'Forever a Lawrentian' returns to campus with networking opportunities for students, alumni

Forever a Lawrentian, a celebration of connections between Lawrence University students and alumni, will be on full display across campus April 11-13.

While the phrase Forever a Lawrentian is heard frequently year-round—a nod to the lifetime bonds that come when you matriculate at Lawrence—the in-person opportunity for students to connect with alumni comes each April when the Lawrence University Alumni Association (LUAA) Board comes to campus for spring meetings.

The program was a hit when it launched a year ago. It featured one-on-one conversations between students and alumni, a networking lunch, an alumni panel discussion, and a series of casual events—with giveaways of Lawrence gear—spread over multiple days.

More of the same is planned this year as the program aims to foster conversations between LUAA members and current students. Among the events on April 12 will be a networking presentation and reception in Warch Campus Center. Later in the day, alumni will gather for a reception in the Viking Room to cheer on this year’s seniors. On April 13, Career Community Round Tables will be held in Warch, followed by a series of alumni Q&A panels. You can find the full schedule of events here.

Bruna Velez, a junior international relations major from Staten Island, New York, said it’s all about the opportunity to talk to and hear from alumni who are doing amazing things across a wide variety of career paths. She walked away from last year’s interactions with alumni with a better understanding of how valuable these connections can be. She said she’s telling her classmates not to waste this opportunity.

“No matter what year you are or what major you are, all students can benefit from the connections that Forever a Lawrentian will help to build,” she said. “This is our community of scholars and change-makers, so let's learn, let’s lean on them.”

Alison Guthrie ’86, owner of Allegro Academy of Music in Milwaukee, will be among the alumni taking part. She is a co-chair of the Connecting to Campus Committee of LUAA.

"Through Forever a Lawrentian events, our intention is to create a comfortable atmosphere for supporting students along their next career journey,” Guthrie said. “The potential for synergy between students and alumni can be inspiring to both."

Matt Baumler, associate vice president of Alumni and Community Engagement, said moving the Forever a Lawrentian program into its second year is a building block to making it a Lawrence tradition.

“Forever a Lawrentian is more than a saying; it’s a mantra, a way of being,” Baumler said. “Forever a Lawrentian speaks to the power and potential of our collective community.  Our shared identity as Lawrentians builds connection across differences, opens doors of opportunity, ignites change, and fuels our passions. You are a student for four or five years; you are Forever a Lawrentian."