Written by: Leyla A.
Edited by: Sofia V
The motto “Once a Bearcat, Always a Bearcat” follows those who have graduated throughout their lives. The ISM community continues even after graduation, the result of a strong alumni network. Various communities are created for the alumni to maintain the valuable connections they created during their time as a Bearcat. To further strengthen and create more connections, ISM regularly hosts reunions worldwide; the more recent alumni reunions were hosted in London and New York City.
Ms. Goco, the Director of Advancement, was interviewed to learn more about these reunions. The Advancement Department at ISM is responsible for maintaining all connections and communication with the school’s alumni. Ms. Goco, an ISM alumna herself, explained that “the ISM alumni community is primarily structured based on class year and decade, allowing alumni to connect with peers from their graduating class to all class years”. Considering ISM’s long history, while there are alumni who often visit campus — creating connections through these visits —, the communities are also dependent on the geographical location of ISM’s alumni. For example, each graduating batch may end up in different communities, but there are quite a few alumni who congregate in certain cities such as New York City or London. This creates an international community brought together by a shared bond with ISM.
The alumni reunions are a regular practice, with multiple being organized every year by both the school and the alumni themselves. More frequent reunions are organized by ISM, taking place in Manila, London, and various cities in the United States. These receptions are open not only to alumni of all graduating classes but also to the parents of alumni and former ISM employees. As the alumni community grows, so do the communities in other countries beyond the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States, opening up opportunities to host reunions elsewhere. Ms. Goco has even shared that “aside from our regular annual reunion destinations, we recently held our first-ever alumni reception in Seoul last November, and we look forward to hosting in more cities in the future”.
ISM has a rich community that not only includes its current students but also those who have graduated and moved on to bigger things. Even years after graduation, the Bearcat community continues to maintain strong connections and relationships all around the globe, truly fulfilling ISM’s vision of creating a global community.
