How I am U Works
A Mirror Across Time
A Circle of U
The Core Method
Reflection as the Engine
At the heart of I am U is reflection.
We trust our own voice more than anyone else’s. Our entire lives are spent searching for it. So why wouldn’t we want the chance to speak with ourselves — to hear from the person we once were, or the person we might still become?
This is what I am U is all about and what it makes possible.
Looking Forward
For students, reflection feels like stepping into a time machine. They see future versions of themselves in the alumni who once stood where they are now. They gain insight into how choices shape outcomes, and the clarity to move forward with greater confidence. Students borrow the strength of experience, allowing them to stand taller and step into their lives not just with knowledge, but with purpose.
Looking Back
For alumni, reflection works in reverse. They see younger versions of themselves in today’s students, filled with huge dreams, drive, and a remarkable sense of possibility. Over the years, many of us tend to lose that sense of possibility. As unforeseen burdens and hardships pile up, dreams begin to feel more like luxuries than aspirations. Through I am U, that spark can be re-ignited. By connecting with students, alumni reconnect to their own sense of possibility — a part of themselves they felt was lost after graduation. They step back into their own lives not with burdens, but with a renewed sense of purpose and direction.
This dual reflection is the engine that drives I am U. It is not just mentorship. It is a mirror across time, giving students clarity and strength for the road ahead, while giving alumni a renewed sense of hope and possibility for the life they are still living.
Reflection Begins
Life Studios
The I am U journey often begins in person.
Life Studios are intimate, story-driven sessions hosted by alumni.
They’re structured to help students design a life they want to live; aligning academic learning with personal growth and real-world purpose.
Each session features two alumni:
- A consistent facilitator who guides the program
- A rotating guest speaker who shares a real story, the challenge they faced, and how it shaped their future
The sessions follow a simple, powerful structure:
- The Story – A real turning point or moment of struggle
- The Challenge – What it demanded emotionally or professionally
- The Lesson – What it revealed, and how it shaped the future
But the most valuable part happens after the story.
Discover the full details of how this program works
Beyond the Classroom
I am U Connect
Reflection doesn’t end when the session does.
I am U Connect is a private, story-driven chat platform that helps students carry the conversation forward — and inward.
Students begin by sharing a personal story and their Mission Quest: the purpose that brought them here, and what they’re trying to figure out.
Using a proprietary intelligent matching model, the platform curates a list of potential alumni Guides based on lived experience, not identity. No names. Just reflections and insight. All conversations follow a reflection-first name basis.
Students invite up to five Guides to form their personal Trusted Guide Circle. Guides review the student’s story and Mission Quest and choose whether to join the circle.
Once the Circle is complete, the real reflection begins.
See how the full story of how I am U Connect works.
Beyond the Campus
Alumni Advancement Program
A truly self-sustaining ecosystem can’t serve just one generation.
The Alumni Advancement Program is built to support alumni with more than reflection. It offers real opportunity.
While students gain guidance and clarity, alumni need something just as valuable: a meaningful way to act on their purpose and grow their work in the world. This program is designed to do both.
The Alumni Advancement Program creates real-time business and collaboration opportunities for alumni-owned and alumni-led organizations, using the same intelligent matching model that powers I am U Connect – but instead of matching people to people, it matches businesses. These curated matches are brought to life through university-hosted, invitation-only events.
Each event is highly structured and planned for maximum relevance, not random networking.
- One group, such as the School of Engineering, Law, or Business, might act as the presenter, sharing what they’ve built or are looking to grow
- Another school division takes the role of prospector, bringing a specific need or opportunity they’re ready to act on
- In future sessions, the roles can reverse to create a dynamic cycle of exchange and support
This isn’t just a benefit for alumni. It’s a strategic advantage for universities.
When alumni see real results — new connections, ventures, and meaning — their engagement deepens. That drives philanthropy, pride, and long-term support.
Reflection may ignite purpose. But opportunity is what keeps it alive.
The Alumni Advancement Program turns purpose into motion, and motion into momentum.
Read the full story behind how this program drives Alumni Engagement
and more…
Together
We Make U Possible
We are living in a time of disconnection.
Our world is more connected than ever on the surface, yet the space between us feels wider.
Technology moves faster than our values can catch up. Generations drift apart.
And without guidance, it’s easy to lose sight of who we are — and who we might become.
I am U was created to change that.
It’s not just about helping students make better decisions.
It’s about helping all of us remember what matters most.
Because when students see themselves through us, they gain clarity and confidence.
When we (alumni) reconnect with our younger selves, we rediscover our own possibility and passion.
And when universities create space for both, they become something more than just places of learning.
We can’t solve disconnection with more noise.
We need reflection.
We need spaces where people can speak across time — and actually hear each other.
We need ways to connect to ourselves, so we can finally see ourselves in one another.
This is how we heal the divide.
This is how we move forward.
This is how we make U possible.
Support the future of reflection, connection, and cross-generational impact.