Dear Friends,
Working at Yale has many benefits. One is that I’m surrounded every day by a community of scholars, students, faculty, and staff who are striving to learn, grow, and expand what in most cases is already an impressive – and oftentimes astonishing – breadth of knowledge and expertise.
The lesson is this: Learning is something you do for a lifetime. Which is why we at the Yale Alumni Association have made it a priority. Visit our new website and you’ll see that this is true. Our Events page has a number of avenues for you to learn on your own or by connecting with others. Our homepage has call-outs to programs designed to engage. And we of course have an entire Learn section that collects all our programming and select university-wide initiatives.
The most prominent example of our quest to expand lifelong learning programs is Yale Explores, the traveling event series that highlights the benefits and necessity of interdisciplinary study and research, all while bringing a piece of Yale to alumni around the country. So far we have journeyed to Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. We have additional trips planned for this coming fall and Spring 2020, each one highlighting a pressing topic on the world stage and how Yale’s multi-disciplinary approach to learning and research can tackle it. These discussions are available on the Yale Explores website, so they are accessible no matter where you live.
Learning, of course, takes all forms. Career and networking opportunities are sought after, as evidenced by the incredible turnout we had earlier this year for our webinar on career transitions. The event drew nearly 1,000 viewers and led to a number of breakout and pop-up groups to further the conversation. Moreover, we continue to develop programming in this area and encourage you to check out our events calendar to find one that suits your needs and interests.
Virtual learning has its benefits, but sometimes there is nothing like getting out in the field. For those intrepid souls, I strongly encourage you to sign up for a Yale Educational Travel trip like the one we recently hosted to study the art and culture of Peru. Traveling is a wonderful way to learn about the world; traveling with Yalies can yield lifelong friendships and be a life-changing experience.
That communal Yale experience is perhaps best evidenced in our annual Yale Day of Service, set for May 11 this year. Registration for this global event is now open, so please find a service site near you and get involved – oftentimes we learn the most about ourselves by helping others!
Of course, there is plenty to learn about here on campus as well, and this is a special year on that front. 2019 marks the 50th anniversaries of the Afro-American Cultural Center, the Asian American Student Alliance, and La Casa, a reminder of Yale’s commitment to diversity and equity and its emphasis on inclusion and belonging.
And for those of you eager to relive your student experience, consider returning to Yale – to study Yale! This June, Yale for Life is offering an alumni course called "Yale: Myth and Reality, Past and Present," a weeklong, small-group seminar held on campus, exploring Yale’s social history, art, and architecture, as well its precious collections and treasures.
Yale is a lifelong experience for the learned and the learning, and the YAA wants to make sure you can continue to be both, whether you have the ability to travel to or with Yale, or whether we bring Yale to you. After all, it’s never too late to teach an old – and for the record, I prefer wise! – Bulldog a few new tricks.
Best regards,
J. Weili Cheng '77
Executive Director
Yale Alumni Association
P.S.: Since it is so near and dear to our hearts, I also want to share this update on Commons and the construction at the Schwarzman Center and elsewhere on campus. I have fond memories of Commons, including some classic food fights with classmates (you know who you are!), so I’m so pleased to know that Commons will continue to be Commons for future years and future students. Do you have a memory of Commons you’d like to share? Let me know.
