Networking and Personal Brand Development Alumni Coach

Overview

Interest Form Learn more about Leadership Labs

Alumni coaches serve as small group facilitators for the annual Networking and Personal Brand Development (formerly known as Imprint) Leadership Lab (formerly known as an i-Program), which focuses on competencies necessary for displaying leadership during times of personal and professional transition. University of Illinois alums are invited to apply to serve as Alumni Coaches.

To express your interest in being an Alumni Coach, please fill out the interest form.

For questions about becoming or being a coach, please contact Elise Heyde at eheyde2@illinois.edu.

Imprint coaches chatting
Imprint coach and student chatting
Role Description

Alumni Coaches are Small Group Facilitators for the Networking and Personal Brand Development Leadership Lab. Coaches will:

  • Lead small group discussions with 8-10 students.
  • Share their own personal stories of success and challenge around transition in their own lives.
  • Develop and foster positive relationships with students.
  • Challenge students to grow and excel, while supporting them in their current skills and level of development.
  • Provide insight, advice, and feedback to students throughout (and after) the program. 

Time Commitment

Networking and Personal Brand Development typically takes place on a weekend in February.

Alumni Coaches will arrive on campus the Friday evening before Saturday’s program to attend the facilitator training. Dinner is provided after the training.  

Alumni Coaches are present for the entirety of the Saturday program from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Following Saturday’s program, Alumni Coaches are invited to join the ILC staff for dinner if still in town. 

While the Leadership Center is not able to cover travel expenses for Alumni Coaches, we do provide hotel accommodations during your stay in Champaign – Urbana if needed.

All facilitation materials and any resources will be shared weeks ahead of the program, and facilitators are asked to review the material prior to training.

Benefits

While serving as an Alumni Coach does require a time commitment, there are many perks to volunteering as a coach that could be both personally and professionally beneficial. Below are just a few examples:

  • Rejuvenated Illini Sprit - Coaches have the opportunity to step back onto campus, interact with today’s Illinois students, and reminisce about their college days. 
  • Improved Skills - Coaches have the opportunity to foster their own leadership skills while working with their students.
  • Expanded Network - Coaches have the opportunity to meet other alumni and professionals who are also serving as coaches.
  • Fresh Perspectives - Coaches have the opportunity to gain new perspectives from their students through their interactions and experiences together.  

Selection Process

Each year, the ILC invites between 20-30 alumni to serve as Alumni Coaches.

It is our intention to have a wide-diverse group of Alumni Coaches each year at our program to reflect our student participants. With this in mind, we try to have a group of coaches who represents each academic college, as well as who comes from various demographic backgrounds and career paths. Prior facilitation experience is not a requirement to be an Alumni Coach. 

Invitations to be an Alumni Coach start to go out six months before the next scheduled program (typically September) and will continue until spots are filled. The ILC staff will keeps all interest forms on file for up to three years.