Uniting the Kellogg culture online

Kellogg connects alumni via LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook

Ten-thousand strong — and counting.

The official Kellogg School of Management group on LinkedIn.com hit a major milestone in February, welcoming its 10,000th group member just nine months after its launch by Kellogg Alumni Relations. The online network allows professionals to connect with one another, search for classmates and job opportunities, and discuss business topics.

The LinkedIn group is monitored by Kellogg Alumni Relations, and is open exclusively to Kellogg alumni, students, faculty and staff. The alumni community has embraced the tool, with members posting daily updates on the site, advertising open positions, and linking to news articles and discussions, says Abby Young, associate director of virtual services for Kellogg Alumni Relations.

"We know alumni are using the site, and we want to be where they are," Young says. "We want to make it easy for them to connect with each other. This is the networking of today."

Alumni on LinkedIn can join more than 30 Kellogg affinity groups, from Kellogg Alumni Entrepreneurs to regional Kellogg alumni club groups. LinkedIn groups also connect Kellogg classmates via their graduating class year. Young says Kellogg Alumni Relations plans to offer training sessions to familiarize alums with the technology.

Kellogg Alumni Relations also hopes to connect with more alumni via the social messaging tool Twitter, which asks users to respond to the question, "What are you doing?" Kellogg alumni can learn in real time about events at the school, including upcoming speakers and news articles featuring Kellogg alumni.

And on Facebook, Kellogg Alumni Relations will launch a fan page this spring that is open to all people.

Young says these social networks complement the Kellogg Alumni Network, an online tool through which alumni can search the alumni directory, read current Kellogg news, and get involved with the school through clubs, events and mentoring opportunities.

"These are global tools, and Kellogg is a global school with a global reach," Young says. "This is another way to connect our alumni around the world."