Louise Lewonczuk, new president of IMT Atlantique Alumni, reaffirms the importance of the network

Already involved in the association's board of directors after graduating, Louise quickly felt the need to get even more involved: "As a member of the first IMT Atlantique graduating class, it was very symbolic for me to become president of the association. For me, it really shows that the association is there for everyone, that there are projects for everyone".

helping STUDENTS make a smooth ENTRY INTO THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD

So what is the aim of IMT Atlantique Alumni? For the young engineer, the main mission is to "promote the values of the institution and the diploma".

And for the president, there's no question of waiting until you've graduated to join the association: "It's not a network that just helps you find a job! Before you graduate, it gives you an initial insight into the world of business and makes it easier to get started," she explains. "This network is really like a professional world without the risk. Talking to Alumni gives you feedback, advice, exchanges and preparation for the professional world, all in a friendly atmosphere. The association is really between the professional and personal worlds, and that's what makes it so strong."

HELPING YOU FIND MEANING IN YOUR WORK

Being part of IMT Atlantique Alumni also means thinking about what you want to do and finding meaning in your work: "When you read a job offer, you don't necessarily know if the company is going to be a good match for you, if it's going to meet your expectations. Being part of the network gives you the opportunity to talk to people who work in many different companies and benefit from their experience," explains Louise.

The support doesn't stop there: "Once you've found a job, the network is also very useful: it offers a rich space for exchanging good information or best practices, for managing your professional life, and even being invaluable in solving a problem when you can't find the answer in your own company".

REGULAR ACTIONS IN FRANCE... AND ABROAD

The association also holds regular practical initiatives, aimed at both graduates and students. "For students, we offer the Ma photo pro service, which provides professional photos for CVs, as well as the CV Book, which compiles CVs from the whole graduating class. We also provide support during orientation weeks and for internship defenses," explains the president. For graduates, "we offer career coaching, and on the financial side, we give them access to an XMines loan, which allows graduates of Grandes Ecoles to take out loans".

All members can also take advantage of "a directory and the CartoRéseau service to locate Alumni in a given region, preferential rates for ski and car rentals, etc., as well as taking part in a variety of conferences on topics such as AI, entrepreneurship and life abroad."

Finally, networking-focused happy hours are organized on a regular basis. "And this applies both on campus and off, in other cities such as Paris, Lyon and Toulouse. And even abroad: we've already had happy hours in Morocco, Gothenburg and Quebec. What's more, if an alumnus wants to organise an event somewhere else, we're here to help," Louise assures us.

BOOSTING THE IMAGE OF ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS

For the remainder of her term of office, the president already has a number of ideas in mind. "With the new team, we want to dust off the old image of Alumni associations. To do this, we want to try to formulate our messages better, to communicate better so that everyone sees the value of the association," she explains.

"One of our projects is also to develop our international activities and, quite simply, to keep the existing projects going. Finally, we want to succeed in attracting students and graduates, because the more of us there are, the more we'll be able to develop projects and bring the diploma to life."