This past May, Binghamton University hired a new executive director for alumni engagement.
Matthew Winston, founder and principal of The Winston Advisory Pack diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm, was chosen for the executive position after years of work under higher education, according to BingUNews. Winston now serves as the University’s chief alumni officer, and is consequently in charge of heading the alumni association and fueling the relationship between the University and its alumni.
The main purpose of the association is to build connections between the University and its alumni, and to utilize their time and testimonies to improve the school.
Winston described his reasons behind joining BU’s faculty, citing the University’s institutional growth as a deciding factor.
“I was drawn to how successful the University has become despite its relative youth,” Winston wrote in an email. “I’ve worked at large, old, public universities my entire career. This place has so much promise and potential, and I feel fortunate to be a part of a place of excellence at this stage of its growth.”
While Winston has years of experience working in higher education, he said it was not his initial career choice. Winston began his college career at Virginia Tech while pursuing a degree in advertising.
After graduating, Winston began working at Virginia Tech in the media relations office, where he said he was able to engage in alumni relations and fundraising work for around a decade. At the University of Georgia, Winston pursued similar work, eventually working his way up to a position in the Office of the President as an advisor and speech writer.
“Working in higher education at the highest level, and serving as a volunteer for the institution at the highest level, really taught me a lot about how alumni and university teams can work together to serve the needs of both the school and the individual [alumni],” Winston wrote.
Winston also emphasized his work in Virginia Tech’s alumni programs. Winston served as a member of many advisory boards — including the Virginia Tech Alumni Association and the Black Cultural Center advisory board — and as an active member of a number of professional organizations that serve his line of work at the regional, national and international levels.
Winston explained that his exposure to certain practices and connection to a community of experts helped him to hone his skills.
Tenley Peak, assistant director of alumni engagement, expressed her pleasure working with Winston since his arrival.
“[Winston] brings a lot of knowledge and expertise around alumni engagement and we truly look forward to seeing what he has in plan for the future,” Peak wrote in an email. “[BU] graduates more than 3,000 students each year, which grows our alumni body by that amount. With the increase in alumni population, we hope to put forth some great programs where alumni can engage with each other and also begin to build a stronger connection between our alumni and current students.”
Over the COVID-19 pandemic, Winston took a break from his position as chief alumni officer at Virginia Tech to create a consultancy firm that focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies for advancement programs. However, the opportunity at BU offered him a chance to get back into the college environment, according to Winston.
Winston described how he is currently working to build a team that is suited and prepared to serve an alumni network of today’s size and diversity.
“Every year, with each graduating class, our alumni network becomes larger and more diverse,” Winston wrote. “And they connect with one another on multiple levels of engagement based on things such as their experiences, student groups, cultural backgrounds, academic majors, residential lifestyle and career fields, just to name a few.”
Regarding his future plans with alumni engagement, Winston said he is looking to focus more on student-alumni mentor programming. Winston explained that he is also working toward having more time invested in affinity group networking, multicultural and regional-based group activities. Services will also continue to be provided around career development and lifelong learning.
Rachel Braunhut, a junior majoring in human development, has worked with Winston in the past, and said she has gained from her experience working with him.
“Becoming a part of the alumni engagement program and working with Matthew Winston has been such a positive learning experience,” Braunhut wrote in an email. “I have been able to learn so much about [BU’s] alumni, including the various programs that are offered and the fantastic outreach program. In addition, I have been able to enhance my customer service skills and am proud to be a part of this community.”