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“For example, in LA, we’re finding that alumni are spread out between
many different companies across the city, whereas in San Diego, they’re
primarily concentrated within a smaller number of companies; one being
UCSD itself, another being Qualcomm.”
Recently, UC San Diego became one of 12 universities—and the only one with the University of California system—to start a unique relationship with LinkedIn, the world’s largest online professional network. Through LinkedIn’s College Pilot Program, UCSD Alumni, the university’s alumni association, is utilizing the website’s resources to chart the number of graduates (and the top 10 most influential) in various industries across the country—including entertainment, law and marketing, among others. By digging deeper into the newfound data, UCSD Alumni hopes to better connect alumni within their respective fields.
“It’s been really interesting to look at how the regions differ based on distribution,” says Brandon Buzbee, UCSD Alumni director of outreach and engagement, who fostered UC San Diego’s relationship with LinkedIn. “For example, in LA, we’re finding that alumni are spread out between many different companies across the city, whereas in San Diego, they’re primarily concentrated within a smaller number of companies; one being UCSD itself, another being Qualcomm.”
UCSD Alumni’s LinkedIn network is over 10,700 strong and graduates are mostly concentrated in areas such as computer software, biotechnology, research, information technology and financial services. This information has enabled UCSD Alumni to connect with influential alumni in numerous industries. In the future, it will allow UCSD Alumni to offer networking events that focus on entertainment, science, law and other fields based on the demand for each in specific regions.
“That’s the biggest opportunity we have with this partnership—to grow a strong network for our alumni,” Buzbee says.
Harnessing this data enables the organization to be a relevant conduit of information for alumni, by sharing insights into key players and companies within specific industries and regions. Additionally, UCSD Alumni is working towards building profiles for the school’s top three regions—Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area—while expanding their regional scope, and tapping into unexplored alumni markets.
Alumni interested in connecting with other grads in their field and regional area should go to LinkedIn.com or visit alumni.ucsd.edu, to learn about upcoming networking opportunities.
--Neda Salamat, Muir ’12