5 ways to be an awesome alum

After we graduate, many of us simply store away our diplomas and head off to new cities to start our careers without looking back at the place we called home for four years – and it’s a shame.

Our colleges invested time and money into us with the hopes that we would grow and become successful young adults, but they rarely get to see the results. And with cuts in education growing deeper and deeper, universities have been relying on the assistance and donations of alumni more than ever. All graduates need to look back at their schools and ask how they can be positive alumni.

Stay in Touch with Professors

In a way, being a professor is a cruel cycle: their main duties are helping students expand their minds and preparing them for the oh-so-scary real world. The unfair part is that many never get to see the final payoff of students’ hard work and are only left wondering how their former students are doing and how successful they have become.

I’ve made an effort to stay in touch with professors, not out of obligation, but because they became my friends through college. And trust me, nothing delights a former instructor more than hearing that former students are moving to big cities and being hired for fabulous positions. As one of my professors put it, it’s like watching your own children grow up and flourish. So if you haven’t yet, email some favorite professors from your past and let them know how you’re doing. And more importantly, thank them, too.

Donate

Many states are cutting back on funding higher education, meaning that tuition is going up as schools scramble to prevent programs from being cut. Donating to your alma mater will help give current students the same opportunities and quality education that you received.

This might sound a little unreasonable to many post-grads who are strapped for cash as they try to pay off their credit cards and student loans (nope, those pesky loans don’t disappear after graduating). Even donating equipment like old cameras and laptops can be miracles for certain college departments where money is low but demand for technology is high.

Be a Mentor

As much as professors try, they physically can’t be available all the time to help cultivate the skills and talents of their students. By being a mentor, you can give students the attention they need and help them navigate their first steps out of college.

You have so much to invaluable knowledge as a recent graduate and remember how terrifying it can be leaving college. Mentors can ease students into that transition by answering their questions and editing their cover letters and resumes.

For one of my advertising classes, an alumnus from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh monitored our ad campaign throughout the course of the semester and gave us constructive feedback via phone and email. His words not only gave us great direction but motivated us to work hard and brainstorm creative ideas.

Be a Guest Speaker

Another way you can give back to your college is by volunteering to be a guest speaker in classes. As mentioned before, you will be able to teach students about your career field and give them advice that won’t be found in any textbook.

By being a working professional, you know exactly what employers are searching for in young candidates and understand the latest trends in your respective field. This information can impact a student’s life as he or she tries to score an internship or impress an interviewer.

I always found guest speakers really motivational; they showed us how working hard for four years can really pay off by landing an incredible job. Now it’s your chance to be that inspiration for a new generation of students.

Be a Cheerleader

The best (and easiest) thing graduates can do for their schools is to be proud alumni. If you honestly had an amazing college experience, share it with everybody.

Since many schools give alumni discounts, stock up on college sweatshirts, bumper stickers and coffee mugs. It can enhance the brand and awareness of your university and will probably make you feel prouder about being a graduate, too. And if you don’t sing the praises of your school, who will?

Many schools now have Facebook pages for their admission offices that give you the chance tell prospective students exactly why they should attend your alma mater. It’s a great forum to share all of the fond memories you have of school and to answer future students’ questions.

While now is an important time to focus on your future and seize every chance to grow, it’s equally important to recognize where you came from and those who helped you. Donating money or being a guest speaker might seem like a drop in the bucket, but every action can enrich a student’s education and give them more opportunities than originally thought possible.

Tom Hanaway is a marketing and outreach specialist, and a graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh where he majored in journalism and minored in Japanese. During his time in college, he worked as a reporter, a social media intern, a camp counselor in Japan and a multimedia intern in China. Feel free to follow him on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn.

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.