Alumni Affinity Groups Reconnect at Reunion

Volunteer leaders of the affinity groups used the meetings to introduce themselves, discuss their goals, and plan for the future.

The post-meeting reception in Hawthorne-Longfellow Library was the first time the groups have gathered together, and President Clayton Rose welcomed those in attendance.

"The alumni groups are still in formation, though we're making progress," he said. "We're making progress because of you."

The Bowdoin College Black Alumni Association (BCBAA) was launched in December 2021. The Bowdoin Alumni RepresentASIAN (BAR) and the Association of Bowdoin Latinx Alumni (ABLA) have been developing since listening sessions were held with alumni last summer.

One of the two foundational goals of the College's work in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Rose said, is to "create for every Bowdoin person—student, faculty, staff, alumnus, parent—an opportunity for a sense of true belonging. This is your community, not someone else's community that you are invited into."

The second goal, he continued, "is to create equity of opportunity for every single person in our community to have an amazing Bowdoin experience."

While improvements have been made, he said there is much work to be done—work that is not made easier by our current political environment. He referenced recent anti-diversity legislation in Florida and Texas.

"The idea that equity of opportunity and belonging are somehow political footballs that are up for debate is really ridiculous," he said, before adding, "I want to thank you all for the work you are doing in this larger context of the challenges we face in our society, and I want to thank you for all the work you have done and will be doing to create deep centers of identity within our alumni community."

Bowdoin College Black Alumni Association (BCBAA)

The BCBAA meeting was organized by lead volunteers Eric Bell ’93, Richard Adams ’73, Lyne Lucien ’13, and John Sledge ’18.

Sledge, who is part of the DEI committee, revisited BCBAA's mission: "to support community-building for Black students, faculty, staff, and alumni; to support Black seniors as they graduate; to establish a support and job resource network for Black alumni; and to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Black students."

The group acknowledged the contributions fifty years ago by historian Abdullah Muhammad ’73, author of Africans in New Sweden.. When he was a student, he created a vibrant collection of books and materials on African American history and the Black experience in the Russwurm African American Center. Over Reunion, Bowdoin celebrated the dedication of the room in his honor. 

Lucien reported on the successful spring rollout of the BCBAA alumni-student mentorship program, with twenty-two pairs of students and alumni, more than double the anticipated participation. Alumni ranged from the classes of 1968 to 2018 and served first-years through seniors. A full-year mentorship program will start next fall.

Bell reminded attendees about the upcoming gathering June 8 in Washington, DC, which will be the BCBAA's first regional "Connections" evening.

Bowdoin Alumni RepresentASIAN (BAR)

The BAR meeting was facilitated by lead volunteers Hae-Min Gil ’08, Jared Liu ’99, Melissa Martin ’98, and Matt Yantakosol ’10.

Martin led a conversation with attendees to discuss their time at Bowdoin and after Bowdoin—focusing on what alumni had valued about their time at the College, what they wish had been different, how they hope the College has changed since they were students, and how they have stayed connected to Bowdoin.

They discussed how the group is not a monolith (indeed, the reality is many individuals identify with more than one racial or ethnic group). But they agreed that members have enough similarity in their stories across different generations and backgrounds that they can support one another and also accurately represent their members' interests to the College.

Over the past few weeks, BAR has held launch events in New York, Boston, and San Francisco, and a final launch event will take place virtually next week.

The leaders discussed ways alumni can get involved, including joining the group's What's App and the upcoming virtual meeting June 13, hosted by Sara Edel ’02 and Andrew Park ’15. Virtual meetings will be held once a month, and leaders are looking for more opportunities to network, share their stories, and build the alumni community.

The Association of Bowdoin Latinx Alumni (ABLA)

ABLA has been gaining momentum over the past nine months, stemming from the galvanizing listening sessions that the College’s Office of Multicultural Alumni Engagement held last fall.

Committee chairs John Vegas ’93, Laura Ibanaz ’17, Ariele Gonzalez '08, Andrea Keenan ’10, Van Rendon-Vasquez ’13, and Megan Retana ’19 led the meeting and discussed their committees' goals and plans.

Vegas acknowledged that the campus meeting was the first of its kind for the group, and spoke about ABLA's mission to celebrate alumni achievements, connect alumni with one another, and support students.

In regular meetings held since last fall, several Latinx alumni worked out a "three-pillar plan" by creating three committees focusing on community, campus connections, and celebrations. They contacted all Bowdoin Latinx alumni via email and mail and received more than 120 responses. 

This spring, they codified their leadership structure and are working to build Latinx alumni engagement.

Several students from the Latin American Student Association attended the meeting and expressed their interest in connecting and networking with more Latinx alumni to discuss post-graduate plans.

Alumni interested in participating in an affinity group should email mulitculturalalumni@bowdoin.edu, as well as look for follow-up emails with more details. 

Photos by Fred Field and Michele Stapleton.