HEAA Volunteer Opportunities
Invite a student to dinner
As an alumni of the Harvard Extension School, you can be an invaluable asset for our students. We want to encourage you to participate in Invite a Student to Dinner, and offer them a social opportunity in a relaxed setting. We are looking for alumni (both here in Cambridge and anywhere else in the world) who are willing to host a dinner close to home for 1 or more students, e.g. share a pizza, meet at Grendels for half-price appetizers, or have coffee and a sandwich at Au Bon Pain. While we expect these to be completely social events, you might be asked to share your professional insights and accomplishments with our current students.
In addition to providing financial support for the dinner, you will receive special recognition in the Alumni Bulletin, Extension Chord, and on the HEAA website. It would be great if you could take a digital picture or 2 at dinner, and these could be included on the website as well. The total cost of dinner (from pizza to filet mignon) is considered a gift in kind to Harvard Extension School and is completely tax deductible. Hosts also earn a spot on the list of donors in the Bulletin.
And of course, as alumni of the Harvard Extension School, nothing feels as good as spending time with current students, sharing your experiences and encouraging them in their studies. Our students will benefit greatly from your time.
If you would like to “invite a student to dinner” or if you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Alumni Relations Chair Michele Blanc, CM ’07, at michele_blanc@harvard.edu. To facilitate the match process, please provide the following information in your e-mail.
Name
Program and graduation date
Location of dinner (town, state, country)
Scheduling preferences
Number of students requested
Phone
Email
We will make every effort to match you with a student (or students) whose interests align with yours. To help with this process, please include a brief note on your career and your other interests when you sign up for the program.
Project Reconnect
The Project Reconnect program reaches out to graduates to build our connection with them, to survey interests, and reconnect them to the vibrant Extension School community. Engage with people from your graduating class, and help us build a conversation among alumni association members. To participate or if you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Mike Fishbein, ALM ’04, HEAA chair of communications, at mike.fishbein@post.harvard.edu.
Alumni Speakers Series
In 2007, HEAA inaugurated its Alumni Speakers Series to bring alumni back to campus for informal presentations on their accomplishments since graduation.
Past speakers include the following:
- Todd Rideman, AAE ’99, ALB ’02, on his career as an entrepreneur
- Bruce Forman, MD ’83, CAS ’91, on his career in bioinformatics
- John Vermilye, ALB ’80, on his career in the airline industry
Alumni interested in sharing their experiences are invited to contact Rena Fonseca, assistant dean of students and alumni affairs, at rena_fonseca@harvard.edu or (617) 998-8557.