A New Liaison to the Past

The Lycée is pleased to announce the arrival of Claude Aska as the new Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations.

Prior to the Lycée, Claude worked in the nonprofit sector for over ten years, particularly in youth development, delivering youth worker trainings and documenting and disseminating best practices while operating as Program Associate at the Youth Development Institute; and as Co-manager of two Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation high schools in New York City. Claude conducted alumni relations for four years while working at his alma mater, Baruch College. Claude developed and managed an alumni database, from which he often informed alumni about events and pertinent school updates and reunions as a means to reconnect past students to Baruch College.

Claude understands very well that to have a successful alumni program at the Lycée he will have his hands full because unlike typical colleges and high schools in America, lycées historically do not have an alumni culture. Once students graduate or transfer away from a lycée they are essentially gone and it is rare that they make an effort to reconnect with the school. But the times they are a changin' and thanks to the ground work laid by his predecessor, Silvia McCallister-Castillo, an alumni culture is rapidly growing at the Lycée Francais de New York.

"The last thing I want to do is re-invent the wheel," Claude said in a recent interview. "Silvia [McCallister-Castillo] did amazing work to engage alumni and I'm truly honored to have the opportunity to take her work to the next stage." Mrs. McCallister-Castillo garnered alumni interest in LFNY by first verifying and updating all alumni contact information in the school's database, from where she then sent alumni email updates regarding general Lycée events and news; and she worked with the alumni board to schedule reunions and social events for alumni as well as to circulate the alumni e-newsletter to hundreds of former Lycée students.

"I want to create an environment in which alumni do not consider themselves former students, but current Lycée community members," said Claude. "I think the best way to accomplish this is by continually engaging alumni through an increased number events organized specifically for alumni, and by getting involved in general Lycée events. At the same time, I'm not going to kid myself, I know that it's not going to be easy, but I also know that I'm the man for the job."

Claude's goal is to be the primary contact for alumni at the Lycée. Please be in touch with him at caska@lfny.org to share your current news, get involved in alumni programs, reconnect with your classmates and celebrate the 75th Anniversary of your wonderful school.

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