The contacts we make at University can serve as vital information well beyond our university life. The Alumni Relations Office plays an important role in keeping ties between former students and their alma mater strong. Text and interviews by Veronica Stivala.
T
he University of Malta used to be the only institution of its kind, now others have joined the field. ‘It is good to have healthy rivalry and the UoM wanted to instill a sense of attachment and pride between former students and their alma mater, which remains the islands’ largest university,’ explains Patricia Camilleri (Director, Communications and Alumni Relations Office (C&AR)). The alumni section of the communications office was added around ten years ago, its remit has been to build an online alumni community, with a real world presence. Camilleri speaks proudly of a database which now has over 15,000 activated accounts.
Chancellor Prof. David J. Attard
Photos by V-Squared Media & Entertainment, and Tufigno Photo & Video Services.
How did they build this database? ‘Initially we reached out to former students to opt in,’ she points out, ‘but since 2013 alumni accounts have been automatically activated. As an alumni member you are given a UoM IT account and can look up your peers.’ Speaking about the C&AR’s goals, Camilleri says that ‘our aim is to have every single living graduate on the database, which will in turn provide an extremely valuable list of contacts. We have over 40,000 graduates in Malta, or nearly one in ten people.’
The C&AR tries to build connections between people, not raise funds. It organises events and offers alumni assistance with reunions while providing free space for a reception. The C&AR also publishes the monthly e-newsletter, The Luminary, which features alumni oriented information.
Members can benefit from learning about job opportunities and Camilleri hopes to enable alumni to offer job opportunities, internships, or discounts on their company’s services.
An attractive aspect of the C&AR is the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award, which serves to honour those who have done admirable things, though, stresses Camilleri, ‘this is not a prize for excellence or fame, but rather for those who have done a good job and have gone perhaps that extra proverbial mile such as Dr Maria Meilak and Dr Hector Fenech’. These are the role models the C&AR would like to call upon for its own students to look at and say ‘these are the kinds of people we would like you to be’.
A look at some of the University’s noteworthy alumni
DR HECTOR FENECHgraduated B.Sc. (Eng.) in 1978 (University of Malta). He is director of the satellite communications company Future Satellite Systems at Eutelsat. He received the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award in February 2016.
DR MARIA MEILAKgraduated M.D. in 1973 (University of Malta). She is a medical surgeon and co-founded the Voluntary Lay Missions Group. She is also President of the Society for the Transport of Sick People to Lourdes. She received the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award in February 2016.
ANNALISA SCHEMBRIgraduated B.A. Italian and English in 2005. She is former JCI (Junior Chamber International) Malta President and is currently a councilor of the JCI European Development Council. Professionally she is a freelancer in the creative, education, and entertainment industry.
BERNARD SCHEMBRIgraduated B.Sc. I.T. (Hons) in 2004. He is the founder of the table tennis website store megaspin.net.