As students pass through the Space College and move into the workforce, a concerted effort should be made to retain contact with them via an alumni association of sorts – one that is actively engaged on a daily basis. Space College alumni will be used as a resource for faculty, advice, donations evangelism, and other modes of support. Alumni benefits along the lines of what is commonly seen with universities should be encouraged.
However, Space College will seek to walk a fine line between having pride in once’s school and the “we’re special” aspect often associated with graduates of many institutions. While people are free to organize as they wish, groups that confer special favors and access to one another simply because of their Space College association will be frowned upon by Space College. Conversely, alumni activities that seek to expand access to Space College activities, fellow alumni, and society as a whole will be openly encouraged.
Cultivating an engaged and motivated alumni is important for several reasons. First, if successful, Space College will span a wide diversity of socioeconomic and cultural populations both foreign and domestic. Some alumni will have access to resources – others much less so. The ties that bind Space College students and alumni together should transcend these distinctions and focus on the common interest: the exploration of space. Second: Space College seeks to be a bidirectional activity wherein students and alumni retain contact with their home communities – and serve as an example (ambassador) of what their friends and family can also accomplish, should they have the desire to do so.
All too often space advocates engage in choir practice i.e. they talk among themselves – a population cohort that is least in need to get education and public outreach about space. To counter this tendency, Space College EPO will be focused at reaching people, communities, cultures, societies and mindsets – that either do not get the full story bout space exploration or have been less than appreciative of its value. This way every participant in Space College serves a role as evangelist. The degree to which they are able to perform this role is, of course, based upon the individual’s interests and capabilities. At a minimum, they should present the case for space. Ideally, they also make converts in so doing.
Space College will not ignore traditional space advocacy communities – indeed, it will seek them out by virtue of their interest in space. But, for the most part Space College will not rely upon the traditional mode of outreach to – and only to – space advocates. Space advocates are already converted and self-motivated. Space College seeks to reach outside of the usual audience to the remaining 99.99% of humanity and will tailor its efforts accordingly.
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