Earlier this year, a diverse team of alumni, faculty, current, and former parents came together to discuss strategies for how to engage the network of thousands of YISS alumni (both graduates and former students) spread across the globe. As an international school with a transient population, YISS has less than 1200 graduates to date, however, there are thousands of former students who have attended for one or more years. 

The Alumni Network Design Team approached the challenge using a method called Design Thinking, an iterative problem-solving process that uses deep empathy with the constituent to creatively brainstorm and prototype solutions. In addition to a survey of YISS (2006-present) and ICS Seoul (1990-2006) graduates, the group also conducted dozens of stakeholder interviews with current and former students, staff, and parents. This research uncovered some key insights about our alumni community. 

We learned that YISS could do more to be inclusive of ICS alumni in our communications and showcase more of the school’s history. We also discovered that alumni are not only very interested in connecting with each other, but also with current students for mentoring and advising.

The group met for two design workshops, facilitated by YISS parent Nicole Kempton. Before she arrived in Korea in November 2020, Kempton held a variety of senior roles in alumni engagement and development at Duke University and is currently pursuing a micromasters in Design Thinking from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Using the insights the team gained from their research, the group brainstormed dozens of ideas and will deliver a report to Headmaster, Dr. Zickefoose and the school leadership team in April.

Why focus on developing an active alumni network? YISS and ICS graduates, former teachers, and former parents number in the thousands. Whether it’s connecting for professional purposes, returning to the school as a guest speaker, or mentoring a current student, alumni have a potentially transformative role to play in the life of the school. Already this school year, several alumni have returned to YISS as guest speakers in the high school’s Career Exploration Speaker Series. 

Through this network, we hope to grow the presence of alumni on our campus and instill in our current students, teachers, and parents the idea that once you are part of the YISS community, whether for two years or twenty years, you will always be a part of the school family. 

Special thanks to Alumni Design Team Members (top row, left to right): Dr. Betty Chung (Alumni Parent Class of 2019 and 2021), Bonnie Bae (MS ELA Teacher and Communications Specialist), Dr. George Zickefoose (Headmaster), Joon Myong (Director of High School Counseling), Susan Sevey (Middle School Principal); (bottom row, left to right) Jin Park (Community Relations Director), Yoojung Hong (YISS Class of 2008), Dr. Daniel Baik (ICS Class of 2004), Phillip Han (ICS Class of 2006), and Nicole Kempton (Parent & Senior Director in Alumni Engagement and Development at Duke University).