“Earn your success based on service to others, not at the expense of others.”  

H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Summer greets us with fun, sun, and the question, “Where in the world has the first half of the year gone?!”  As I near the completion of my second year as your President, I am doing a quick check-in with you to re-visit the continued opportunity and need for each of us to Do One Thing for our MAPP Alumni Association.

Early in 2022, the University of Pennsylvania Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Alumni Association Board of Directors challenged alumni to create greater connection and collaboration with a challenge to DO ONE THING. As I described in my letter of last January, engagement of all alumni allows us to:  

• GROW and EVOLVE MAPP Programs

• Foster VIBRANT and DYNAMIC leadership as we grow

• Incorporate all alumni PASSIONS and new IDEAS 

• ….and ENHANCE our outcomes!

I am excited to share just a couple of current engagement experiences of our alumni below. 

MAPP Greeters

I recently had the opportunity to connect with some of our alumni who are new volunteers in the MAPP Greeter program.  Greeters reach out to new MAPP graduates between mid-August and our October Summit to welcome them into the Alumni Association and connect new alumni to programs and people that align with individual interests.  I was curious to learn more about what had inspired the alumni to volunteer for the program.  What made it easy.  What was scary.   And, what had been a positive surprise.  

I think our alumni say it best in their own words: 

• Class Representative 2010 and new leader of our Greeter Program Kathy Snyder said, “I love working with others and helping others feel welcome. This was the best combo of both!” Kathy added, “Plus, I love being a party host!” 

• Class Representative 2012 and MAPP Greeter Tim Gable, using the colloquial term “MAPPsters” to refer to MAPP Alumni, said, “The graduating MAPPsters are applying positive psychology in ways I would not have imagined. The wide interests, kindness, and diversity of perspectives shown by graduating students are enough to draw most MAPPsters to them.” Tim observed, “MAPPsters never fail to impress me.”

MAPP Alumni Fete

Stepping into the class representative role for a graduating class is an even bigger commitment, since you know you will be planning the next Alumni Fete!  Class Representative 2021 and Fete planner Kristin Jonason said, “I am grateful to be involved in the MAPP Alumni Association, as it allows me to stay connected with current classmates while learning from and connecting with other MAPP alumni. Over the past year, I have already gotten to know a wide range of alumni due to my connection to the association. These special connections have made it easy to want to stay engaged with the MAPP Alumni Association.”

Speaking of which, I so look forward to seeing everyone this fall at our LIVE Fete and Summit, and participating in everything Kristin and her fellow 2021 Class Representative Heidi Kaufman are working toward! MAPP Alumni, be on the lookout for more information about both of these events by email in the coming weeks.

It's never too late to get involved! 

If you haven’t found your ONE THING, it’s definitely not too late!  Opportunities are posted in our private Facebook group, in the weekly NewsBriefs, and in our new Slack channel, which is coming soon.  Your Class Representatives can also be a great resource to what is happening in the alumni association. Find your class reps at https://mappalum.org/Class-reps.

“I am only one, but I am one. I can’t do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.”  

– Edward Everett Hale

Katie

Katie Snyder (C'13) is an executive coach and consultant who collaborates with management teams to reach new levels of performance in resilience, strategy and the bottom line. She has delivered creative and transformative results for clients by working at the unique intersection of positive psychology and business. She is the 2021-2022 President of the MAPP Alumni Association.

Learn more about Katie at https://www.katiemsnyder.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiesnyder/