Our Mission

Your Alumni Association’s mission is to enrich the alumni experience and foster beneficial relationships in the Johns Hopkins community.

Our History

The association’s story began about 10 years after the start of the university itself. On April 26, 1886, two alumni proposed that a committee draw up a plan for an alumni association. Following the acceptance of that plan, the members of the new-born association repaired to the dining rooms of the St. James Hotel on Charles Street and refreshed themselves in a fashion we’ve since become quite fond of.

The early years of the association were defined by annual gatherings in which to eat, drink and reminisce as well as the establishment of the founding chapters in Baltimore, New York and Washington, DC.

The 1890s witnessed the establishment of “a great bond of union” between alumni and students. “The whole student body,” the class of 1891 observed, “will find it both pleasant and profitable to keep in close contact with the graduates of the university... and active interest thus evoked will strengthen all the natural ties of sympathy and fellowship.” 

The first years of the association also saw the birth of the spirit of giving which has come to characterize Johns Hopkins alumni. Representatives of the class of 1895 wrote, “the association has work to perform: the centralization of earnest, loyal zeal for the university. This purpose could only be affected by alumni themselves when they join with one another in a united effort.”

Our Future

Times have changed since the founding of the association over 100 years ago. Modes of social interaction have evolved, as have methods of communication and doing business. And so while our association’s spirit and vision can never change, our ways must.

You have recognized it. We have recognized it. And as a result, we, along with many peer universities, now realize that the most effective and helpful alumni organization is one that actively engages not merely some, but all graduates.

The association is accordingly geared towards fostering your active engagement — particularly in terms of strengthening the organization, increasing its connections and multiplying the opportunities it offers. From organizing local clubs and chapters to participating in relevant social and professional networks, from coordinating alumni events to nourishing a financial commitment to the association’s future, the association’s growth and influence is being developed organically by us all.

We invite you to respond to this challenge and become an active participant in the future of your Alumni Association. Get involved today.