Fardin Sanai, Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of the University at Albany Foundation
International alumni are often viewed simply as recipients of a university education. In reality, they become one of a university’s most valuable long-term strategic assets. In my work with international alumni, I have seen relationships that began in a classroom develop into research partnerships, recruitment networks, philanthropic support, and even diplomatic connections. Graduation is not the end of a student’s relationship with a university. In many cases, it is the beginning of a much longer partnership.
The return on a university’s investment in international students extends far beyond the classroom, generating decades of institutional, economic, diplomatic, and societal impact.
Graduates return to more than 150 countries carrying not only their degrees but also the reputation, values, and aspirations of their alma mater. Every successful international alumnus or alumna strengthens the university’s global brand—often far more effectively than traditional marketing campaigns. Their influence grows through their work and professional relationships. When alumni remain connected to their university, they often introduce the institution to new communities, partners, and students.
The University at Albany has witnessed this impact for nearly 150 years. Founded in 1844, the University welcomed its first international student, Sensaburo Kudzo of Japan, who graduated in 1877. Upon returning home, Kudzo became a leader in Japan’s Normal School movement, helping shape teacher education and leaving a lasting legacy on the nation’s educational system. His story marked the beginning of a remarkable tradition.
Since then, the University at Albany has educated thousands of international students who have gone on to become leaders in government, academia, business, and public service. Their achievements remind us that the true impact of international education is measured not simply by degrees awarded, but by the lives transformed and the global influence those graduates create.
International Alumni: The University’s Most Credible Recruiters
Perhaps nowhere is the influence of international alumni more visible than in student recruitment. Alumni are among a university’s most trusted and persuasive advocates. At the University of Albany, we have seen how strongly prospective students and their families value conversations with alumni from their own countries.
Our alumni regularly host recruitment events in their home countries, mentor prospective students, and volunteer as admissions ambassadors. Their authentic experiences provide a level of credibility that no marketing campaign can replicate. We have also observed that engaged alumni help build confidence among parents, who often place greater trust in the advice of graduates from their own country than in institutional advertising.
International Alumni and the Future of University Philanthropy
One of the most significant—and often underestimated—contributions of international alumni is their growing role in university philanthropy. While fundraising has traditionally focused on domestic graduates, universities increasingly recognize that international alumni represent an important and largely underdeveloped source of philanthropic support and strategic partnership.
As graduates establish distinguished careers and assume leadership positions in business, government, academia, and the nonprofit sector, many seek meaningful ways to give back to the institutions that helped shape their lives.
International alumni philanthropy is about far more than financial contributions. It reflects gratitude, trust, and a lifelong commitment to expanding educational opportunity for future generations. Their generosity supports scholarships, research, and programs that expand opportunities for students. Many establish scholarships for students from their home countries, creating lasting legacies while opening doors for future generations to pursue the same life-changing educational experience.
Building a culture of international philanthropy requires sustained engagement. In my experience, the strongest alumni relationships are not built through fundraising appeals. They are built through years of communication, recognition, and genuine involvement. By engaging international students before graduation, maintaining connections throughout their careers, recognizing their achievements, and creating opportunities for continued involvement, institutions cultivate a lasting sense of belonging that often inspires future generosity.
The impact of international alumni is perhaps most visible through major and principal gifts. Across higher education, some of the most transformative philanthropic investments have come from international graduates who became global business leaders, entrepreneurs, physicians, scientists, innovators, and public servants. Their generosity has funded academic buildings, research centers, institutes of public policy, innovation hubs, endowed faculty positions, scholarships, and interdisciplinary programs that benefit students, advance research, and address society’s most pressing challenges.
The University at Albany has experienced this firsthand. One of our most distinguished endowed lecture series was established through the generosity of Dr. Seung Park, former Minister of Construction and Governor of the Bank of Korea, in honor of his professor and mentor, Dr. Pong Lee. Dr. Park’s gift not only celebrates the enduring influence of an exceptional educator but also ensures that future generations of students and scholars continue to benefit from intellectual exchange and global perspectives.
