Alumni & Career Services: Succeed Tomorrow, Today!

October 22, 2014

Choosing to study at university is a choice to create an educational foundation on which to build the rest of one’s life. And while this foundation is the most important component of university, there must be a means of application and future growth. This is why here at the American University of Central Asia, the cultivation of practical skills and providing career guidance is such an emphasis, on top of a top-notch liberal arts education. This is not just a public relations talking point, but a tested truth. Last winter Ernst & Young, one of the ‘Big Four’ audit firms of the world, came to the AUCA campus for a recruitment event. They had one requirement overall for hiring at their local office; anyone they hired must be a graduate of AUCA. And according to Alumni Relations and Career Services Director Diana Tsoi, “This isn’t uncommon…most companies prefer AUCA students and give them preference.” This result is no accident, so how has it come about?

One of the most important aspects of starting a successful career is the development of ‘soft skills’. In this aspect AUCA provides a plethora of opportunities to its students. Beyond the always available help provided by Career Services in perfecting a resume or CV, cover letter, or a statement of purpose; there are workshops and trainings regularly held with the support of a USAID grant. When asked why it was important for students to attend, Natalia Slastnikova, Executive Director of the Continuing Education Center and workshop organizer, responded, “To be successful in your future, you have to do something today. Today not only do you have to be a professional in your field, but in all parts of the labor market, especially in self-marketing! These events are investments in students’ future.”

AUCA has official partnerships as well with a number of organizations, including TopNews, Imperial Tobacco, and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others. Company visits are organized in order to expose students to workplaces and the business world; it is often difficult for students to conceptualize what it is to work in a certain field and so these events are crucial for student development. There is a page of job listings offered on the AUCA page, as well as an annual career fair held in the early spring. Not only are local organizations represented, an international presence is always evident. This fall, Google conducted a workshop and held mock interviews for interested students over the course of 2 days. Opportunities abound while studying at AUCA, but the benefits of an AUCA education continue well past when the tassels of the graduate cap finish their annual flight.

Many universities in Kyrgyzstan don’t develop an alumni network, but AUCA makes it a goal. There is an annual alumni reunion organized by the school itself. There is an Alumni Council, which organizes events and heads the Student Relations, Fundraising, and Alumni committee. In the last year the program of ‘Alumni Ambassadors’ has been introduced, and has been largely popular. With ambassadors organizing Alumni groups in over 20 locations, including but not limited to the United States, China, Turkey, France, and Spain, there is always a way for alumni to remain connected to the school and community. But these groups are not simply for alumni to socialize.

Diana emphasized that these groups are actively utilized, “If some alumni need staff or interns, they normally want them to be from AUCA…we try to connect alumni with students in terms of jobs and advising, through professional networking.” There is a series of lectures for alumni as well, designed specifically to the interests of alumni, but also available for students. “I launched a survey of interest…people are more interested in business topics, like start-ups, entrepreneurship, and geopolitics,” Diana added. And so lecturers are selected from those fields, with topics following suit.  

Of course it’s not all business. There are events held for alumni, like an upcoming ‘Hogwarts’ themed Halloween party for children of alumni, a football tournament, all ways for the AUCA community to remain connected; a boon for current students as well in the job market. And if halloween parties, football tournaments, international professional networks, and lectures don’t grab you, maybe the discounts at local bars might pique your interest.

And this is all how AUCA has cultivated such a respect in the professional community. The attention of some of the best companies and firms in the world is not caught by coincidence, but through the ceaseless efforts of those involved.          

If you are an interested alumni or student, please contact Diana Tsoi in Alumni and Career Services: through alumni@auca.kg or career_service@auca.kg respectively. The office is located in the main building of the AUCA campus, room 302.

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