Tufts reaches out to international alumni

New board members for Tufts Club of Greece.

2005 London Panel Planning Committee.

Jeremy Bowen, Middle East Editor, BBC, moderates October's London Panel, China and India: The Next Global Superpowers.

Alumni pose for a photo during the Paris Tufts Alliance's Behind the Scenes Tour of the Louvre on June 3, 2005.

December 13, 2005--Did you know that there are more than 4,000 Tufts alumni living outside the United States?

In an effort to foster relationships and build stronger Tufts communities throughout the world, the Tufts University Alumni Association (TUAA) has expanded its international regional program to places such as Turkey, Greece, Canada, London, Paris, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.

The TUAA works with volunteer leaders in these countries to build Tufts communities that have a commitment to giving back to the university. Their programs focus on social, educational, professional, and community-based themes.

"The goal is to build a positive presence for Tufts in the world," explains Gretchen Dobson, associate director, regional programs.

The Tufts Club of Greece, with more than 350 members, is one chapter that continues to attract new members. They've held receptions with alumni, parents, and prospective students, and are welcoming Tufts' popular a cappella group, the Beelzebubs, on January 13.  

"Our aim is to keep in touch by organizing fun and academic events, and to give back to the university," said George Papanikolaou, E01, E02, president of the Tufts Club of Greece.

This past October, the Toronto Tufts Alliance hosted a successful reception with President Bacow. They hope to use the positive response from this event to support future programs, including a community service project planned for this winter.

The London Tufts Alliance works with the Fletcher Club of London, and alumni groups from Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, and Columbia to sponsor an annual fall panel. The panels are comprised of local experts with media, academic, and business backgrounds. In October, more than 250 alumni and friends attended a panel titled China and India: the Next Big Superpowers.

London Tufts Alliance recognizes the benefits from working with other chapters. London coordinator, Vikki Garth, J81, explains, "Greater scale enables us to attract more prestigious speakers and to use more prominent venues. Our ability to network is better as we can share ideas, contacts, and suggestions for a variety of events. Also, working together enables us to increase the number of activities we can offer in a year.”

The newest international chapter, the Korea Tufts Alliance, was formed in 2005, and groups in India and Turkey are planned for 2006. The Beelzebubs will help launch the Turkey Tufts Alliance on January 7 with a free concert at Bizimtepe.

For more information about international alumni chapters, please contact Gretchen Dobson, at 617-627-3964 or gretchen.dobson@tufts.edu.

Living outside of the US or traveling overseas for business or pleasure? Check out the entire list of international alumni chapters and Fletcher international clubs. Also, check the calendar of events to see a list of Tufts alumni happenings around the globe.