Recently, I had the privilege of hosting a small, yet significant, alumni get-together at our institute. It wasn’t a grand affair; it was just an informal meet where I got to discuss with former students their journeys from academia into professional life. Their insights were so deep, carrying a load of wisdom for present students and professionals in the making.
Remembering and pondering further, I asked a very simple question that I had a feeling was most provoking: What characteristics or takeaways from the institute served you most in professional life?
Here are the nuggets they shared:
1. The Power of Professional Communication
“The institute used to ask us to write applications, and I found its value only when I had to write professional emails.”
One alumnus stressed the importance of effective communication. He explained that at work, the ability to articulate your thoughts – be it through spoken or written words – can either make or break your career.
“Even if your work is complete, it’s only half done if you can’t communicate it effectively.”
Professional communication, from writing structured emails to clearly communicating ideas in meetings, was a skill that bridges effort and impact.
2. Discipline: The Bedrock of Success
“Discipline was taught at the institute, but life drove it home in the crudest ways.”
Another alumnus reflected on how discipline underpins every aspect of professional life, from adhering to deadlines to upholding ethics.
“In college, we grumbled about rules and schedules. But in the real world, the lessons hit harder.”
Discipline, in short, is the backbone of meeting deadlines, work ethics, and even personal integrity. This lesson, learned early at the institute, often serves as a life raft in the stormy seas of corporate demands.
3. Time Management: A Skill to Master Early
“When we missed deadlines at college, we got scolded. Now, it can cost us our reputation or job.”
Time management emerged as another cornerstone for professional success. One alumnus contemplated the ways in which he had wasted his free time during college days, realizing in retrospect how much more could have been done with those moments.
“In college, you get second chances. In work, missed deadlines mostly face gruesome consequences in the form of public humiliation or loss of opportunities.”
This served to awaken present students to the full realization that this is the best opportunity to spend time and acquire practice that would ready them for a fast-moving world beyond campus gates.
4. Lifelong Learning: The Secret to Staying Relevant
“In the 21st century, lifelong learning is the crux of survival.”
An alumnus underlined the requirement of continuous improvement of self. The world is growing fast, and the professionals who do not learn with it will lag behind.
“If you want to stay afloat and thrive, you must keep adding value to yourself. Never stop learning.”
This realization underlined the need for adaptability and pursuit of knowledge to be lifelong companions in any career.
5. Relationships vs. Networks
“In college, you have true friends. At work, you have colleagues.”
This sentiment was almost wistful. Of course, professional life is all about networking, but for alumni, there still remains an afterglow of the real friendships forged at the institute.
“Your network may determine your net worth in the corporate world, but nothing replaces the friendships built without bias – free from distinctions of caste, gender, or geography.”
The takeaway? Cherish and nurture relationships during college because they may be your biggest treasures long after you graduate.
6. Institute-Alumni Bond: A Two-Way Street
“The value of alumni is related to the brand of the institute, and the institute’s brand grows through its alumni.”
The last insight came from my side. An institute’s legacy is built upon the success and contribution made by its alumni. An ideal case to illustrate this is that of IIT Roorkee, which, through the decades, evolved from an institute – the Thomson Institute of Civil Engineering – to an institute of national importance. And in due process, the stature of its alumni also grew manifold – a perfect example of mutualism.
Key Takeaways
This enriching conversation left us with two important takeaways:
- These petty lessons of college life often have a monumental impact in professional life. Everything you come across, be it communication skills or time management, provides experience that helps in facing future challenges.
- There is a bonding that has its own value: an institute and its alumni. Alumni are those torchbearers of the legacy continuing for their alma mater, and their success enhances the recognition of their institutes in society.
In the end, I couldn’t help but feel great pride in the journey of these former students. Their stories remind us that education goes beyond academics and is about building individuals who face the world with resilience, purpose, and community.
To Students: Make your time at the institute, learn its lessons, and create a legacy of which you and your alma mater can be proud.
To Faculty and Staff: Sharing insights by our alumni acts like a strong reminder of the life-changing impact you have on their lives. The habits you inculcate tirelessly in them, such as discipline, communication, time management, and lifelong learning, ultimately become the bedrock on which they stand tall in the professional world. It is your guidance and commitment that prepare them to face life’s challenges with confidence and resilience. Let our hearts beam with pride upon this fact that each day a contributed effort at your level carves not just careers but fortifies this bonding of the institute and alumni for their lifelong excellence legacy.
