The Fordham Young Alumni Committee (YAC) is a group of recent Fordham graduates focused on fostering and strengthening the connection between young alumni and the university. Through regular meetings and occasional special events, YAC works to encourage alumni participation and connect recent alumni with current Fordham faculty, staff and students. The recurring meetings often include Fordham University speakers from various departments and current-event based discussions.

Membership within YAC is open to all Fordham alumni who have graduated within the last 10 years. According to Megan Zuckerman, FCLC ’16, a YAC member since 2018 and the chair of the communication department, the committee’s membership has all types of Fordham alumni.

“[We have] members from both FCLC and FCRH and several members who have multiple degrees from Fordham,” said Zuckerman.

Membership itself is contingent on individuals attending multiple YAC meetings a year and actively participating in any of the four subcommittees. Involvement varies based on each alum’s preferences, and members can decide how active they wish to participate within YAC.

Executively, YAC board is broken down into four subcommittees:communications, philanthropy, social justice and special events & professional development. Each subcommittee has a head chair position who has been nominated and undergone an interview process.

The terms are one year long. Zuckerman described the focus of the communications subcommittee as working to “spread the word about events to ensure that all members are aware of upcoming programming and spotlight young alumni on social media.”

The philanthropy subcommittee focuses on encouraging young alumni to contribute monetarily to the Fordham Fund, specifically on Fordham Giving Day. The social justice subcommittee works to plan service projects, such as the annual Ignatian Day of Service. On the Ignatian Day of Service, YAC encourages alumni and current student interaction.

Zuckerman described the fourth and final subcommittee: special events & professional development, by spotlighting the group’s main focus of planning multiple annual alumni get-togethers.

According to Zuckerman, special events provide opportunities for alumni and students to connect.

“[There are] ways for young alumni to network with one another, older alumni and current students,” said Zuckerman.

When asked about her favorite YAC special event, Zuckerman mentioned the annual All-Jesuit Happy Hour as a great evening for strengthening connection between young alumni. The All-Jesuit Happy Hour invitation is extended to alumni from all 27 Jesuit colleges and universities and is a great opportunity for young Fordham alumni to mingle and network with post-graduate students from other institutions. This fan favorite event is just one of the many wonderful annual events planned and run by the YAC. Mathew Burns, FCRH ’13, works in the university’s alumni office as an advisor for YAC. Having originally joined YAC as a member in 2016, according to Burns, he was glad to be given the opportunity to work professionally with YAC.

“[It is] a neat way to stay involved with that community,” said Burns. The alumni still remains an active participant within YAC today, highlighting the committees’ “collaboration with CCEL & Campus Ministry for the Ignatian Day of Service.”

“It’s great to watch students and young alumni work together,” said Burns.

YAC works to ensure recent graduates have the opportunity to remain connected to Fordham University post-graduation.

Special events and periodical meetings hosted by YAC foster connections and ensure a tight-knit network of recent alums. Coming up, YAC will be hosting the Young Alumni Yacht Cruise on Sept. 16, which is aimed at providing a night of mingling and networking.