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Corporate connections: Alumni events strengthen Titan community

by | Jan 24, 2023 | Briefs, Titan Magazine

Every year, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Relations Office hosts a variety of alumni events that allow graduates to grow their sense of Titan community, connect with fellow alumni and build their professional networks.

Recently, there has been a renewed focus on corporate alumni events centered on strengthening partnerships between the University and companies that employ UW Oshkosh graduates.

“Our goal with these events is to strengthen our relationships with local businesses that employ a significant number of our alumni. We also are reconnecting with alumni who may have lost touch with UWO and are working to reengage with them,” said Carrie Rule ’15, UWO alumni relations outreach coordinator.

Society Insurance, which currently employs over 50 UWO graduates and offers numerous internships for students, hosted a corporate alumni event on Nov. 3 at the company’s headquarters in Fond du Lac.

Among the lineup of guest speakers for the event was Chancellor Andy Leavitt, who spoke about the importance of partnership between UWO and Society Insurance.

“UWO has the most employable graduates in the area, and it’s all thanks to the partnerships we have with local businesses. It’s exceedingly important to have internship opportunities like the ones offered through our partnership with Society Insurance,” Leavitt said.

Many of the alumni who attended the event began their careers with Society Insurance through an internship while in college.

Taylor (Moret) Vande Vyver, a 2016 interactive web management graduate from Prairie du Chien and current marketing specialist for Society Insurance, expressed gratitude for her internship and shared how it helped her get to where she is today.

“I’m thankful that UWO students are required to have an internship to graduate because otherwise I would have just continued working jobs that wouldn’t have gotten me anywhere after college. Instead, I was able to find my career,” Vande Vyver said.

Leavitt praised the alumni in attendance and encouraged them to stay involved with their alma mater. “We hope you all stay engaged. Come visit campus occasionally and show your Titan pride,” he said.

Alumni Director Chris Gantner spoke about the importance of alumni involvement and the need for guest speakers to return to campus classrooms and talk about their career paths.

“It’s great to be here with Titans like you. It’s so important to have involved alumni on campus, speaking with students and sharing your experiences,” Gantner said.

UWO alumni at the event agreed that getting together right at their company helps build a sense of community and pride for their alma mater.

Joelle Winter, a 2014 human resources management graduate from Oshkosh and current human resources generalist at Society Insurance, said, “It’s nice to see how the partnership between Society and UWO has grown and how many alumni are still working here today.”

“These events bring people together. They allow us to learn more about each other and the path that we took to get to where we currently are. It’s fun!” Vande Vyver said.

Other recent corporate events have been held at Northwestern Mutual and Jewelers Mutual Group. Rule said there will be more to come at a variety of regional employers as she works to get events scheduled for the future.

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