The Master's in Education Policy (MEP) Alumni Advisory Board aims to support the growth of the MEP program through mentorship programs, networking opportunities, and community partnerships. In its inaugural year, the Board focused on building relationships with local education organizations one at a time. It also launched a mentorship program to connect current MEP students with alumni. Looking ahead, the Board seeks to expand networking events and invest in growing areas that positively impact alumni.

1. Master'sinEducationPolicy
Alumni Advisory Board
Annual Report
2015- 2016
University of Washington
Seattle,Washington

2. TheMaster'sinEducationPolicy (MEP) program
Alumni Advisory Board(AAB)will support the
growthanddevelopment of theMEPprogramasa
world-classincubator for theprofessional talent
neededtotransformeducationby implementinga
mentor program,anetwork platform,andexpanded
community partnerships.
ADVISORYALUMNI BOARD
2015-2016
LEADERSHIP
MEMBERS
MEPSTAFF
STUDENT
REPRESENTATIVE
Min Hwangbo, MEP 5
Jillian Kilby, Co- chair, MEP 3 Sarah Margeson, Co- chair, MEP 1 Maia Kaz, Vice- chair, MEP 3
Cinzia Let t ieri, Fiscal Of ficer, MEP 3 Roohi Sharma, Communicat ions Off icer, MEP 4
Ann Rubie, MEP 1 Korrie Miller, MEP 1 Mary Fert akis, MEP 2
Raka Bat t acharya, MEP 2 Allison Shields, MEP 2 Annabel Cholico, MEP 3
Corrin Sullivan, MEP 3 Ren Gooch, MEP 3 Cait lin O?Shea, MEP 3
Alessandra de Campos, MEP 4 Gray St erling, MEP 4
Dr. Tom Halverson, Direct or
Alan Moore, Assist ant Direct or, MEP 3

4. COMMUNITYPARTNERSHIPS
SCAFFOLDINGFORSTRONGPARTNERSHIPS
Our goal?Toconnect MEPalumni,theMEPprogram,andcommunity
organizationsinmutuallybeneficial relationshipstobenefit theP-20
educationsystemat large,communityorganizations,andtheMEP
program.
Tohelpfocusour workandconnect it toour larger vision,webeganby
creatingavisionandgoalsstatement andquicklyidentifiedacoupleof
keyprioritiesaroundwhichtofocusour work:
- BUILDourprogramonerelationshipat atime,learningaswego
andfocusingonqualityratherthanquantity;
- REACHOUTtoawideavarietyof organizations,reflectinga
widevarietyof policypositions;and
- ALLOW ourrelationshipstogrowandchangefluidly,allowingfor
achanginglandscape.
Tokeepour workconcreteandgiveit somedefinition,wealsoworked
ondefining?What?sinit??for communitypartnersand?What?sinit??
for theMEPAlumni AdvisoryBoard,andwecreateda?one- page
leave-behind?document for potential partners.
Inthisexcitinginaugural year of theMaster?sin
EducationPolicy (MEP)Alumni Advisory Board(AAB),
theCommunity Partnershipssubgrouphasbeen
reachingout tolocal educationcommunity groups,
buildingbridgesonerelationshipat atime.
RELATIONSHIPSARENOT?ONE-SIZE- FITS-ALL.?
Thefruitsof our effortsthisyear haveenabledustoexplorethe
possibilitiesof partnershipworkwithSeattle-basedorganizationssuch
as:
- Leagueof EducationVoters(LEV)
- NorthShoreEducationAssociation(NSEA)
- SeattleEducationAssociation(SEA)
- SeattleTilth
- SOAR
- Standfor Children
- Upower
Whileour goalshavebeenclear,our workthisyear haschallengedusto
thinkbeyond?one-size- fits-all relationships.?Conversationswithawide
varietyof educationandyouthorganizationshaverevealedthat thereis
notemplatefor what acommunitypartner relationshiplookslike.
