As the spring semester draws to a close, many students will be graduating and moving on from school to the next chapter of their lives. Being a part of an SSDP chapter is a defining part of many students’ college experiences, I know it certainly was for me! The recently launched SSDP Alumni Association aims to provide a framework for SSDPers to continue developing as leaders and professionals, advocating for an end to the drug war, and staying connected to their peers who share that passion after leaving school. Today SSDP is kicking off our second annual Alumni Association Membership Drive! Each day this week, we’ll feature a blog post written by an alum serving in a leadership position on a variety of topics: from individual SSDP stories to becoming more involved as an alum, to the story of The Wets, and more! The purpose of this membership drive is, of course, to invite SSDP alumni to join the Alumni Association, and it’s our goal to add 50 new members before Friday. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on your time as an undergrad in SSDP, share your favorite memories, and reconnect with the SSDP network.

PRIZES

To make things a bit more interesting, everyone who completes enrollment in the Alumni Association before 11:59pm EST this Friday, May 20th will be entered to win one free registration to SSDP2017: The Annual Students for Sensible Drug Policy Conference taking place in March 2017 (an official announcement about the conference will be coming in the next couple weeks). Those who completed enrollment anytime since the program launch will also be entered to win. AND the alum who recruits the most new members this week will also receive a free conference registration. So, be sure to remind those you invite to mention your name in the “referred by” field!

PARTICIPATION

Alumni

Check out our list of suggested activities for alums to engage in, and pick a few to try out this week. Already a member of the Alumni Association? Great! Show your support by sharing your SSDP stories, #tbt photos, etc. with the hashtag #SSDPalumni and by changing your Facebook profile picture to this. Not yet a member? Join us today!

1. Submit your information through our sign up form.
2. Join the Sensible Society.

Not sure if you’re a member? Check your email (and your spam folder!); all confirmed members of the Alumni Association have received a welcome message from me. If you think you’ve signed up but can’t find it, please let me know and we’ll get it straightened out.

Students

Graduating this year? You’re an alumnus now — join us!

1. Submit your information through our sign up form.
2. Join the Sensible Society. 

Not graduating for a while? Get connected to an alum in your region by reaching out to one of the leadership board members. SSDP alumni know what it’s like to be in your position since they were there themselves at some point, and we’re more than happy to help!  Alumni can meet with you in person or via phone or skype to give advice, guidance and insight on what your chapter is up to. Maybe they know of a campaign strategy, expert resource, or tips and tricks to make your work better, easier, more effective, more fun. Regardless of when you’re graduating, make sure you’re signed up for the SSDP mailing list with your personal email address. Many .edu email accounts expire after graduation (their spam filters are also typically stronger than other platforms, meaning it’s more likely that SSDP emails will get treated as spam in your .edu accounts), so signing up with a non-.edu address is always a good idea.

Other supporters

Support our work by helping to spread the word about the Alumni Association, and join the Sensible Society to allow us to do even more to end the War on Drugs!   To learn more about the SSDP Alumni Association, visit ssdp.org/alumni and be sure to check back each day this week for a new alumni-authored blog post.