SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Alumni Directory Access

Rules for Student-Alumni Interaction at SIPA

To ensure that SIPA alumni can continue to be a resource for students, please follow these guidelines:

1. Students may use the Alumni Directory for networking purposes only. 
2. Students may not mass email alumni for any reason.
3. Students must contact the Office of Alumni Affairs to approach alumni or businesses for financial support of any kind, regardless of personal connections.
4. Students must contact the Office of Student Affairs to arrange for:
1. Alumni speakers at events
2. Alumni attendees at events
3. Alumni advice or support for travel
4. Alumni publicity or outreach for projects and events

Students who violate these rules will lose access to the Alumni Directory and incur other penalties.

Using the Alumni Directory

How to Select Alumni

1. Identify your career goal and finalize your resume before searching the database.
2. Identified alumni in your preferred career field.
3.  Prioritize those with whom you share common interests or backgrounds.

Contacting Alumni

1. Before contacting an alumnus/a, learn as much as you can about the organization for which s/he works. Use the Office of Career Services and the Internet.
2. Prepare questions in advance.
3. Email the alumnus/a to request an informational interview. Give him or her time to respond.  If you don’t hear back within 10 days, you may send a second email. Do not send a third email without a response.
4. If you have not conducted an informational interview before, make an appointment with a career advisor to discuss this process.

 

When Meeting with an Alumnus/a

1. Ask questions that will help you understand the field/job/organization.
2. Bring a copy of your resume. The alumnus/a can provide you with industry-specific advice about it.
3. Remember that this is not a job interview, so do not ask for a job or an internship. Instead, you can ask for suggestions regarding how to go about your job or internship search.
4. Ask if there is anyone else they can recommend for you to meet.

After the Meeting

1. Send a thank you letter.
2. If the advice that they’ve given is helpful, or when you find a job, send them an e-mail and let them know.

 

First Name:


Last Name:


UNI:


I have read all of the preceding information, understand how to use the Alumni Directory for contacting alumni for networking purposes, and agree to the Rules for Contacting Alumni.