Alumni News

Benjamin Borell's new job as associate executive director for alumni programs is a homecoming of sorts. Borell, who graduated with a degree in political science in 1993, remained in touch with many of the friends he made while a student at the University of New Hampshire, but never imagined he'd have a chance to work for his alma mater.

Benjamin Borell '93 is the new associate executive director for alumni programs. Photo by Doug Prince, UNH Photographic Services

"It's great to be back on campus and to see all of the positive changes that have occurred here over the last nine years," he says. "When I graduated from UNH, it was a much different place than it is today. It's great to be part of the university again at a time when so many things are going so well. I hope to build on that trend by enhancing existing programs and creating new ones that allow my fellow alumni to share in that positive energy."

Borell will focus on creating connections and networks for UNH alumni wherever life after UNH leads them. "Whether you settle in Sugar Hill, N.H., Chicago, Ill., or Shanghai, China, our goal is to connect you to other UNH alums for both professional and social purposes," he says. "Essentially, I want to build the kind of networks and advantages for UNH alumni that Ivy League graduates enjoy when they enter the working world." Borell's own experiences as an English teacher in Poland and a sales representative at Nokia Mobile Phones were "opportunities that came to me through friends made at UNH," he notes. Borell and his team "will work to provide services and programs that support such connections and nurture the UNH spirit."

There are already many ways for alumni to get and stay connected, according to Borell. "The easiest way is clearly via the alumni Web site," he says. "However, if you happen to be relocating to San Diego, for example, the local UNH alumni chapter might be an ideal way for you to meet new friends and develop new professional connections. That kind of business connection is a two-way street-it benefits both the newcomer and the established alum."

Borell also plans to develop new alumni programs that have broad appeal and that take advantage of the human and natural resources of New Hampshire and New England. "For example, a UNH Alumni Ski Weekend at a New Hampshire ski area would provide alumni of all ages, including those with small children, the chance to get together and socialize in a healthy environment. The event would also have a positive impact on the New Hampshire economy, as those alumni would be supporting New Hampshire businesses. Wouldn't it be great if we could develop something like a UNH Alumni Chamber of Commerce that provided benefits to member businesses and discounts to participating alumni?"

Borell welcomes suggestions from UNH alumni about programming and can be reached at ben.borell@unh.edu or at (603) 862-2040.