This month college students across the country will put to rest their college career and begin their life in the “real world”.  For some the idea of this transition is exciting, for others it is horrifying and for most it is, at least a little, sad.  Who can forget those late nights studying for exams that you swore you wouldn’t wait until the last minute to study for.  The friends you’ve made who for the rest of your life you’ll refer to as your “college buddies”.  Or the professors you stared at during class pondering “are they gay?”

If you found yourself wearing the hat of student activist during your college career you may also find yourself fondly remembering the victories you had, the debates you won and the college officials you pissed off.  Perhaps, in hindsight, you wish you had those memories and are currently searching through your brain looking for something you can claim was your link to the title of “student activist”.  Whichever position you find yourself in, I’ve got good news for you.  Your role as an activist at your college doesn’t have to end simply because you’ve graduated!

I’ve got a few insights that most college officials probably don’t want you to know about as a pending member of their alumni.  If you’ve still got more semesters left on campus, this information could be handy for you as well.  Share this information far and wide and remember to use it only for good… 

Insight #1 – Welcome to one the largest constituency groups at your college.  We often think of winning the support of the student body as the ultimate prize.  Now, don’t get me wrong, the students should be the most sought out stakeholders at your college (and in a future article we’ll talk about how to help make that happen), but the reality is that alumni far outnumber the student body (unless your college was just recently founded).  This fact does not go unnoticed by the decision makers at your college.

Insight #2 – You are now a walking check book.  The first thing that I was greeted with when I walked off the arena floor during my graduation ceremony was staff from my college’s Alumni Relations Office passing me a congratulations card and an alumni pin.  You can fool yourself into thinking that they were genuinely happy for you, and maybe they were, but that’s not why they were there.  The college is in a compromising position.  They still need your money, but because you’ve graduated, you’re no longer forced to give it to them.  Now they actually have to be nice to you and ask you politely for your money instead of sending you bills.  Rest assured…they will ask you for your money…

Insight #3 – In their minds, you may soon have lots of power.  One of the token graduation gifts to give is the Dr. Seuss book “Oh, the Places You'll Go!”  Somewhere along the way someone at your college read that book and realized that many of you will indeed be going places.  They want to be on your good side when that happens.  Ironically, if you were active in the politics of your college you might be seen as even more appealing.  You’re destined to be a leader and that would put you in an opinion making position amongst the largest constituency group the college has – the global community.

Insight #4 – Ignoring you makes them look bad.  They’re about to give you a document certifying that you’re brilliant, wonderful and highly talented.  It’s going to have a gold foil with the seal of the college and the signature of someone important to show just how serious they are about your credentials.  If they now try to ignore what you have to say, they essentially come off looking like people handing out certifications like they’re candy on Halloween.

Take a second and digest the new status you have at your college.  Relish in your newfound power and contemplate what this might mean for the issues you care deeply about at your college.  You have a unique opportunity to have a say in what happens at your college and not only will your opinions be heard, but you won’t have the fear of academic retaliation from professors or administrators who disagree.  If you’re still taking classes, consider the connections you’ve made with people who are graduating and how you might be able to harness their newfound voice as Alumni.

Don’t be afraid to use this power for good.  If you’re planning on making a contribution to your college, check with the GLBT organizations on campus and see if there are issues they’re struggling with.  Using your contribution as a means of getting dialogue around a particular issue is not blackmail.  You have the right to put your money where you want and you are a stakeholder in that college.  It may be unfortunate that your giving, or withholding, a contribution may be one of the only ways to get this issue addressed, that is a reality beyond your control.

You can also direct your contribution to go directly towards GLBT programs and services.  This is easier to do if your college has a GLBT office.  If your college does not have a GLBT office, contributions like these may encourage them to investigate starting one.  However, I would advise you to ask the college to make a matching contribution.  If they believe the office can be totally funded by alumni that may encourage them to remove any funding they were willing to provide.

If you’re more inclined to lend your voice to issues instead of your money, you may be surprised how much of an impact that can make as well.  Letters from alumni to your college’s decision makers will carry a lot of weight.  Letters to the editor of the papers in your college’s area will carry even more weight.  Consider using this to praise the college when they do take an action you support.  Too often they only hear from alumni when they disagree with something.  Knowing that they have your support on an action will encourage them to make similar decisions in the future.

You may be surprised how much your experience can benefit the students still attending the college.  Stay in contact with the organizations and offices you care about.  Mentoring students can be both rewarding and beneficial to the students and also help advance issues that you feel passionately about.  There is no reason for those that follow in your footsteps to reinvent the wheel and redo something that has already been attempted if the climate has not changed.

The main thing to realize is that just because you’re graduating does not mean your relationship with that college is over.  The reputation of your college will stay with you throughout your career and incidents there will have an impact on what people think of the quality of the education you just spent so much time and money completing.  There is college life after graduation, how much of a college life is up to you. 

Greg Varnum is the Executive Assistant and Youth Initiatives Coordinator at Triangle Foundation.  Triangle Foundation is Michigan’s statewide civil rights, advocacy and anti-violence organization serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied communities.