I am married to a Yale alum. Yet, it was only coincidental that I “stumbled” upon Yale’s new Cross Campus platform and its leader is a dear friend. And we are both still competitive athletes who still chase the fun and spirit of competition.
Curious about Cross Campus, I contacted Steve Blum, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, of the Yale Alumni Association with the idea of being my guest on Conversations at the Lab because there is an appetite for enhancing connections with the greater college community.
Living in these unprecedented times of separation, I was intrigued by how Yale thought about enriching it’s college community, whose stakeholders are of course it’s students, faculty, and alumni among others. Cross Campus, only 48 days old now, is out of the gates with a bang. Thousands of students and alumni have signed up including many groups and over 17 Yale athletic organizations and their student-athletes.
As Steve puts it, “Cross Campus is a crucial life line” for students, especially now. It stands on a foundation of trust through which alumni and students are able to connect in a caring and thoughtful environment.
This platform has all of the hallmarks of leadership: an appetite and opportunity for learning, listening, confidence building, building empathy and the list goes on. It’s inspiring to listen to how Yale builds interest and credibility in Cross Campus.
Students connect with alums in this trusted, safe environment for any number of reasons. Some seek lively conversation about career direction, sometimes counsel on a resume or listening to the experience someone had in a specific industry. Steve also sees a “ricochet” effect with alumni connecting with peers spurring innovation and sharing stories. There are already thousands of email threads indicating connections are happening. This is certainly a vibrant, dynamic community. Take a moment to listen to our conversation.
Steve said this is an approachable idea that is executable by institutions of all sizes. Feel free to reach out to Steve at Stephen.Blum@Yale.edu; he would welcome hearing from you. He is happy to share insights, experience, and his passion for connecting a community.
