CBE Young Alumni Board

Connect. Mentor. Lead.

Large WWU display letters outside a brick building with students gathered around.

CBE was founded in 1976 and is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. The Young Alumni Board is timely in both honoring CBE's first 50 years and building the alumni leadership network for its next 50.

CBE prepares students to make a lifelong positive impact on business and society. The CBE Young Alumni Board extends that mission beyond graduation by connecting alumni with students, with one another, and with the communities CBE serves.

Mission

The mission of the CBE Young Alumni Board is to connect and engage emerging alumni leaders who mentor students, strengthen the CBE alumni community, and champion the College throughout Washington and beyond. Through mentorship, networking, outreach, and service, Board members help prepare students for leadership and extend CBE's positive impact on business and society.

Purpose

The College of Business and Economics Young Alumni Board connects emerging alumni leaders with CBE students, alumni, faculty, staff, industry partners, and communities throughout Washington and beyond.

Building upon CBE's long tradition of preparing students to make a positive impact on business and society, the Board creates opportunities for young alumni to give back through mentorship, strengthen professional and alumni networks, promote the College, and help prepare the next generation of CBE graduates for leadership.

As CBE enters its next 50 years, the Young Alumni Board will help build lifelong relationships between graduates and the College while creating a growing network of alumni leaders committed to the success of CBE students, fellow alumni, and the communities they serve.

Why join the Young Alumni Board?

Members on a college board learn board governance and leadership experience. It is often one of the most rewarding and enriching professional experiences of alumni. The experience provides an opportunity to support your alma mater and current students as they seek to launch their future.

Scope of Work across Three Pillars

Young alumni have recently navigated many of the same transitions CBE students are preparing to make. Board members will use those experiences and their growing professional networks to help students successfully transition from college to careers.

Board activities will include:

  • Mentoring current CBE students.
  • Participating in career panels, student clubs, and professional development programs.
  • Providing career, interviewing, and networking advice.
  • Sharing lessons from the transition from college to the workplace.
  • Helping students develop professional networks.
  • Helping students understand emerging industries and career pathways.
  • Modeling ethical, responsible, and impactful leadership.

The Board will strengthen connections among CBE alumni and create opportunities for graduates to maintain meaningful relationships with the College throughout their careers.

Board activities will include:

  • Organizing young alumni networking opportunities.
  • Supporting alumni professional-development events.
  • Connecting alumni across industries and professions.
  • Engaging alumni throughout Washington, particularly in major employment centers such as Seattle and the Puget Sound region.
  • Developing the next generation of alumni leaders for CBE.

Board members will serve as ambassadors for CBE and help increase awareness of the College, its students, programs, alumni, faculty, and contributions to society.

Board activities will include:

  • Promoting CBE accomplishments, programs, and events through professional and personal networks.
  • Representing CBE at business and community events.
  • Identifying potential speakers, mentors, internships, experiential-learning projects, and corporate partners.
  • Supporting major CBE events and initiatives.
  • Sharing alumni success stories.
  • Identifying opportunities where CBE students, faculty, and alumni can contribute to regional organizations and communities. 

Board Eligibility, Composition and Priorities

Board Eligibility

Service on the Young Alumni Board is intended to be mutually beneficial. While members contribute their time, expertise, and networks to CBE, the Board also provides members with opportunities to develop as professionals and community leaders. Board members will have opportunities to expand their professional networks, develop board and committee leadership experience, strengthen mentoring and coaching skills, interact with CBE and business leaders, and represent the College in professional and community settings. The Board therefore reflects a reciprocal commitment: Young alumni help develop the next generation of CBE students, while CBE helps develop the next generation of alumni leaders.

Members should generally:

  • Be graduates of a CBE undergraduate or graduate program. 
  • Have graduated within approximately the previous 15 years. 
  • Demonstrate an interest in supporting students and CBE. 
  • Be willing to actively participate in Board activities. 
  • Demonstrate professional and community leadership or leadership potential. 

Members who no longer meet the general definition of "young alumni" may complete their existing term.
The Board will generally consist of approximately 15 - 20 members.

Board Composition

The Board should seek representation across:

  • CBE academic programs. 
  • Graduation years. 
  • Industries and professions. 
  • Career stages. 
  • Geographic locations. 
  • Backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Annual Priorities and Accountability

The Board and CBE leadership will identify a limited number of annual priorities consistent with the Board’s mission. The Board will review its activities annually and recommend priorities for the following year.

Activities and outcomes may include:

  • Number of students engaged through mentoring and career activities.
  • Number of alumni participating in networking and engagement activities.
  • Alumni reconnected with CBE.
  • Employer and industry connections created.
  • Internship, mentorship, speaking, and experiential-learning opportunities generated.
  • Participation in CBE events and initiatives.
  • Outreach activities promoting CBE and its accomplishments..

Questions?

If you are interested in serving on the CBE Young Alumni Board or want more information, please contact Dean Deanna Kennedy at kennedd7@wwu.edu.