Volume CXXXIII, Number 16 February 15, 2002 f

What is YALP?
GYLLIAN CHRISTIANSEN
STAFF WRITER

For seniors, a month into spring semester is when thoughts turn to the gentle winding-down of their Bowdoin career, when they will approach the looming chasm of the after-life like a runaway train with brakes screaming as it becomes clear that the bridge to the other side is still under construction. At this time, seniors might start to think, "huh…I need somebody…not just anybody…I need somebody…" but what comes next? Who will hear these cries for help?

Why, YALP, of course. That's right, YALP, that sound which a small multi-breed dog might make if you were to tread too heavily upon its tail with your L.L.Bean hiking boot is also an acronym that will become incredibly meaningful to you as the end, or the beginning, approaches. YALP stands for Young Alumni Leadership Planning, and in a few short months (or a few short years…that's right, time to start thinking about the future, first-years!), YALP will be your best friend.

YALP originated in 1998 as the crisis over the fraternities was coming to a head. The controversy over the future of the Greek system at Bowdoin drew attention to the absence of a forum for communication between students and the Administration. YALP became an organization that not only "allowed students to voice concerns collected over their four years" as John Sprague of Alumni Relations described it, "but permitted the Administration to present a realistic picture of their roles and the mechanisms in place to address these issues".

This aspect of YALP continues to this day, with members meeting weekly with different individuals from the upper echelon of Bowdoin Administrators. Just last week, Barry Mills met with these seniors and candidly discussed his surprise at the extent to which fundraising dominates in his overall schedule. The frank nature of these meetings provides an environment in which students feel comfortable being equally forthcoming.
While YALP continues to regularly hold roundtable discussions between its members and administrators, its role as facilitator of alumni relations has grown and become more specialized. YALP is now comprised of over forty seniors and three student interns who are divided into four different subcommittees. These committees allow for the group's wide span of roles within YALP's reach.

The Annual Fund Committee is dedicated to being a student presence in the Annual fund, while the Career Services Committee helps organize career panels with Bowdoin Alumni and create links between students and alumni in specific career fields.

John Thorndike, one of the senior interns, is a member of the Basic Committee, which helps organize alumni interviewers for prospective students unable to make the trip to Bowdoin. Thorndike became interested in YALP after being a part of the Presidential search committee. He found it gave him an opportunity to increase his understanding of the politics and workings of behind-the-scenes Bowdoin, and was also impressed with the contacts it afforded him.

But Thorndike, like Tiffany Mok, another senior YALP intern, was as drawn to their role as a voice for the student body as they were with the personal training and connections they garnered. Thorndike hoped that in future years, YALP forums might occasionally be turned into Bowdoin-wide opportunities for communication. For the time being though, he felt that the group was diverse enough "to represent many of the class and student body's issues accurately." He encouraged students to engage YALP members in discussion of issues they would like to see addressed within upcoming forums.

Mok's group, the fourth and final, is the Alumni Relations subcommittee, which deals with creating a student leadership to organize the alumni affairs of their graduating class. This year marks the first year that roles of class President and other organizing roles will be open to seniors not involved in YALP.

While much of YALP's work comes towards the end of the year, both with preparing seniors to become alumni and junior applications to take the YALP reigns, you don't have to wait to join in the fun. In fact, you may already have attended a YALP event. YALP was behind a pre-Winter Ball Shindig, as well as numerous career panels still to come beyond the Bowdoin campus.

The moral of this story is that the forty seniors who make up the Young Alumni Leadership Planning are there for the rest of the class, and the school's, benefit. They can help you take advantage of alumni resource opportunities, and maintain connections with your class after you spread to the four winds. They can also help you give back to the community before you leave, by imparting wisdom gained from four years spent in the thick of Bowdoin to the administrators who can use it to shape your alma mater's future. So as you make the leap from Bowdoin student to Real World Participant, don't be afraid to ask for a little YALP.