This past Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, students, alumni and organizers alike were united on Tech Green through the Georgia Tech Alumni Association. The event, “Ramble on the Green,” provided students with a chance to learn more about the association and its resources and get free food.
Students floated from one station to the next, ranging from balloon hat-making to informational sessions on getting connected with the Tech community, as a live DJ played custom mixes in the background. The interactive event incentivized students to visit multiple stations through a passport system; each student received a pamphlet (passport) when they arrived that would be stamped after the completion of a station.
After students obtained a minimum of three stamps, they had the opportunity to exchange their passports for a
free Chick-fil-A sandwich. The majority of the stations centered around providing students with resources through the Georgia Tech Alumni Association, but a current of community reverberated through each booth.
“For us [the Georgia Tech Alumni Association], is all about trying to make that connection with students while they are still students,” said Dene Sheheane, Georgia Tech Alumni Association president.
Continuing on this year’s theme of community, Sheheane said, “We refer to students as alumni in residence. You are already part of the permanent family of Georgia Tech and we want to make that connection strong while you’re here so that we can be a great resource to you when you become an alum.”
The annual event’s planning had long been underway, according to Sheheane, who spoke of the intentionality that went into the process.
“People [alumni] come back from all over the globe and tell me what interests them the most is connecting the students while they are here as alumni leaders, so we always organize this event around lunch every year so that they can come out and personally connect with students and offer their help and insights,” Sheheane said, adding that alumni often work in fields that students pursue internships in, creating a natural opportunity to bond.
Six Georgia Tech Alumni Association organizations were present on Tech Green: Georgia Tech Connect, the Student Alumni Association, Mentor Jackets, the Georgia Tech Student Foundation, Student Ambassadors and the Alumni Association. Each organization had a seperate booth that provided students with information on their role and how they could get involved.The Technique spoke with Angela Duodu, 2nd-year CS and Mason Graham, 2nd-year CS, who came to the event to learn more about campus organizations and for networking opportunities, respectively, for a student perspective on the event.
“My favorite station was the Student Foundation. I learned there is a student endowment for different clubs on campus that I didn’t know about before. If I ever need something for one of my clubs, it’s good to know I can reach out for that support,” said Duodu.
In line with his goal of networking in pursuit of a part time job, Graham spoke positively of the Georgia Tech
Alumni Association booth.
“They told me there was a block party tomorrow where there will be a lot of alumni, so I look forward to going to that and trying to connect with them there,” Graham said.
Although their goals were different, both students responded “yes,” when asked if they would attend a similar event, demonstrating an interest for engagement on the student’s end.
This year’s Ramble on the Green event provided resources, information and connection between current students and alumni, fostering community on and beyond Tech’s campus. For those interested, more information can be found at www.gtalumni.org.