Less than a year into her role as alumni engagement coordinator for the University of Lethbridge, Karissa Hartley (BA ’18) has made quite the impression.
Overseeing the development of alumni programming initiatives, including the expansion of the alumni chapters program and the creation of an alumni Instagram account, has equipped this young alumna with the skillset and passion necessary to create lasting impact.
Her hard work is not going unnoticed, and Hartley was recently selected as a recipient of the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Fellowship in Advancement. The fellowship provides funding to support the position for a 12-month term, and strongly emphasizes the professional growth of each fellow, ensuring the strength of tomorrow’s advancement professionals. As one of only two recipients selected each year, the magnitude of this recognition is not lost on Hartley.
“This fellowship is a complete game-changer for my career,” says Hartley. “The people I’ll meet and the things I’ll learn over the next year will challenge me to be the best I can be in this field.”
Hartley first got a taste for work in Advancement – specifically in Alumni Relations and Communications – through an applied study she completed in the last year of her undergraduate degree. She hosted focus groups with alumni and students as part of the 2017 Needs Assessment and now spends her time turning that data into actionable change.
“Karissa has proven herself to be a valuable member of our team over the last year,” says Lyndsay Montina, the manager of Alumni Relations and Hartley’s supervisor. “She is incredibly deserving of this recognition.”
Throughout her fellowship year, Hartley will lead in the creation of an alumni communications suite, which includes producing a podcast and developing a program for sharing alumni-curated content and articles. With this suite, alumni will contribute their ideas, stories and experiences to the larger U of L community, bringing a voice to the label “alumni.”