Factorssuchaseachorganization?smission,size,staffing,funding,and
their workcyclesall comeintoplay,alongwithour Community
Partnershipssubgroup?sabilitytosuccessfullyidentifyandfollowup
withpotential partners.Wealsoneedtoallowour relationshipwith
eachorganizationtoevolvenaturally,allowingroomfor unexpected
opportunities.
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6. BRIDGINGCONNECTIONS
Tobolster MEPprogramming,theMentorshipDevelopment Group
(MDG)wasformedtodesignandimplement aqualitymentorship
programtoconnect alumni tocurrent studentsfor support.Weknow
theresearch.Numerouspublicationsindicatethepositiveimpactsof
mentoringprogramsinhigher education.Outcomesshowstronger
networks,programsatisfaction,strengthenedsupportsand
commitment,andsuccessful degreecompletion(tonameafew).Asthe
MEPprogramcontinuestogrowandevolve,adiversepool of talented
andefficaciousalumni jointheeducationandpolicyarenathrough
organizations,government agencies,higher educationinstitutions,or
classrooms.Thispresentsanopportunitytotapintothemultifaceted
backgrounds,experiences,andperspectivesalumni canimpart to
empower futurecohortsthroughmentorship.
MENTORSHIPPROGRAM
AstheMaster?sinEducationPolicy (MEP)programcontinues
togrow,programmingcontinuestoevolve.Tohelpcurrent
studentsnavigatethechanges,challenges,andexpectations
shapedby theprogram,it becameevident that mentorship
fromalumni wasneededtohelpguidestudentsduringtheir
timeinMEP,whilesubsequently developingandbridging
relationshipsbetweenalumni andcurrent students.
MISSIONDRIVEN.GOALORIENTED.
Our missionissimple.Bycreatingopportunitiesfor alumni andcurrent
studentstoengage,our goal istoconnect current studentswithalumni
inaneffort toenhancetheMEPexperience.
Our goal istoutilizequalityandeffectivementorshipprogrammingasa
tool to:
- BRIDGEthecurrent MEPcohort andalumni networkby
fosteringmeaningful connectionsandrelationshipsto
strengthentheMEPcommunityandenhancetheMEP
experience.
- PROVIDEmeaningful SUPPORTandencouragement
throughengagement.
- RAISEattentiontoEQUITY andDIVERSITY through
pairingsandcommunication.
Webelievethat for thisprogramtobeeffectivewemust create
opportunitiesfor current studentstoengagewithselect alumni (as
mentors).Thissetsthefoundationfor studentstoidentifywhothey
wouldliketoreceivementorshipfrom,whichencouragesmeaningful
andorganicmatches.
Mentor Speed Networking Event
"My mentor has given me some wonderful advice on
how to approach the internship and project timeline
creation. It has also been extremely helpful in just
being a listening ear as I am processing my
experience in the program."
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8. NETWORKDEVELOPMENT
Withthefifthcohort of theMEPprogramnearing
graduation,our visionistoconnect our expanding
alumni basetofoster professional collaborationboth
at anindividual andorganizational level.
BUILDINGPATHWAYSOFSUCCESS
Tobuildtherelationshipsnecessaryfor collaboration,wehavebeen
utilizingarangeof web-basedplatformstofacilitatealumni
identificationandcommunication. Wealsosought tocoordinateand
planaseriesof inpersonengagement events.
Tofoster alumni communicationandconnection,wemet withasimilar
graduateprogramtoinformour planningondesigninganintranet site
that wouldenablealumni tosearchandreachout tooneanother easily
alongsharedinterestswithineducationpolicy.
Wehavemet withadesigner andhaveablueprint of anonline
platformthat wouldfacilitatenetworkdevelopment throughonline
searchof alumni,conversationboards,andeventscalendar.
Wealsostreamlineddivergent groupsonbothFacebookandLinkedIn
toconsolidategroupscreatingoneMEPalumni grouponeachsocial
mediaplatformaswell ascreatingaTwitter account andhandle.We
alsostreamlineddivergent groupsonbothFacebookandLinkedInto
consolidategroupscreatingoneMEPalumni grouponeachsocial
mediaplatformaswell ascreatingaTwitter account andhandle.
