Connections that Outlast Institutions
Article provided by Lyn O’Neill, Community Development Director, St Vincents College
Recently, I attended a wake following a funeral. As is often the case at these gatherings, alongside the sadness there were conversations, stories and unexpected moments of connection.
I found myself chatting with a woman in her eighties from a regional community. During our conversation she mentioned she would be travelling to Sydney in the coming weeks for a lunch meeting.
Being naturally curious, I asked what was bringing her to the city.
She told me she was meeting with fellow committee members to plan her school’s annual reunion.
At first, that didn’t seem unusual.
What came next certainly was.
The school had closed more than sixty years ago.
Yet here she was, enthusiastically talking about reunion planning, committee meetings and catching up with fellow alumni. Decades after the school had ceased to exist, the alumni association was still going strong.
As we spoke, I found myself reflecting on the remarkable power of alumni communities and the ties that continue to bind people together across generations. What struck me most was the genuine enthusiasm with which she spoke. There was no sense of obligation or duty. She remained involved because it mattered to her.
And it got me thinking about the work we do with our own alumni.
At reunions, it is often the stories that take centre stage. The memories that still spark laughter, the friendships that have endured, the shared experiences that shaped a particular time in people’s lives. But these gatherings are about more than looking back.
They are a reminder of the lasting influence institutions can have on the people who pass through them.
The friendships formed, the lessons learned, the challenges navigated and the people who inspired us during our formative years become part of our personal story. They help shape our values, influence our decisions and contribute to the people we become. Perhaps that is why alumni communities endure. They are not simply connected by a place. They are connected by experiences that continue to hold meaning throughout their lives.
As someone working in community development, I often reflect on what makes communities strong and enduring. Rarely is it the buildings, programs or organisational structures alone. It is the relationships that are formed, the sense of belonging that develops and the shared commitment people feel towards one another.
The woman I met reminded me of this.
More than sixty years after her school closed, she and her fellow alumni continue to organise events, maintain friendships and keep alive a connection to an institution that no longer exists in a physical sense. The school’s legacy lives on through them.
We often measure the success of institutions through growth, achievement or longevity. Yet perhaps another measure is the strength of the relationships that remain long after people leave. The fact that alumni continue to gather, volunteer their time and invest in one another decades later says something profound about the impact an institution has made.
In a world where so much feels transient, there is something powerful about connections that endure.
As I prepare for our next Alumni meeting, I find myself looking beyond the agenda. Our real work is not simply to engage alumni, but to strengthen the connections that give people a lasting sense of belonging. If we’re successful, the impact of that work will be measured not in attendance numbers or event outcomes, but in the relationships that endure for generations.
Lyn O’Neill
Community Development Director
St Vincent’s College
NSW/ACT Chapter Secretary | educate+