Wellesley Introduces the Next Generation of the Wellesley Alumnae Network

In an effort to strengthen the “W Network” as a career resource for Wellesley students and alumnae worldwide, the College is moving its online professional alumnae networking community to LinkedIn. In choosing LinkedIn, Wellesley follows where alumnae led: Half of Wellesley’s 30,000 active alumnae have already joined LinkedIn, and of that group, half are also members of Wellesley’s alumnae group on LinkedIn. As the world’s largest professional networking site, LinkedIn provides an array of professional-networking services that will deliver real career value to Wellesley alumnae and students.

Wellesley’s newly enhanced LinkedIn site will contain 20 industry-based subgroups, with content driven by Wellesley alumnae. That provides a great opportunity for alums to share career-related information, referrals, and advice with other Wellesley women (both students and graduates) who share career interests. The Wellesley alums who are already a part of the College’s LinkedIn group will immediately see better-than-ever offerings. Those who haven’t yet joined the alumnae network on LinkedIn are heartily invited to sign up.

The refreshed site—open only to Wellesley alumnae and students and affiliated faculty and staff—will harness the power of the Wellesley alumnae network, sometimes referred to as the most powerful women’s network on the planet. According to a 2013 alumnae survey, within 20 years of graduation, 60 percent of working alums report that they hold senior, executive, or C-suite positions; 19 percent serve as C-level execs within 35 years of graduation. Nearly one in five Wellesley alums have started their own company, and 60 percent have received a professional degree within 10 years of graduation. Indeed, more than 80 percent of Wellesley graduates pursue advanced degrees of all kinds. Fifty percent make a difference in the world working at government, NGO, and other public agencies. Just for starters.

Wellesley’s career-minded alumnae span all fields and geographies, and—with the network spanning all graduating classes—a wide range in ages. In addition to making professional connections, the LinkedIn network is a great way for alumnae and students to stay in touch or get back in touch with Wellesley friends. It’s also an opportunity for alumnae to mentor students and recent grads, and for students to benefit from alumnae support.

The updated Wellesley Alumnae Network is backed by the Center for Work and Service (CWS), Wellesley’s career-counseling team. CWS will post job, internship, and fellowship opportunities on a weekly basis and provide a direct link to the CWS website, where group members will find ways to facilitate the application process. And through the LinkedIn search function, users will also be able to conduct proactive searches to find their ideal position (filter opportunities by industry, job function, location, skill set, key word, even academic major). The service is free and signing up takes only a few minutes.

Wellesley is known for investing in women, and providing lifelong career support for alums is just one manifestation of that commitment. If you’re a Wellesley student or alum, visit the Wellesley Alumnae Network now and see where it can take you.