Alumni Council

The Alumni Council is the primary representative body of Bowdoin's more than 23,000 alumni.

About

The Alumni Council is the primary representative body of Bowdoin’s more than 23,000 alumni, and works to encourage and celebrate lifelong engagement with the College. The Council provides a voice for alumni in College affairs and helps build relationships and loyalty both among alumni and between alumni and the College by sponsoring social and educational events, creating internships, providing career support, assisting in fundraising, honoring outstanding alumni service, and fostering a spirit of inclusiveness in the greater Bowdoin community. View our FAQs for more information.

Membership

The National Chair of the Bowdoin Career Advisory Network;
The National Chair of BRAVO;
The Chair of the Fund Directors;
One faculty representative;
Three student representatives;
Director of Alumni Relations;
Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations;
The President of the College, ex officio.

Composition

The Alumni Council is composed of up to 32 members, appointed to four-year terms in classes of eight, selected by the Nominations Committee and approved by the full Council.

Terms of Office

Members serve four-year terms and student representatives hold their terms until graduation. Leaders of other volunteer organizations (BCAN, BRAVO, Fund Directors) hold their terms while in those leadership roles.

Nominations

Nominations are always open for Council membership. For more information on membership, contact Alumni Relations at alumni@bowdoin.edu. For more information on awards, contact Lindsey Lessard at llessard@bowdoin.edu .

Open Nominations

Nominations are currently closed.

Closed Nominations

Alumni Council Nominations
Alumni Award for Faculty and Staff
Alumni Service Award
Distinguished Educator Award
Alumni Footprints Award
Foot Soldier of Bowdoin Award
Polar Bear Award
Young Alumni Service Award

Awards

View detailed list of awards and recipients.

History

Bowdoin's first Alumni Council consisted of twelve members. Elected by a general alumni ballot in 1914, the group convened at Commencement that year. Kenneth C.M. Sills (1901), then Dean of the College, played an influential role in the formation of the Council and called the initial meeting to order. This first Alumni Council immediately concerned itself with a revision of the Alumni Association Constitution, which it presented for adoption at the 1915 Commencement. The duties of the Alumni Council as prescribed by that revised Constitution are "to act as an executive committee of the Association and to represent the alumni in all instances where it may be necessary."

Much of the Council's work has been accomplished over the years through regular or special committees. The Alumni Council has been instrumental in starting or promoting the Alumni Fund, the Placement Bureau (now Career Exploration and Development), a separate Admissions office, the Office of Alumni Secretary (now Alumni Relations), the Bowdoin Magazine, an alumni directory, and the Cram Alumni House.

How to Become a Member?

View our FAQs for more information.

Correspondence

Correspondence to the Alumni Council can be sent to Awa Diaw '11, President of the Alumni Council, at alumni@bowdoin.edu or by mailing to:

c/o Alumni Relations
Bowdoin College
4000 College Station
Brunswick, ME 04011