Alumni Association Working Groups

The work of the Alumni Association Board is accomplished primarily through our Working Groups and Committees. Working Groups work closely with college staff, while committees focus more on the association’s internal operations and function with less coordination needed from college staff.

Please feel free to reach out to the Alumni Association Board with any questions, if you’d like to know more about our work, or how you can get involved: sjcaa(at)sjc.edu.

Project Management Leader

Hannah Stires Ard (A92)

Alumni Giving Council

The Alumni Giving Council (AGC) cultivates a culture of philanthropy among alumni by encouraging financial support for the Fund for St. John’s College. In 2023-24, the AGC helped the college exceed goals on its two major fundraising activities and supported additional fundraising opportunities, Initiatives included:

  • Croquet Giving Table
  • Giving Tuesday
  • Johnnie Day of Giving in the spring
  • Homecoming giving tables/tents

Co-Leads: Sam Collins (A15) and Hannah Stires Ard (A92)

Career Services Working Group

The Odyssey Program is a mentorship program that provides opportunities for students to learn about potential careers and gain valuable interview and networking skills. The Office of Career Development in Annapolis and the Office of Personal and Professional Development in Santa Fe identify advisees on their respective campuses, while the Career Services Working Group recruits alumni advisors who meet with these students over several months. These alumni advisors will work in teams, meeting with groups of students, focusing on 8 professional sectors:

  • Business, Entrepreneurship & Leadership
  • International Relations, Public Policy & Service
  • Law & Government
  • Philosophy Academics & Education
  • Psychology & The Mind
  • Public Health & Medicine
  • STEM, Data Science and Sustainability
  • Writing, Arts & Media

Co-Leads: Joseph Larson (A90) and Nani Detti (SF20)
Staff: Jaime Dunn, Career Development Annapolis | 410-626-2500 | jamie.dunn(at)sjc.edu
Piér Quintana, OPPD Santa Fe | 505-984-6132​ | pier.quintana(at)sjc.edu

Chapters Working Group

Alumni from undergraduate and Graduate Institute programs have the opportunity to engage with each other through the alumni Chapter network. The Chapters Working Group helps support and connect Chapters across the U.S. and increasingly across the world. To see a list of active chapters, visit this webpage.

The Chapters Working Group facilitates:

  • The flow of information between the Alumni Association Board and other alumni groups.
  • The sharing of ideas, best practices, and success stories within groups.

Co-Leads: Jacob Greenstine (A10) and My Nguyen (A09)

Communications Working Group

The Communications Working Group supports the Alumni Association in developing and implementing more efficient and effective communications to and from alumni. It is the hub of how we hear directly from alumni, foster engagement among them, and share our work with the greater SJC community.

Co-Leads: Charles Bieneman (SF89) and Christopher Budd (AGI95)

Events Working Group

The Events Working Group hosts events for alumni and the greater SJC community throughout the year, often collaborating with other working groups, and provides important support for college-wide events:

  • Croquet
  • Homecoming
  • Graduate Institute Convening Weekend

Co-Leads: Hayden Pendergrass (A14) and Aishwarya Sharma (A20)

Student and Recent Alumni Working Group

The Student & Recent Alumni Working Group (SARA) provides support to undergraduate and graduate students as they begin their time at St. John’s and also as they transition to their postcollege experience. Our student representives play a vital part in informing SARA and also executing this group’s work.

Co-Leads: Amritpal Singh (A15) and Shannon Lynch Albritton (SF20)

Awards Committee

The Awards Committee identifies alumni who should receive certain awards and honors from the Alumni Association. In addition, the Awards Committee determines whether other awards or honors are appropriate for St. John’s, and may recommend any additions or changes to these awards or honors to the board for its consideration. The Awards Committee also ensures that any awards given in the name of the Alumni Association to students (such as athletic blazers or essay prizes) are meaningful and fairly balanced between the campuses.

Co-Lead: Josephine (Gigi) Escalante (A92)

Nominating Committee

Every year, the Nominating Committee recommends alumni candidates to the board for nomination for:

  • The Board of Directors (at-large directors and officers of the Association, i.e., president-elect, treasurer, secretary)
  • Alumni-elected members of the BVG
  • Honorary membership in the Alumni Association
  • The Awards Committee

Co-Lead: Brett Heavner (A89)