Alumni Ideas

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Hey Folks,

I am wondering how to help foster those relationships built at CLT and that will be built in PHX. I think that we could leverage the forum software to host an Alumni area.

  • What would you like to see in it?
  • Should it be private, or should others be able to see - tricky question connected to the first one.
  • What value would you derive from it, and could it be accomplished elsewhere in the forum by having a user profile tag instead?
  • Anything else?
Thoughts?

Cheers,
Matt
 

ElainePDX

Level 2 Member
Great idea. Not sure exactly what would be best but will consider that. Here's an initial thought:

I attended CLT and will be in PHX. But because not everyone uses a user name/picture that provides a clue to who they are, it is hard to tell if someone who calls themselves ABC or XYZ here is actually among the people I met personally in CLT. My user name and picture allows others to make that connection, but I realize not everyone is comfortable with that amount of transparency. So that would argue for a private area - where folks who have met IRL and/or shared the same DO experience even if they didn't meet personally - could interact.

A profile tag would be helpful in that regard, but might prompt multiple DMs instead of an alumni community within the forum. With a private area, folks could either DM or post to the group.

More as it occurs to me. And my thoughts are not set in stone. I would be happy to explore other and/or opposite strategies.

Elaine
 

mrsjon01

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
But because not everyone uses a user name/picture that provides a clue to who they are, it is hard to tell if someone who calls themselves ABC or XYZ here is actually among the people I met personally in CLT. My user name and picture allows others to make that connection, but I realize not everyone is comfortable with that amount of transparency. So that would argue for a private area - where folks who have met IRL and/or shared the same DO experience even if they didn't meet personally - could interact.
Interesting, I was just thinking about that. I was not in CLT but will be in PHX. Do people introduce themselves by real name, user name, combination of both? I think it might be weird if we know each other online as "smartypants" and "milesNstuff" but then IRL just say "yeah, hi, I'm Bob." Or does Bob say he's Bob, aka milesNstuff? Are there name tags?
This is just what goes through my head at 5 am when I can't sleep.
 

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Interesting, I was just thinking about that. I was not in CLT but will be in PHX. Do people introduce themselves by real name, user name, combination of both? I think it might be weird if we know each other online as "smartypants" and "milesNstuff" but then IRL just say "yeah, hi, I'm Bob." Or does Bob say he's Bob, aka milesNstuff? Are there name tags?
This is just what goes through my head at 5 am when I can't sleep.
Last time I brought name tags and marker pens - people put down their real names for the most part, and a few FT handles etc. I think that many still didn't/haven't connected who was who though which does mean we lost something from the potential relationship building there.
 

ElainePDX

Level 2 Member
Last time I brought name tags and marker pens - people put down their real names for the most part, and a few FT handles etc. I think that many still didn't/haven't connected who was who though which does mean we lost something from the potential relationship building there.
Just FYI, I routinely introduced myself with my real name, and the two online names I use for travel hacking sites. I noticed that some others did so too. But I don't necessarily remember them all and at the Do I tended to use someone's real name once I knew it. And bloggers identified themselves with their names, user names if different, and blog names. So many multiple identities....
 

mrsjon01

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
Last time I brought name tags and marker pens - people put down their real names for the most part, and a few FT handles etc. I think that many still didn't/haven't connected who was who though which does mean we lost something from the potential relationship building there.
2 words: bigger name tags. Or, we could all go get tattoos after going to Amy's Baking Co (where the cool people go). :)
 

Haley

I am not a robot
I'm part of a face-to-face group, with a private group on FB to help us communicate, we have a sticky post with everyone's name/FT user name/and where in the area they live. It is very useful.

Maybe a list like that, which was kept private? It is hard to balance making connections and need/desire for privacy. For the most part I dislike subgroup structures, it creates an us/them dichotomy.
 
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