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Unread 06-01-2016, 20:26
sanddrag sanddrag is offline
On to my 16th year in FRC
FRC #0696 (Circuit Breakers)
Team Role: Teacher
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Glendale, CA
Posts: 8,515
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Re: Live AMAA with FRC Director Frank Merrick on 1/5 @ 8:30pm EST on Spotlight!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rangel(kf7fdb) View Post
In regards of the alumni question, the problem is less of tracking alumni, it's getting alumni to want to be tracked and stay a part of FIRST. Any alumni that wants to stay affiliated with FIRST is already doing that through mentoring, volunteering, or even Chief Delphi. There is a limited database on alumni but it's probably not useful because the majority of alumni are not on it. Most people just look at FRC as something they did in high school and move on. If FIRST can figure out a really neat way to pull alumni back into the system, then that would be great. Until then though, I completely understand why it is a low priority. Especially since many of the best alumni are still a part of FIRST.
You (and FIRST) are missing the big picture. Gathering data on and maintaining contact with alumni will benefit the entire organization tremendously in the future, if they do it right. If FIRST gathers "Where are they now?" type anecdotes as well as aggregated data, they (and we) can use it for justification that FIRST robotics leads to <insert adjective> better life outcomes for participants, compared to students who did not participate in FIRST. This sort of data can help mainstream FIRST into schools, grant eligibility, and social acceptance. Furthermore, by making the alumni connections and building a network of alumni, FIRST has the potential to connect its alumni with careers, in a similar fashion to how they currently connect students with scholarships, and Deans list students with universities.

Many well-established universities and organizations have alumni associations. The reasons they do are not superfluous.
__________________
Teacher/Engineer/Machinist - Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2011 - Present
Mentor/Engineer/Machinist, Team 968 RAWC, 2007-2010
Technical Mentor, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2005-2007
Student Mechanical Leader and Driver, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2002-2004
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