Moments of Connection: Looking Back on a Year of Community Events at Empire
How do you create meaningful opportunities for members of the community to connect with one another? Plan a series of fun-filled activities for all to attend. That’s the approach Empire State University took this past year, organizing an expanded roster of events that brought together students, faculty, staff, and alumni from across the state.
“As a primarily online institution with a geographically dispersed community, we recognize that fostering a sense of belonging requires intentional effort,” says Amanda Sbriscia,
vice president for advancement. “These events were designed to bring alumni, students, employees, and friends of the university together around shared experiences that build connection, cultivate Empire pride, and remind people that they are part of something larger than themselves.”
Hosted in various locations throughout the last year, the events drew nearly 500 registrants. Activities included a Red Wings baseball game held in Rochester; an Adirondack Thunder hockey game held in Glens Falls; two major league baseball games held in Florida during spring training; an outing at Topgolf on Long Island; and an evening at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs.
The latter produced a particularly memorable moment for Sbriscia, who recalls the experience of a recent graduate who attended the event on his own.
“It was wonderful to watch him quickly connect with other alumni and members of the university community throughout the evening. During those conversations, we learned he was planning to return to Empire to pursue a graduate degree,” she says. “That experience perfectly captured what these programs are designed to do: create welcoming spaces where people feel connected and want to continue their relationship with the university.”
Looking ahead, Sbriscia says event programming will proceed this fall with a virtual speaker series featuring three women leaders who will share their professional journeys and insights. There will also be a community gathering in Manhattan.
“We hope these experiences inspire alumni to volunteer, mentor students, offer internships, attend future programs, or support the university philanthropically. We hope the events support employee collaboration because of relationships formed outside of day-to-day work. We hope students who feel connected to Empire today become engaged alumni tomorrow,” Sbriscia says. “Whatever shape our community engagement takes going forward, the greatest value lies in the relationships these moments help create and sustain.”
