Alumni Anchor Leadership Anchorage: Part 1

At this year’s Celebrating Leadership on May 9, keynote speaker and LA 13 alum Ayyu Qassataq talked about the need for continuous support and recognition for the leaders in our communities who are doing the work of strengthening communities every day. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the incredible network of supportive LA alumni who are critical to the program’s success.

When asked to share something about Leadership Anchorage that would give people insight into something they likely didn’t know much about - I knew immediately I wanted to write about our incredible LA alumni. LA is impossible to replicate because of its history and legacy, because we have 27 years of graduates and learnings that influence every component of the program. Read on to learn more about how they anchor LA. 

Recruitment

LA’s 457 alumni are our most effective recruitment tool. They are constantly on the lookout for Alaskans who are committed to community-centered problem solving and not shy about sharing their passion. Of the 53 people who applied to join LA 28, one in three of them said they found out about the program through an LA alum. And those who did not find out about the program directly from an alum likely attended the April Open House, where they heard firsthand from alumni about their experiences in the program and its continuing impact on their lives. 

Selection

Interviewing 50-plus people is no small feat. Doing so with an alum present alongside AKHF staff for every one-hour interview requires massive volunteer commitment. We were able to pull it off this year with the help of 34 alumni who volunteered as interviewers and offered recommendations for admission. (Carolyn Hall (LA 26) and Raul Rovira (LA 19) each volunteered for six interviews - the highest number this year!) Two alumni - Kate Wedemeyer and Polly Carr (LA 3) - have continued to volunteer with LA over the past two decades. (Carr cited her experience in LA as one reason for joining the Forum staff last year!). One of the interviewees noted how impactful it was to be interviewed by someone who has stayed engaged over that stretch and that it made it clear that LA is worth doing.

“Interviewing cohort applicants is a meaningful way for me to contribute to this program that had such a transformational impact on me. When I talk with prospective cohort participants, my LA lens has me asking: 'Is this person curious about other perspectives? Do they think there is room to learn more? Are they hopeful about our community and future?'" - Polly Carr

Mentorship

Mentorship is core to the LA experience and the process for identifying mentors is time-intensive and requires an extensive network. The program provides three to five names of potential mentors to every participant, which means that - every year - we come up with between 60 and 100 potential mentors who are individually selected based on the preferences and goals of the mentee. For this year’s cohort, we did our mentorship brainstorm at last month’s Leadership Anchorage Advisory Board meeting. Eight alumni went through every member of LA 28, learned about what they said they were looking for in a mentorship, and then recommended names of potential mentors. Alumni also committed to making an introduction if needed. It is then up to the participant to cultivate a mentorship with whoever they choose. About two-thirds of people end up reaching out to someone recommended through this process. Many times, mentors are also alumni. Three of LA 27’s mentors last year, for example, were alumni of the program: Gloria O’Neill (LA 1); Grace Gallagher (LA 22); and Kevin Worrell (LA 24).

Community Impact Projects

Leadership Anchorage participants create teams of three to five to work on addressing pressing community challenges through projects proposed by community organizations. Teams work on these projects from October through May, contributing to the community and learning how to work productively as a team. LA 27 received 14 Community Impact Project proposals and selected five to work on throughout the program. Of those five, three were proposed and championed by alumni:

Alaskanizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals with AKv3 - Ryan Witten (LA 22)

UAA Childcare Project with UAA - Ahmbra Austin (LA 26) and Grace Gallagher (LA 22)

Denełchin Lab Community Access with CITC - Grace Coles (LA 22)

The alumni who champion these projects know the dedication and quality of work that can be accomplished by LA project teams, because they have been part of a team themselves.