Many students at Eastern Michigan University know the ropes of being a college student.
They know their everyday college routine and what they have to do to make the grade. However, many students might find while they are well trained in the classroom, when it comes to the real world, they have yet to step through that door.
There is an organization on campus that is helping with this. The Student Organization for Alumni Relations, also known as SOAR, is enabling students to actively think toward their futures by providing many networking opportunities with EMU’s alumni.
According to Melissa Heatlie, an active member of SOAR for the past two years, SOAR has helped her meet many alumni students, along with many professors and staff of the university she never would have met if it weren’t for SOAR.
“You learn how to actually speak with people from the real world who have real businesses and who have succeeded in their lives,” Heatlie said. “Meeting with alumni and staff of the university has helped me learn how to make connections and network with people. It has also taught me how to hold a conversation in an adult manner and think about my future.”
Caitlin Burns, president of SOAR, said the organization holds an event called “Dinner with Twelve Strangers” where an alumni student will host a dinner and talk about his or her experiences in the real world.
“Often we will assign the dinners by majors so you could meet with people who are succeeding in what you hope to do,” Burns said. “We are arranging to have another one this semester.”
As Heatlie explained, the last dinner was held at La Shish and Martha Costa. An alumnus of EMU who now owns a store at the REC/IM and organizes the tailgate area at Homecoming was the guest.
“Last dinner I remember at the table there was someone going into the nursing program and someone else at the table was telling that person that they knew of someone offering internships in her field,” Heatlie said. “SOAR just offers many opportunities for students especially with networking.”
According to Heatlie, students can even attend alumni board meetings on Saturdays, where they will get to meet alumni, faculty and people who work for the college.
“I was actually just offered an internship during the summer,” Heatlie said. “One of the alumni at the meeting told me to give him a resume because he knows that his business that he works for is having a paid internship this summer and he told me I would be a good fit for that.”
Burns knows of another SOAR member who recently received an internship at Sam’s Club just because of his ties through the alumni office and through the many events SOAR offers.
“Some events that we’ve held in the past include many community service projects,” Burns said. “One of our tasks during the year is to help out with Homecoming and be a part of the spirit police at EMU.”
Heatlie describes one of SOAR’s community service projects during Christmas, where members helped wrap presents at Borders in order to receive donations for the Humane Society.
“Another thing we did during Christmas was bake cookies with a group of alumni students who were all mostly in their 70s,” Heatlie said. “It was great to connect with past students of Eastern before Christmas.”
Burns hopes SOAR’s membership will grow and that SOAR will be able to put on more events with more attendance of students as well as alumni.
“I’m hoping to make SOAR a regular name here on campus and we are currently planning many future projects,” Burns said. “Right now we’re even looking at an alumni and student baseball game before the semester ends.”
SOAR meets every other week at 10:30 on Fridays in the Student Center.
“Whoever wishes to join SOAR should contact me and fill out an application with two letters of references,” Burns said. “SOAR is a great organization to get involved in.”
