It launched in February, and since March, it has increased membership by about 50 per cent.
To keep growing, NIC’s alumni plan is to make sure people are aware of who makes up alumni, learn what matters to them and help them feel connected, celebrated and valued.
“People go out into the world, get spread out and lose contact,” said Montana Pistell, NIC’s new alumni relations liaison. “To be able to keep people connected back to NIC and to each other is something that I’m excited about.”
As a Comox Valley local and former NIC student, she has an insider’s perspective for her position at the college, which she started this fall.
“I’ve always wanted to work at NIC. My grandma worked here for her whole career,” she said. “I loved it when I was a student. I jumped at the opportunity. I’m really happy to be here.”
A big part of her job will be to offer support and resources to alumni, foster connections in the community and share alumni stories.
She describes herself as the “go-to” alumni person, which could mean anything from sending out NIC pins to expanding awareness of the network.
Pistell has spent almost a decade working in education, but when the pandemic meant reduced hours, she saw an opportunity to expand her education and took NIC’s Web and Mobile Application Development Diploma program.
She graduated in 2023 and started thinking about new opportunities. As a former student, she figured she had her own perspective on the job.
“As alumni, I felt it would be a unique position for me to be in,” she said. “I’m a peer in the role.”
This means reconnecting with others who have attended the college and expanding the network of alumni, so she can keep them in touch with NIC and other members.
Many students return to school at different points in their lives. Some alumni come back for more education, but even if they don’t, Pistell wants to share their story.
Part of the job will be education. This means getting the word out about who makes up NIC alumni, which means anyone from those who sign up for a full program to those who take one course, including micro-credentials.
“Alumni for us means one course or many — you’re part of the alumni family,” she said. “We have thousands of alumni.”
To get in touch, you can email Montana.Pistell@nic.bc.ca.
