Marlborough creates multiple avenues for current students to be able to interact and learn from the active 4,700 alumnae that the school engages with.
Each spring, members of the junior class and a small set of alumnae participate in the Share the Wisdom event. What was created in 2015 by two alumnae leadership board members has now become one of the most coveted Marlborough traditions. Hosted during a Flunch period, alumnae ranging from two years to multiple decades out of college discuss their career paths and life experiences with juniors.
Members of the Share the Wisdom committee and the Marlborough Advancement team reach out to a primary set of alumnae in a wide range of sectors, career stages and even city of residence. Although some alumnae participants reach out to be a speaker at the event, the majority come from outreach efforts.
“We try to ensure that of the alums that come, they check two main boxes,” Associate Director of Alumnae Engagement Natalie Cuadra said. “One, that it is a spread of industries that they currently work in, and two, that they did not have a super linear career path.”
Since students from the junior class will be thinking about college applications and declaring certain majors, Cuadra highlighted how one main goal of the event is to encourage students to think more broadly, be open to the possibilities of other careers and understand that it is normal to experience multiple pivots after college.
During the event, juniors rotate around tables for a seven-minute speed conversation with the alumnae. They get to ask questions and absorb advice from as many alumnae as time allows. After the event, Cuadra instructs the interested students to maintain a relationship if a connection is formed.
Many students follow up with the alumnae via email or in-person conversations afterward to keep a close line of communication or even pursue an internship.
“The alums absolutely love this event,” Cuadra said. “Immediately after, everyone is just raving about how impressed they are by the students and their thoughtful questions.”
One of the alumnae — who lives in Washington, D.C., and works in the national security sector — had not visited Marlborough in decades until the most recent Share the Wisdom event.
“She was truly emotional and even upset that she did not live in LA to give her daughter these Marlborough experiences,” Cuadra said. “She was very impressed to see the campus 30 years later, but also just to hear from students and connect with them.”
The Advancement Office wants to keep creating these opportunities to cultivate bonds between alumnae and current students and encourage alumnae to stay involved in campus life. Starting in the 2026-27 school year, the alumnae leadership board will expand to graduates from any class year, instead of limiting participation to those 20 years or more post-graduate. There will also be the addition of the current student engagement committee within the alumnae leadership board to focus explicitly on developing these relationships for current students and alumnae.
“We want to be able to find alumnae to connect with [current students],” Cuadra said. “Whether it is your club or class or Pushing Perspectives, we hope this committee will find more ways to bring alums back to campus in other ways.”
