Strengthening the Smith Network, City by City
Nilufer Erdebil, MBA’03, had a lot on her plate when she first got involved with Smith’s Ottawa Alumni Chapter back in 2011. She was in the process of launching a new business (Spring2 Innovation), which she leads as CEO, was parenting two small kids at home, and had other volunteer commitments vying for her limited time. On paper, she had every reason to say, “No thanks,” when her friend Kevin Horseman, MBA ’01, suggested she look into helping out.
But for Nilufer, working with the Ottawa Alumni Chapter immediately made sense. She’d loved her time at Smith and, before that, at Queen’s, where she’d completed her undergrad in Engineering. “Both experiences were so positive for me, and a big part of that was the people I got to meet and study with,” she reflects. “I loved the idea of being able to recreate that.” As self-professed people person who loves both meeting and connecting others, a volunteer role organizing a cohort of highly intelligent and accomplished alumni seemed like a great way to forge relationships in the city that had become her home.
Nilufer’s hunch proved correct. In the years since, as she became more involved with the chapter — she became President in 2015 and has held the role since — she has led countless in-person (and, during the pandemic, virtual) events, from mixers and socials to lectures and panels, often featuring Smith professors, authors and alumni. In so doing, she has established meaningful connections with fellow alumni with all manner of professional experiences, from entrepreneurs like herself to executives at some of the largest organizations in the country. “For me, it’s been such a valuable way to connect with people in other industries: to learn about what they do, to get to know them better and to see what opportunities and possibilities might be out there,” she says. “And it keeps me feeling that I’m still part of the school.”
More than 3,000 kilometres to the west, Tamara Kushnir McGillivray, AMBA’06, has found the same to be true. In 2006, Tim Onyett, EMBA’95, asked her if she’d be interested in helping him organize a backyard barbeque for fellow graduates working in and around the city of Calgary. She agreed. With a fresh degree under her belt, she was contemplating a career transition to secure a role with a company based in the city and figured that throwing together a social for fellow alumni might spark some productive conversations. Within weeks, two things had happened: First, Tamara and Tim hosted a great party (“It was just packed,” she recalls), planting the seeds for what became the Smith Calgary Alumni Chapter. And second, she began fielding calls from corporations asking her to interview for leadership roles. She traces her current position as Principal Lead Digital Business Transformation at Imperial Oil and ExxonMobil to her networking activities during this period. “It really solidified for me the power of connecting with the alumni network,” she says.
Over the years that have followed, Tamara’s role with the chapter has evolved — as has the fulfilment she gets from volunteering. “Early on, I was able to learn from leaders who were further ahead in their careers,” she explains. “I’ve since been able to apply that leadership to mentor other members, to help them grow and to give back to the next generation of leaders — and I am very proud of that.” She’s equally gratified by the role the chapter has come to play in giving Alberta-based alumni a positive and productive forum with which to stay engaged with the school.
Many Smith graduates opt to start volunteering with alumni chapters shortly after completing their programs: The Smith Vancouver Alumni Chapter welcomed two individuals only a few years out of their programs — Davie Fernandes, AMBA ’23 and Brock Li, EMBAA’25 — as co-presidents. But both Nilufer and Tamara maintain there are benefits of getting involved at any time, and in any capacity — even just to show up to an event. “The great thing is, in my experience, the more involved you are with your chapter, the more you end up getting out of it,” Nilufer says.
Tamara’s advice for would-be chapter volunteers is clear: There is material upside in raising your hand. “Your experience with Smith doesn’t have to stop when you finish your program. In fact, I’ve learned that it’s just beginning,” she says. “Once you graduate, there’s an entire world of alumni just waiting to connect with one another, and you don’t know where those connections will go. It might be your next career opportunity. It might be facilitating an opportunity for someone else. But I’ve seen it time and again: There is real power in us coming together.”
Did you know? Smith’s Toronto Alumni Chapter is currently recruiting Co-Presidents. If you’re based in Toronto and interested in getting involved, please email smithalumni@queensu.ca to find out more.