In 2020, Pembroke College  established a Pembroke College Alumni Advisory Board (AAB), consisting of twelve alumni of wide  backgrounds and various ages  Its aim: to ensure the best and closest possible relationship between the College and its over 9,000 living Alumni worldwide.

“Enhanced communication and networking among our distinguished alumni, wherever they live, and between the alumni and College is our goal,” AAB chair, Steve Atkinson, ’73, told The North American Pembrokian.  

Under Steve’s leadership and with the whole-hearted support of the Master and Pembroke’s Governing Body, the AAB has created a global network of volunteer College Ambassadors, each charged with being the local ‘eyes and ears’ of the College – feeding comments back to the College via the AAB – whilst (re)generating engagement with alumni locally by making contacts with and arranging events for alumni and their families.

The Network currently comprises 100+ Ambassadors,  24 of whom are US-based – including in New York, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington DC, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles, with an additional two in  Canada. 

These ambassadors, working in cooperation with the AAB and the Pembroke College Foundation of North America (PCFNA), have helped to organize events to celebrate College’s 400^th Anniversary in 2024, generously supported by the PCFNA, as well as maintaining a constructive dialogue with the College.

“We have a strong base for maintaining this alumni engagement beyond 2024”, said Steve, “and very much hope to build upon this base for anyone interested in participating, whether as an Ambassador or simply to host a one-off Pembroke-related event.” Steve particularly noted the need to attract alumni to volunteer Ambassadors in underrepresented parts of the U.S. 

“Vast areas of the USA are not currently represented in our Ambassador Network. Anyone interested in joining the Network will be welcomed,” Steve noted. “We appreciate whatever time you may be able to offer and support is available from the Alumni Relations team in the College. We hold virtual catch up meetings with each region every term.”

If you want to learn more about the Ambassador program, please contact Steve directly at:  steve.atkinson2@pmb.ox.ac.uk.  Further details are also available on the College website www.pmb.ox.ac.uk