Regardless of the activity alumni choose to do, they have a persistent desire to help people and communities across the US and the world. While there are many ways to produce these positive changes and to help people, geographers have tended to pursue this by participating in service-oriented organizations like the Peace Corps. Many alumni also end up taking advantage of other opportunities for travel, both inside the U.S. and internationally, through either their occupations, their personal lives, or even through continued connections to other Macalester alumni.
Overall, alumni allow a number of values to guide their journeys and life choices. Some of the values are similar to those of Macalester, including critical thinking, global citizenship, service work, and being lifelong learners. These values are cultivated both at Macalester as well as at other points in participants’ journeys. Participants also held other values that help to guide their paths, including
- prioritizing family
- creating a work-life balance
- passion for work and place
- staying in touch with advisors, friends, and family
- sustainability; having an open mind
- being involved, hard-working, curious, and creative
- being able to affect change.
Alumni experiences in geography have shaped many of these values that continue to affect how they live and work today.
