July, 2009

Inside a few circles within our Association, there has been considerable discussion and brainstorming and concern over younger UPians in GTA, why many of them aren’t joining UPAA and, among the few who have joined, why hasn’t there been as much involvement as can be expected.  

At first glance, it seems that these questions are oxymoron since, by traditional concepts, alumni associations are supposed to be populated by grey hair, Viagra and hypertension.  And caterers to their meetings are supposed to serve only low fat, low salt, low sugar, and cholesterol-free. Moreover, alumni events are supposed to be marked by line dancing, awards for the longest surviving member and special mention for those who graduated prior to World War II.

The Grey and the Cool

To those of us who are “grey” alumni, this is great, nothing to be ashamed about and in fact, it should continue this way. Where else can we get nostalgia, Sinatra, danggit, and 60s jokes all in one sitting, and for only $15?  But to those of us who are both “grey and cool” what we see are young alumni on the sideline waiting to be tapped. These are the grads from the 90s and later. These are the ones with energy and new ideas. And if I may be allowed to be purely materialistic for a moment, these are the people who will pay membership dues into our coffers for many, many years to come, if they join.

For us in the Council, especially for me as President, we face a daunting challenge. What do we do to embrace everyone in the entire age spectrum; more importantly, how do we motivate everyone to be and work and enjoy together in the same association? How do we meet the needs of the majority without marginalizing the minority?  Simply waving the Maroon and Green flag and calling on the UP Spirit and expect all alumni to participate and commune with each other nicely is to over-simplify things.

Julie, the pin up girl 

Julie Payette, the Canadian pin-up girl in space exploration, recently blasted into space with a bunch of guys.  While all of them in that shuttle have common training, each of them has a set of unique skills that allow the journey to fulfill its mission.  Without one of them, mission will not be accomplished.  So let me take this analogy to our UPAA.  With the realization that we do have a mission and that our constitution embodies our objectives, it now becomes clear that UPians, regardless of age and cholesterol level, must lend their hands if we must be a relevant organization and succeed in our mission. In terms of activity, we need to think outside the box, initiate new programs, cheer and root for constructive new ideas even if we think they do not fit into our personal lifestyles.

Of Careers and Pub Nights

The Career Development Group is a new kid on the block, a fresh addition to our committee structure.  Under the leadership of Fred Gamboa and introspective caddying from Chris Vasquez, both of whom are members of the “grey and cool” variety, this group has forged ahead into what is bold and fresh and so far has focused on the needs of our younger set. There are two major elements.  First is the Mentoring Program under Gilbert Esmele, from the cool set.  Proven successful in the last two years, this program aims to assist UPians who are new immigrants to Canada (mostly young) by helping them to ramp up faster into the Canadian mainstream. The second is the Career Development and Job Networking Program under Vince Rallon, also from the cool set.  This is aimed at assisting UPians who may or may not be new, may or may not be young, but who will benefit from coaching on how to advance faster in their careers.  Gilbert and Vince are well on their way to implement specific projects.

For example, you must have heard about the Pub Night.  It isn’t what it sounds.  It is not a drinking spree.  Rather, it is a laboratory so to speak, an attempt to create a realistic situation in which UPians can mix and converse with other groups within a business and professional atmosphere.  It is the hope that such an experience will help improve confidence and expose participants in real-life career situations. The Pub Night is only one aspect of this program.  There will be classroom style seminars on topics such as resume-building, job interview tips, job search and networking techniques, etc. 

Bottomline

Admittedly, not everyone will benefit from this exercise.  People like Doc Mario Andres, Mila Magno, Cesar Romero, Omel Masalunga, Fred Gamboa, Agnes Manasan, Malou Parcero, just to name a few, may have little to gain, although everybody is most certainly welcome to participate. The real beneficiaries will be those UPians who think these programs have value for them, and there are plenty who think this way.

The programs initiated by the Career Development Group are not discriminatory and not exclusive. They are in fact inclusive. These programs add balance to UPAA.  Let me correct myself.  On second thought, the people I mentioned above will have a lot to gain too, in terms of a more vibrant more dynamic UPAA.

Joe Zagala

President