We are Princeton: Monica Moore Thompson ’89 reflects on her term as Alumni Association president

Under the leadership theme of “I am Princeton. You are Princeton. Together, we are Princeton,” she led several major initiatives throughout her term that tapped into alumni’s love for the University while recognizing the evolving community’s need to engage on their terms.

As she prepares to embark on a bold new venture with a deeply personal connection, Thompson talked about her service as president and chair and the value of bringing people together while still honoring their differences.

How did you first get involved with volunteering in the alumni community?
My first volunteer experience was through the Alumni Schools Committee after moving to Washington, D.C., where I worked at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. I’ve always had a real passion for giving back so I answered the call to get involved and I did ASC interviews. Subsequently, I was asked by PC Pitts ’79 to join the Association of Black Princeton Alumni (ABPA). I think being asked to participate is a common entry to alumni engagement. Years later, I had the unique experience of being a staff member in the development office at Princeton, where I worked on the 250th anniversary campaign.

Do you find that you bring something different to alumni leadership in terms of seeing from the inside how these campaigns come about and are executed?
Absolutely. It has been very helpful having an existing understanding of University operations. As for campaigns, Venture Forward is unique in how it recognizes the importance of alumni engagement. Part of what makes Princeton so special is the generosity of alumni who give of their time and their commitment and support for the University. I was honored to travel to eight cities, domestically and internationally, with the Venture Forward campaign during my tenure and witness the passion and love that our alumni have for Princeton. I appreciated seeing the community convening under the umbrella of Princeton, as graduate and undergraduate alumni, parents and incoming students. Venture Forward brought us together as one community. That ties into my theme, which looks at our community holistically.

And does this theme mean something different to you now as you look back?
My hope was to create a theme that would be timeless in its message. My goal was to build upon the momentum of community, recognizing that we each have a place, we each have a voice and that Princeton provides an opportunity for us to connect if we so wish. My theme really acknowledges our differences, which are beautiful. The theme also highlights the many opportunities for alumni to find connection and share in our robust Princeton alumni community by affirming our distinctions and our identities, and the one identifier that brings us together — we are all alumni of Princeton.

What excites you about attending Reunions?
The extraordinary gathering of alumni and the joy it brings is incredible. Although Reunions is structured by class, there are many opportunities for alumni to engage through many affinities. There’s content with the Alumni-Faculty Forums, departmental receptions, affinity group gatherings and more. And the energy is always so high.

What can you tell me about the new initiatives you worked on during your tenure?
We’ve done a lot of work on how we engage recent alumni, particularly graduates of the last decade (GOLD). How do we bring them into the fold? And how do we share traditions, particularly because those class years, some of that work was disrupted because of the pandemic. So, for example, we looked at how the tradition of singing “Old Nassau” came about.

While traditions like these are important ways to bind our community together, I think it’s also important to recognize how traditions evolve with time. The Alumni Council also worked to engage our alumni community in a way such that everyone feels heard and respected, which is tremendously important to me. 

In addition, we refined volunteer leadership development and succession planning, which are so important for sustained success. Alumni Volunteer Pathways (AVP), an ad hoc committee this term, co-chaired by PC Pitts and Ted Stephens ’95, was tasked with raising the visibility of volunteer opportunities and making those pathways to engagement more clear for those who want to volunteer. Once we engage volunteers, how do we then develop future leaders? AVP has created clear job descriptions and metrics of how to get involved and what those volunteer roles require in terms of time and commitment. The committee also created a code of volunteer engagement that’s published on the alumni website.

Finally, the University welcomed a new affinity group this term — the Association for Jewish Princeton Alumni.

What’s up for you next?
This summer, I am heading to South Africa on my first Princeton Journey. I look forward to meeting more Princetonians and the faculty member who will be leading the trip. I’m also exploring a totally new venture, which is personal to me. It ties into my family’s tradition in South Carolina, which is where I’m from originally. My great-grandfather was a developer who built houses in a historically African-American neighborhood. In fact, there is a street that’s named after him. I’m working on a project to help revitalize that neighborhood by developing affordable housing. It’s completely different from anything I’ve done previously, but I really feel led to take on this project at this time.