Your UO alumni guide to goal setting for 2024
By April Miller, UO Alumni Association assistant director of marketing and communications
It’s the start of a new year, which for many means time to reflect on another year passed and set new goals. No matter your aspirations for 2024, the UOAA is here to help you reach them. We are happy to offer support when it comes to career growth, community building, lifelong learning, and so much more.
“New year, new me,” right? At least that’s how the saying goes. The start of a new year can offer a fresh start, a chance to reflect on another year that has passed and set goals for the new year to come. People across the world have been setting resolutions of sorts for thousands of years—from the ancient Babylonians celebrating Akitu, to the Romans after January 1 was established as New Year’s Day, and now the modern era with vows of self-improvement.
Why then, does research show 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by mid-February? A survey from Forbes Health may point to a few reasons—62% of people surveyed said they felt pressured to set a New Year’s resolution and only 20% say they keep themselves accountable to reaching their goals. Despite these stats, setting goals can be deeply transformational. In fact, goal setting is linked with higher motivation, self-confidence, and autonomy. According to UO researchers, the key is to set goals that are specific and challenging, but achievable. By setting specific goals that are sustainable at the right level of difficulty, you'll be setting yourself up for success by reducing lapses in attention and motivation.
Whether you opt to set goals for 2024 this January or you prefer to set goals during another time of year, your UO Alumni Association is here to help you reach your SMART goals. Our programs offer tangible action steps to further your career, make new friends, learn new things, and so much more. No matter your top goals, we want to support you by fostering connections between fellow Ducks with similar aspirations.
This article is a resource guide for UO alumni, but it’s also just a starting point. See something missing or an additional support you’d like to see in the future? Let us know!
What is your top goal for 2024?
Grow professionally or start a new career
The Duck Career Network offers a range of career resources and programs for alumni at all career levels and across industries and regions. Here are just a few resources and upcoming events tailored to UO alumni:
• CareerShift
Looking for a new job this year? Check out CareerShift, a comprehensive job search tool available for free to all UO alumni. It offers contact information for over 91 million emails and direct dial phone numbers globally.
• UO Mentorship Reimagined
If your goal is to find or become a mentor, get plugged in with UO Mentorship Reimagined, a university-wide initiative to connect all Ducks with network-based mentorship. Register for workshops like Responsive Mentorship at UO on January 29, Workshop for Mentors on February 15, or Workshop for Mentees on February 19.
• Duck Career Network alumni on-demand content
The Duck Career Network leverages a worldwide alumni network both as advice givers and advice seekers, offering a variety of on-demand career-focused content. Learn from Ducks with career and job search insights by reading career profiles. Plus, watch webinar recordings to learn from other Ducks on topics like using AI at work, interviewing with flair, and navigating your career path.
Below is just one example of a recent webinar, Ask a Recruiter: UO Alumni Panel, that is available. Hear an expert panel of recruiters share honest and effective approaches to making the job search a little easier!
• Join an upcoming Duck Career Network live event
The Duck Career Network hosts live networking and skill-sharing events both in person and virtually, so there’s a way for everyone to get plugged in, no matter where you live! The next event, The Business of You: Mastering the Art of Personal Branding for Professionals, will be held over Zoom on Wednesday, January 24. Learn how to build and refine your personal brand to take your career to the next level in 2024.
• UO LinkedIn group
Looking to up your LinkedIn game this year and make new connections? Join the UO’s LinkedIn group exclusively for Oregon alumni and community members. This is a great place to share (and receive!) job postings, share accomplishments, and connect fellow UO alumni with career resources. It’s all about Ducks helping Ducks!
• Duck Alumni career coaches
Career coaching isn’t just for executives! Everyone can benefit, no matter what career stage you’re in or what position you currently hold. The Duck Career Network has compiled a list of UO alumni offering professional, fee-based coaching services. Rates vary by coach and services sought. Check out the full list, and be sure to mention that you are a UO alum when reaching out!
