you want to participate in, so read up beforehand on the specific locations, museums, etc. Usually, the university will provide you with all such information in advance.
  
  
• Speakers. Who are they, and what can you learn from them? Perhaps they even include a former professor you would like to meet again.
  
  
• Participants. Again, this will vary from program to program. In Columbia’s case, there was a great diversity among the participants, including alums from the fifties to current students. Naturally, finding a program that will suit all of them is a bit of a challenge. Inquire beforehand about whom you will be traveling with. You might even ask some former college friends whether they want to join you.

Why Attend a University Alumni Travel Program?

These days, there are a myriad of ways to travel. Arranging flights, accommodations, and tours is always an option. Still, even when booking with a tour operator, there are so many to choose from. Some people prefer to tour the globe, tasting regional cuisines, while others seek an organized yoga retreat. There is even a sector devoted purely to chocolate or whiskey travel for those enthusiasts.

Traveling with one’s former university is still an option fewer people consider. So why do it?

• Networking. The participants and the speakers present an opportunity to reconnect with the university community. Networking can be a form of socializing but can also lead to professional bonds and job opportunities. While attending a program overseas is never the guarantee for signing one’s dream contract, it is always worth asking about what other participants do. Then, you can think about how you and your skills might fit in and/or complement their current requirements.
  
  
• Socializing. This part of networking will not necessarily end up in a job opportunity. Enjoy the trip to reconnect with old friends or meet entirely new people you had never met in college. Frequently, such programs will include alums of all ages, so one night, you may have an interesting conversation with an alum from the 50's. At the same time, you could speak to a current student at lunch the next day. More often than not, you can also spend time talking to university employees who will inform you about the latest educational happenings.
  
  
• Learning. Universities are about learning, as are the travel programs colleges organize. The great thing is that, in this case, no exams are involved. Enjoy learning without pressure; attend the sections you want, take notes, or go along for the ride. In the end, you will learn something, probably more than you expected.
  
  
• Travel. A university travel program will take you places. Even if you have been to the location in question before, you will probably see it in a different light. The professors and speakers will allow you to see it with different eyes, and the organized lunches and dinners can be a way to socialize with people in a foreign but relaxed setting.

Alumni Program Availability

The first place to inquire is at your own university. The concept of alum reunions has become increasingly widespread, but not all universities offer travel programs (yet). Another option is to attend a university travel program with a friend whose alma mater does not provide such a program. You can also participate in a program as a spouse or even as a parent of your daughter and/or son’s university. The key is not to be shy about asking; more often than not, universities will be open to hosting more participants.

Isabel Eva Bohrer is the Director and Founder of ROOSTERGNN Global News Network, a non-profit news agency.