Alumni

Any questions about the COMMAlum Advisory Board? Email Taylor Kleiner, tkleiner@umd.edu, Office Manager & COMM Alum!

Mission

The mission of the Advisory Board is to support the research, instructional, and public engagement missions of the Department of Communication as it seeks to enhance its top national ranking and reputation for excellence. More specifically, the Advisory Board will provide advice and counsel at the request of the Department in matters relating to communication with alumni. It will also serve as a potential liaison for the Department’s current students to the professional world and counsel students as they enter the workforce. Finally, the Board will help generate the human and material resources necessary to attain the goals and objectives of the Department

Responsibilities
To achieve its mission, the members of Advisory Board are asked to:

• Meet as needed, to advise the Department on alumni communication, the changing nature of the professional world, and issues related to student preparation. Regular meetings to be held on Zoom with occasional in-person meetings.

• Help advise students about career opportunities and assist in securing internships and other professional opportunities for undergraduate and applied graduate students.

• Encourage and identify additional resources, talent, professional services and time to support the general objectives of the Department.

• Serve as ambassadors on behalf of the Department in arenas outside the University.

• Promote alumni networking and connections between current and former students. 

• Establish fundraising goals and identify prospects to achieve the development goals. 

• Assist in the annual Alumni Awards promotion, selection, and celebration.

Membership

The Advisory Board is comprised of a select group of alumni (10 to 15 members). Individuals are appointed to serve on the Board by invitation only. The Department Chair, in consultation with other department leaders, selects Board members that represent the diversity, breadth of occupational careers, and varied accomplishments of Communication alumni. Board members typically serve a period of two years, with the possibility of additional terms at the request of the Department and/or the Board member. The Board meets as needed via Zoom and at least once a year in-person in the Washington, D.C. area (though, you do not need to be local to join!). In line with the Board’s mission of assisting the Department in generating resources, members are encouraged to be donors to the Communication Department.

Membership Requirements

To serve on the Advisory Board, members are required to:

• Spiritedly serve in an advisory capacity on one of the following department initiatives and promote events associated with those initiatives: Oral Communication Center, Center for Health and Risk Communication, Grunig Lecture, the Mark and Heather Rosenker Center for Political Communication & Civic Leadership, Speed Mentoring, the new Communication & Media Career Fair, or other new initiatives. 

• Enthusiastically engage with the alumni award process by reviewing applications, promoting the awards, and planning and participating in the alumni awards ceremony. 

• Actively participate and support giving to the department on Giving Day by promoting the opportunities to alums, friends, and peer network. 

Coming soon! 

Want to learn more about serving on the COMMAlum Advisory Board?

Fill out this interest form!

Any questions? Email Taylor Kleiner, tkleiner@umd.edu, Office Manager & COMM Alum!