Schmoozin' and Bruisin' with the HAA

This past Wednesday on Dec. 30, 2009 (whoa, that seems so last year), Harvard Alumni Association teamed up with regional Harvard Clubs and Shared Interest Groups worldwide for Global Networking Night.

Alumni and current students at Harvard were invited to attend these schmooze sessions in locations ranging from Albuquerque to Quito, and from Boston to Munich.

Worried that you missed out on making all the connections? Don’t fret: Flyby tagged along to bring you a taste of some classic old-boy networking. Check it out, after the jump.

Harvard Club of New York

It's a harsh environment out there, and not just for Princeton Pussy Cats and arthritic Elis. But, Harvardians, fear not! The Harvard Alumni Association organized a "Global Networking Night" last Wednesday in select cities, and FlyBy popped by the Harvard Club in New York for a closer look.

FlyBy found alumni of the college and graduate schools—sometimes flanked by non-Harvard affiliated acquaintances—clinking wine glasses and crunching on almonds in a high ceiling, wood-paneled room at the back of the club.

Mehmet Z. Cangul GSAS '09, who attended the Boston networking event last year, said the New York reception included a more diverse crowd "in both profession and class year; the Boston event was more dominated by the older classes."

Go New York for keeping it hip(per). But the event wasn't all not-fun and no-games.

"I thought it was a great opportunity to connect with old friends and expand by meeting new people," said Julie Alvarez '85, who still did not find anyone from her class year.

The party went past its closing time of 8:00 PM, and club staff members had to brighten the lights to encourage the networkers to leave. Looks like you can't take the Harvard out of the Harvardian—even after graduation, we still don't like to leave a good party.

Harvard Club of Washington D.C.

Given our love for a good schmooze sesh, FlyBy arrived at the DC version of HAA's Global Networking Night pretty psyched.  About 45 or so attendants ranging from '78 to '12 (never too early to be an alumnus, eh?) packed into an awkwardly open space that mingled with tables of regular patrons in order to make that connection that would lead to that new, hip, and recession-proof job we all pine for. We think. There was no open bar to help grease the proceedings.

FlyBy was immediately labeled upon entering—yellow, for Finance—and would pay a hefty price for it.  DC politicos, environmental engineers, TFA groupies, and a tax lawyer wanted no part of the economic-turn-finance kid. One even tossed out the dreaded Goldman Sachs label while they all teamed to close off the circle.

FlyBy was relegated to chatting it up with the Club President David E. Treworgy MBA '93 and Radcliffe Affairs VP Irene Wu '91, who giddily broke down the organizational structure of the HAA. To be honest, it was actually pretty enjoyable.  Better than hearing about how much better it was when the undergraduate Houses had real personalities (and when Adams had a pool).  As FlyBy told our tax lawyer, a Matherite: They still find a way to make students love their Houses.  Somehow.

Harvard Club of Toronto

As a resident of Western New York, this correspondent has always seen Canada as the place to drink, watch hockey, and buy fireworks. When FlyBy received an e-mail inviting us to a Global Networking Night, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the Harvard Club of Toronto would be participating.

The Harvard Club of Toronto chose to host the event downtown at the Jump Bar, which is a “Big bold American-style bistro, packing plenty of bravado: sky-high glass atrium ceilings, rich wood interiors and a killer New York style bar.” Irony aside, it was quite a nice venue. The entire area surrounding the bar had been reserved by the HCT, and Cindy Maxwell '92, MD '97, President of the HCT, warmly greeted everyone personally and handed out nametags in English and French.

In true networking fashion, people initially stood awkwardly in little clumps by alma mater, talking about how bad the economy was and how you, like, totally need to see Avatar. FlyBy joined the undergraduate clump and endured the regular firing round of questions (name, House, concentration). After idle small talk and some social lubrication, aided by the ridiculously long wine list and very reasonable drinking age of 19, the clumps started commingling. FlyBy felt immediately at home with the HCT because they, like this correspondent, were not that interested in American politics. Great!

The original group of thirty-ish slowly diffused until just a few of us remained after two hours of casual conversation. Some remained to get dinner and talk business; FlyBy remained because we forgot how to get to the subway.

What we had anticipated to be an awkward, find-a-job contest (in no small part implied by the event’s name) actually turned out to be an awkward, relaxing mixer. The Harvard Club of Toronto was very welcoming of everyone from lowly frosh to retired alumni, and no one was ever left out of a circle, fiddling with a glass and looking confused.  Definitely one of the better networking events we've submitted ourselves to. Good job, Toronto, good job.