If you’re an alum within one year of graduation, don’t forget that you receive career advising through the UO Career Center for FREE. Additionally, alumni from the College of Design, Lundquist College of Business, School of Journalism and Communication, and School of Law can find career advising assistance through each school’s advising office, regardless of graduation year.
Improve mental health
If your top goal for 2024 is to improve your mental health, you’re not alone. According to a survey by Forbes Health, 36% of people responded that prioritizing mental health is their top goal for the year.
While UO Counseling Services focuses its therapy services to students, they offer a wide variety of self-serve tools and resources that can benefit all. Take their anonymous mental health and substance use assessments to check in with yourself and access their self-care kit offering a wide variety of coping strategies and practices, such as self-compassion, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness.
Additionally, check out the UO Alumni Association’s recent article, Flocking together for mental health support, which features a Q&A with alumna and therapist Tahni Kalina, BS ’92 (psychology).
“A consistent practice of mindfulness and/or meditation can greatly improve mental well-being. It can be done in many different ways to fit your needs. It does not cost anything and can be done anywhere. One of my favorite resources is any book by Thich Nhat Hanh. He shares very short, plain speak guidance toward creating a simple mindfulness practice that enriches every aspect of your life when you incorporate it into your daily activities.”
— Tahni Kalina, BS ’92 (psychology), UOAA Board Member and Mental Health Therapist
Build community
Community building is what drives us at the UO Alumni Association. In fact, our vision is to unite and engage Ducks in all stages of flight. If making new friends and finding a place to belong is a top goal for you this year, we would love to be a part of that journey.
The UOAA has regional chapters in 25 communities nationwide and international chapters in four countries outside of the US. Additionally, we offer affinity networks and online communities for alumni to come together around a shared culture or identity, student activity or interest, or academic affiliation.
Many of the chapters and networks provide opportunities to connect with fellow Ducks through fun social activities, engaging and educational programming, rewarding philanthropic events, and/or other opportunities to engage. Whether you stayed in Oregon, moved elsewhere on the West Coast, or spread your wings and flew to a new place, there’s a chance for every UO alum to (re)connect with the Ducks community and make new friends. Click here for a full listing of all active chapters and networks.
“I'm a [part of the UO Alumni Association] because I love being part of an awesome Ducks network. We love rooting for the Ducks and helping future Ducks have an awesome college experience.”
—Kanealii Ng-Osorio, BS ’98 (psychology), UOAA Board Member and Hawaii Ducks chapter president
Improve work-life harmony
For many, a key lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is the need for work-life balance. When you’re constantly burning the candle at both ends and facing various stresses, you may face burnout, a state of mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion that affects mental health and productivity.
If improving your work-life balance and/or beating burnout are goals for 2024, the UO Alumni Association has a wonderful resource in our Say “Buh-Bye” to Burnout at Work webinar. Grant Gurewitz, BS ’13 (public relations), shares how he went from overworked and relying on too many “life hacks” to living a more balanced lifestyle free of burnout. Discover his research-backed playbook for how you too can be both be well physically and mentally and excel in your career.
Gurewitz also regularly shares tips and insights related to burnout and work-life balance through his School of Logging Off Blog and weekly Sustain newsletter.
“I think a lot of people have come to this collective understanding and realization that priorities are kind of shifting in our lives right now. Pre-COVID, work for a lot of people used to be the thing that was your identity; that’s where you spent a lot of your time. But we’ve started to understand that there may actually be some other high-impact and high-importance aspects of our lives that we want to be able to take the time to explore.”
—Grant Gurewitz, BS ’13 (public relations), UOAA Board Member and Founder of School of Logging Off
Give back
If making an impact is one of your top goals for 2024, the University of Oregon and UO Alumni Association have many opportunities for alumni to give back. Whether sharing your time, talents, or financial resources, there’s a place for everyone to get plugged in.
