ALA Alumni
CONNECTING ALUMNI TO ALA, EACH OTHER, AFRICA AND THE WORLD AT LARGE
Relationships built at ALA last far beyond campus. In fact, it is through this life-long community of alumni that ALA’s mission will come to fruition.
The Alumni Engagement team works hard to facilitate connections for alumni: to campus, to each other and to the mission.
UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION
Provide all your recent professional, contact or location updates, and find career opportunities, on the African Careers Network (ACN) portal. Click the button below to login. If you have any issues accessing the portal, click “Login Help” below.
VISIT THE ALA CAMPUS
Sankofa is an Alumni Engagement initiative that facilitates alumni’s access to campus. One of the key goals is to encourage alumni’s return to campus to (re)engage with the Academy, its programs and people. Alumni have multiple ways of spending their time while on campus. They can do their own work, sit in on a class and/or interact with students and the wider community. Use the link below to indicate your interest and we will follow up.
REQUEST YOUR TRANSCRIPT OR DIPLOMA
All requests are automatically sent to the Dean’s office for processing. Please note that it may take 1-2 weeks to receive your transcript or diploma.
OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
There are many ways alumni can get involved with the ALA Network. We encourage you to consider volunteering as a regional connector or host an event to bring your local community together. Additionally, nominate a young leader for the 2-year degree program at ALA, participate in our career services at ACN, or mentor a current ALA student. Click the button below to see all the available opportunities.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I find out which alumni are in my city?
The good news is that ALA alumni have a global footprint so you are likely to find them in several cities around the world. Out of respect for alumni personal information and in compliance with ALA’s Data Privacy Policy, we cannot share names and contact details without alumni’s explicit consent. As a result, it will take time to do the due diligence before we can respond to your request.
Find more about ALA's Data Privacy Policy here.
How do I plan an event for alumni in my city?
We have limited funds to support alumni gatherings and they are disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis. However, we will always work with you to plan these events, including working on the list of alumni in the different cities.
If you would like to organize an event in your city, please fill out this form.
Can you help me conduct a background check in South Africa?
The South African Police Service has the legal jurisdiction to issue Police Clearance Certificates. You have the option of applying in-person or online. They are currently experiencing a backlog so provide ample time beyond what is stipulated on their website to avoid any delays.
Click this link to apply directly on SAP's webpage.
How do I share my story with the community?
We are always looking for stories representing the diversity of our alumni and their experiences. No two alumni are alike so there is no expectation that your story must conform to a certain standard of excellence or success. We want you to be authentic and that means being yourself.
If you have a post or update you would like us to share to the Alumni Instagram, please remember to tag us in the post @alalumni_.
Two of the other platforms you can share your story on include our Humans of ALA series or Alumni Spotlight section of our website. Contact us on any of our platforms to get the conversation going.
How do I access the ACN portal?
Your username is your first initial, full last name, ALA cohort year, then "@ala.org”. If you do not remember your password, you can reset it by clicking "Forgot Password" > type in your username > submit. A reset email will be sent to your primary email on ACN, which is most likely the email where you receive updates from ALA. In most cases, it will not be your ALA email. Check your junk or spam folders in case the email does not make it to your inbox.
If you do not receive a password reset email, go back to the main login page, select "Forgot Username,” and in the pop-up window click "Get Help." Another pop-up window will appear where you can fill out your information and submit a request for a member of the IT team to reset your account.
This process typically takes around 3-5 business days. If you do not hear back after a week, email AlumniEngagement@africanleadershipacademy.org.
What is the Peer Support program?
The ALA Alumni Peer Support Program is a virtual program that aims to provide ALA alumni with Peer Supporters for confidential one-on-one conversations. There are 5 Virtual Peer Supporters who are accessible to you for the duration of this year. The Peer Supporters come with a wide range of experience: gap year, university, graduate school, internships, working full time, transitioning back to the continent, and more! All Peer Supporters take part in training led by the Wellness and Alumni Engagement Team.
To sign up for a private, confidential call with a Virtual Peer Supporter, click here.
What are some wellness resources for alumni?
The Alumni Engagement team is always available if you or a person you know is experiencing challenges with their mental health. Please reach out to AlumniEngagement@africanleadershipacademy.org for individual support. If you would like to talk to someone local, you can find a list of helplines by country here.
Finally, we offer the Peer Support Program, where you can discuss a wide range of topics with fellow alums. You can sign up for a call with a Peer Supporter here.
EXPLORE OUR ALUMNI’S IMPACT
Around the world, ALA students are making an impact and driving positive change on the African continent.
