Alumni Student Shadowing Program Newsletter

A student who spends a day in a real workplace watching an alumnus do their actual job learns something that no career unit or guest speaker can replicate. The student shadowing program is one of the most concrete ways alumni can contribute to current students, and your newsletter is how you recruit the hosts who make it possible.

Describe what hosting a shadow actually involves

Alumni who are considering hosting want to know exactly what they are agreeing to. One student. One day. The student arrives at a specific time, observes the host's work, asks questions, and departs at the end of the agreed period. No curriculum required. No special preparation beyond a brief orientation call. The host continues their normal workday with a curious observer alongside them.

Explain the matching process

Tell alumni how students are matched to hosts. Students indicate their career interests. The school matches them to alumni whose career areas align. The host receives a brief profile of the student before the shadow day. An alumnus who understands they will be matched to a student with genuine interest in their field, not a random assignment, is more willing to participate.

Name the program dates

Give the shadow day dates clearly and tell alumni when the registration deadline is. For programs that run across a week, tell hosts which day their shadow is assigned. Alumni who know the specific date in advance can block their calendar and prepare their team for a visitor. Alumni who find out the week before cannot.

Tell alumni what students are prepared to do

Reassure hosts that students arrive prepared. They have researched the field. They have questions ready. They know how to dress and how to address the host professionally. They are there to observe and learn, not to be entertained or supervised. A host who expects a professional, curious visitor will have a positive experience.

Share what hosts and students say about the experience

A quote from a student who says "I came in thinking I wanted to be a doctor and left knowing I specifically wanted to be in emergency medicine" and an alumnus who says "I forgot how little I knew when I was in their shoes, and having someone remind me of that was worth the day" are more compelling than any program description. Include one or two of these with permission.