Welcome to the Comm Lead Alumni Community!
Whether you graduated last year or 20 years ago, you belong! Alumni stay connected through gatherings, volunteer opportunities, and professional development workshops. We want to stay deeply connected and support you at all stages of your career.
Alumni Voices & Volunteers
“I trust Comm Lead to also help me understand complex emerging technologies at a deeper, and more-nuanced level, than I could experience through ‘standard’ media consumption.” – MCDM Alum
Our alumni live all over the world and work across the communication sector. Meet a few alumni recently featured in our quarterly alumni newsletter:
Alumni Fellows
The Alumni Fellows build bridges with current students by offering professional support.
They help students navigate the contemporary communication landscape with industry-relevant workshops, a December First Friday event, and direct professional advising. Fellows also design an alumni gathering in May and work closely with the Head of Outreach to advise on alumni engagement.
A new cohort of fellows are selected each year. They work under the supervision of a returning fellow to serve Comm Lead students. Applications are accepted every spring and a new cohort launches each July.
Current Fellows
To learn more about becoming an alumni fellow, contact Liyao Zhao.
Mentor Program
The Comm Lead Alumni Mentor program runs annually from November to May. Mentors are paired with one to two students based on career interests. Most groups typically meet three or four times, either in person or virtually, throughout the academic year.
For more information about being a mentor, email commlead@uw.edu.
Gatherings & Professional Development
“The most valuable and interesting Comm Lead alumni opportunities are keeping up with emerging ideas with cross-generational and cross-cultural perspectives.” – MCCN Alum
Social gatherings
Throughout the year there are events for alumni to connect, from the Comm Lead Autumn Social, to a dedicated mixer for alumni every spring. Most monthly First Friday session are open to alumni. Alumni visit the core class each Fall by invitation, and they serve as industry judges every June at Comm Lead Screen Summit.
Professional development opportunities
Professional development support doesn’t stop when you graduate! Alumni professional development events run year-round, from Comm Lead Fellow-hosted workshops, to Comm Lead Connects every Winter Quarter.
Keep an eye on our events calendar for speaker Q&A collaborations with Town Hall, regional and global professional development meet-ups, and certificate programs designed by Comm Lead in conjunction with the UW Continuum College.
Show Your Support & Stay Connected
“Comm Lead alumni live all over the world.” – MCCL Alum
Comm Lead News & Events
So you want to stay connected to the Comm Lead community? To start, Subscribe to our quarterly alumni newsletter, packed with faculty and alumni profiles, event reminders, and much more.
Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates, and bookmark our Communication Leadership’s Eventbrite. Finally, subscribe to our YouTube Channel for the latest videos from events and workshops you might have missed.
Subscribe to the Quarterly Alumni Newsletter
Share your Ideas
We love hearing from alumni, so please reach out using this form with ideas, feedback, or opportunities for the program. Or just to let us know what you’re up to! Your news is always welcome.
Career Connections
To connect with fellow alumni and expand your professional network join our Comm Lead Professional group on LinkedIn. You can post questions, share job openings, and get insights from 25 cohorts of Comm Lead community.
Make sure to list the UW and Comm Lead on your Education section of LinkedIn, using this handy guide to help other alumni find you and all you have to offer.
Update your contact information with the University of Washington Alumni Association. Keeping current helps you receive relevant information from the UW and us!
Invest in Comm Lead
Your donations support transformative experiences and innovative programs like our in-house Communications Consulting Program. To date, our students have partnered with over 250 organizations to provide affordable communications support while building their professional experience. Make a gift online to support applied learning that links Comm Lead to the broader community.
If you think you’re organization should partner with Communication Leadership Consulting, apply here.
University of Washington
Department of Communication