Dr. Park is one of many international alumni who continue to strengthen the University in meaningful ways. Beyond philanthropy, these alumni invest their time, expertise, leadership, and professional networks to mentor students, foster international research collaborations, create internships and career opportunities, and open doors to partnerships around the world. Their engagement demonstrates that the value of international alumni extends far beyond financial support—it is an enduring investment in the institution’s mission, its people, and its future.
International Alumni: Advancing Diplomacy and Soft Power
Perhaps one of the most significant yet often overlooked contributions of international alumni is their role in advancing diplomacy and strengthening a nation’s soft power. International students return home with far more than a degree; they carry lasting relationships and a deeper understanding of the culture, values, institutions, and people of their host country. These experiences often become the foundation for lifelong goodwill and international collaboration.
History is filled with international graduates who later became presidents, prime ministers, cabinet ministers, ambassadors, central bank governors, supreme court justices, military leaders, business executives, and heads of international organizations. While they serve the interests of their own nations, many retain a lifelong appreciation for the universities that shaped their education and worldview.
These alumni frequently facilitate academic exchanges, scientific collaboration, trade missions, cultural initiatives, and government-to-government dialogue. They connect university leaders with policymakers, create opportunities for faculty and student exchanges, and help forge partnerships that benefit both institutions and nations.
The University at Albany provides a compelling example through alumnus Ambassador Evangelos Savva, the Republic of Cyprus’s Ambassador to the United States. Throughout his distinguished diplomatic career, Ambassador Savva has played a leading role in humanitarian and international development initiatives, reflecting both the global impact of a University at Albany education and the University’s commitment to preparing leaders for international service.
For universities, these relationships represent a powerful form of institutional soft power. Their influence is measured not only by research excellence or academic rankings, but also by the achievements and global leadership of their graduates. Every alumnus who rises to a position of influence enhances the institution’s international reputation and expands its global reach.
Recognizing this strategic value, countries including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada have established international alumni networks to maintain relationships with graduates who studied abroad. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has noted that these initiatives strengthen long-term diplomatic, economic, scientific, and cultural ties, demonstrating that international alumni are enduring national assets rather than simply the byproduct of educational exchange.
In an increasingly interconnected world, universities are no longer simply institutions of higher learning—they are architects of global relationships. Their international alumni become lifelong ambassadors who foster trust, expand cooperation, and strengthen ties across borders. Few legacies of higher education are more enduring or consequential.
Meaningful Alumni Engagement Begins Long Before Graduation
Meaningful alumni engagement begins long before students graduate. At the University at Albany, we believe lifelong alumni relationships are built upon the quality of the student experience. We take great pride in fostering a welcoming and inclusive campus that truly becomes a home away from home for students from around the world.
Internationalization is one of the five pillars of the University’s strategic plan, and President Havidán Rodríguez has made enhancing the international student experience a personal priority. His commitment extends well beyond policy—from hosting annual Thanksgiving dinners for international students in his home to celebrating cultural traditions such as Diwali alongside students and his family.
That commitment was perhaps most evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under President Rodríguez’s leadership, the University kept residence halls open for students who had nowhere else to go, particularly international students unable to return to their home countries. Supported by faculty, staff, and volunteers, these students remained safe, connected, and supported during one of the most challenging periods in recent history.
Acts of compassion and inclusion leave a lasting impression. They strengthen students’ sense of belonging, create enduring loyalty among future alumni and their families, and reinforce the University’s reputation as a community that genuinely cares for its students. Those experiences become the foundation for lifelong engagement, advocacy, partnership, and philanthropy.
A Strategic Imperative for Higher Education
As higher education becomes increasingly global, universities must rethink the role of international alumni, not as the final chapter of the student experience, but as lifelong partners in advancing institutional excellence, expanding global engagement, and shaping the future of higher education.
The traditional model has been:
Recruit → Educate → Graduate
Today’s global university should embrace a more comprehensive vision:
Recruit → Educate → Engage → Connect → Partner → Invest → Give → Lead
Universities often measure international education through enrollment, graduation, and employment outcomes. Those measures matter, but they capture only the beginning of the relationship. The deeper value emerges over time, as graduates become mentors, partners, advocates, and friends of the institution. The universities that understand this will not simply maintain alumni databases. They will build global communities.