Updated 3/12/12

Have you ever thought about working with former students? Wait, maybe ‘partnership‘ is a better way of thinking about it…

Have you ever partnered with former students that you once spent time, energy and effort investing in?

Maybe it was an initiative on campus… or something that took place on the other side of the world? Possibly a one-time event… or maybe it was something that was ongoing over the course of a semester or year?

Partnering with alumni from our ministry [be it our present ministry location or one from our past] can be a powerful experience for everyone involved.

For our current students, experiences like this can serve as a visual for what someone ‘on the other side’ of graduation, from both college and your ministry, can turn out like.

It can also help them to understand the importance of being committed to our relationship and their own personal discipleship. Experiencing a partnership like this can serve as a powerful motivation for students who may be struggling with their:

• faith
• vocation
• motivation levels
• desire to graduate
• fears about the future
• among others, I’m sure…

Experiencing a young professional who is ‘making it’ and who is also willing to ‘give back’ to us, and our ministry efforts, can go a long way to strengthen a wide variety of commitments.

For the former student, now partner, an opportunity like this can serve as an incredible encouragement to them in that it speaks to:

• our commitment to our relationship with them
• our belief in them
• our belief in their current work
• our belief that this individual is worthy of providing leadership to our group

Opportunities like this, for former students to ‘give back’ to something that has been an important part of their life, as well as to receive a gift in reconnecting with a piece of their past, can be significant! You never really know how God might choose to use an experience like this for them!

And for US, the minister/pastor-type, a partnership like this can be the kind of thing that God uses to:

• remind us of how He has worked in the past
• encourage us in our current work
• validate our sense of calling
• strengthen ties with students – past and present
• give us visions of future work

Yes, choosing to partner with students from our past can be a very beneficial thing… for everyone involved!