BUILDINGRELATIONSHIPS
After first updatingcontact andpositioninformationfor our alumni
basespanningacrosstheglobe,weplannedandhostedour first all
cohort alumni social toprovideaspacetobuildrelationshipsacross
cohorts.
Our first event garneredanattendancerateof 40%andanet promoter
scoreof 70%with72%of attendeesnotingtheymet newalumni.
Duringour reviewof feedback,welearnedwewouldstructurethe
eventstoprovidetimefor groupintroductionsandthat thedesired
frequencyisquarterly.Wealsorealizedtheneedtousemultiple
channelstoreachalumni aswell updatecontact information.
"MEP alumni are leading the change in government agencies,
non-profit organizations, the private sector, and academia."
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10. INVESTINGFORTHEFUTURE
Asanewboard,wewantedtofocusour spendingontakingthestepsto
introduceandre-acquaint MEPalumni witheachother andprovide
current MEP?swithanewtypeof support frompast MEPparticipants.
Withthisobjectiveinmind,theboardwasabletofundtheveryfirst all
cohort alumni NetworkSocial at ScarboroughWineryinSODO. Wefelt
that it wascrucial toallocatefundingtocontinuallybuildrelationsacross
all cohorts.Our abilitytofundall-cohort networkingevents,will allow
alumni tostayconnectedand continuetobeasupport systemfor each
other inandoutsidetheCollegeof Education. Theboardalsopassed
fundingtospearheadtheMentor Development Group?smentor-mentee
trainingsandactivities.ThisfundingallowedtheAdvisoryBoardthe
abilitytoprovidementorstocurrent MEPstudentswithMEPAlumni.As
anewboardwewereexcitedtobringfundingtothisaspect of theboard,
aswecontinuetoenroll andgraduatenewcohorts.Support for this
programhadanoverall positiveimpact andtheboardlooksforwardto
re-investinginthementor-menteeprogramnext year.
AstheAlumni AdvisoryBoardlookstowardthefuture,wewouldliketo
continuetoexpandpreviouslyfundedeventsandworktoward
expandingandinvestingmoneyintogrowingareasthat areshowinga
highimpact andpositivereactionamongalumni.
Weinvestedour timetowardbeingfiscally solvent andutilizingtheBoard?sfinances
towardbuilding,connecting,andbridgingcurrent MEPstudentsandpast alumni.
OperatingExpenses
(Disbursements)
ProgramExpenses
- Roomrentalsfor board
meetings
- Boardmember parking
reimbursements
- Mentor SpeedDatingEvent
- All Alumni NetworkSocial
- Mentor development training
Astheboarddevelops,wewill seekout opportunitiestouseour
resourcestofundraisefor projectsandprograms. Futureprojectsand
programsthat wehopetosponsor includepanelsontopical issues
withineducation,MEPbrandedmaterialsandmementos,opportunities
that highlight MEPstudentsandgraduateswithinthecommunity,and
projectsthat strivetokeepalumni connectedviasocial media,
gatherings,andcommunitypresence.
2015-16 BUDGETSUMMARY
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12. TheMaster'sinEducationPolicy Alumni Advisory Board(AAB)wouldliketodedicateour first annual report
inlovingmemory of AllisonBass(MEP2) andMafaldaMelo(MEP3).Special thankstoMinHwangbo(MEP5)
for hiscreativity andassistanceindevelopingour very first annual report.Without hiscollaborativeabilities
andcontributions,thisreport wouldnot havebeenpossible.Last,but certainly not least,theAABwouldlike
toacknowledgeour phenomenal alumni,current students,andstaff fromtheMEPprogram.Youhaveand
will alwayscontinuetobeaconstant sourceof inspirationtocontinuetoelevatetheMEPprogram.
Acknowledgements