One of the best ways to get involved and support the UO community is by joining the alumni association as a member. We unite Ducks in all stages of life through regional chapters, cultural affinity groups, tailgates, class reunions, career networking, lifelong learning, football watch parties, opportunities to travel with fellow Ducks, and so much more. Memberships are what make all of those programs possible. Choose between an Annual or Life membership, and you’ll enjoy many exclusive rewards as a thank you.
If you’re interested in hands-on volunteering opportunities, consider getting involved with one of the UOAA's regional chapters or affinity groups. Each group is regularly looking for alumni to volunteer at events or serve as part of their boards. UO alumni can also get involved with the UOAA by self-nominating to serve on our national board of directors. Board members advise UOAA staff on how to best engage over 265,000 living UO alumni and serve as ambassadors within the Ducks community. Nominations for the 2024–25 board year are due by Friday, February 2.
If you’re interested in giving financially to the university, there are many means to do so, as well as many meaningful funds to donate to. Whether you’re supporting student success or helping UO researchers make life-changing discoveries, you’ll be helping the UO make the world a better place. The UO Alumni Association provides chapter and group scholarships to support incoming and returning students. Click here to learn more and to give to a chapter scholarship. Click here to learn about the Black Alumni Network Student Support Fund and to give.
“It’s important to give back what someone gave to you. Somebody believed in me and gave me a scholarship, and I think education is so important. It was my life for over 40 years.”
Learn new things
No matter your age or stage of life, there’s always something new to learn. Whether your goal is to pick up a new hobby in 2024, develop skills in another language, or delve into a topic that interests you, a commitment to lifelong learning can improve your health and quality of life.
The University of Oregon and UO Alumni Association share this commitment to lifelong learning and offer several programs to support you on your journey. Participate in a faculty-led program, like the UOAA’s upcoming webinar, University of Oregon Scholars on Human Rights and the Israel-Hamas War, planned for February 8. For Oregon-based alumni, make plans to join us for our next Portland Science Night on March 20, featuring UO faculty who will present their exciting research. Several other academic and research-focused programs for alumni are held throughout the year as well, so be sure to keep an eye on our events calendar.
Looking to take your learning to the next level? Consider becoming a member of the UO’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, an intellectual and social community of engaged adult learners offering courses on a wide variety of subjects for an annual fee. Oregon residents ages 65 and older who are not pursuing an academic degree can also audit UO classes at no charge.
Travel more
If spreading your wings and exploring the US or the world is in your plans for 2024, why not do so with fellow Ducks? The UO Alumni Association partners with trusted travel agencies to offer a wide range of trips through our travel program. From European tours, cruises around Japan, and historical excursions in the US, exciting educational and cultural experiences abound for UO alumni and friends.
Football fans will also enjoy our Ducks Fan Travel packages, offering an exclusive experience for Ducks fans at select away games. With Oregon’s move to the Big Ten this year comes new tailgate destinations! Keep an eye on our football page in the coming months for announcements.
“The trips are a great value financially as well as entertaining. The UOAA selects great venues, great lodging, great transportation. Their trips are lots of fun!”
—Karen Absher, BS ’80 (accounting), UOAA traveler
Read more
Looking to up your reading game in 2024? Look no further than the UO Alumni Book Club!
We just started reading Take my Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez on January 5, so there’s still time to pick up your copy and join the fun. This award-winning novel, inspired by true events, is about a Black nurse in post-segregation Alabama who blows the whistle on a terrible injustice done to her patients.
Journey through this stirring story with us and connect with fellow Ducks through our online, asynchronous book club. Simply create an account, start reading, and then chat virtually with fellow participants through our private forum.
“I've been loving this book club!! It's gotten me back into reading post grad.”
—Kathie Hsieh, BMME ’17 (music education); BMus ’17, MMus ’19, (music performance); MNM ’20 (nonprofit management), Book Club participant