What started with a photo of USC Iovine and Young Academy alumni enjoying a park picnic sparked a lively celebration that brought together IYA graduates in none other than the Big Apple. The dean, IYA staff, and alumni gathered for an official reception in New York City on May 31, assembling former students from cohorts 1-5, all converging in-person to catch up, network, reminisce, and more. 

“Last summer we received a picture from Brianna Doyle ’19 of Academy alumni having a picnic in Central Park. Since then, the number of Academy alumni who land in NYC post-grad continues to go up. We wanted to celebrate a unique milestone: the Academy community is now officially bi-coastal!” Laura Gonzalez, assistant director, development and external relations, shared. 

The event allowed alumni to join forces to share their experiences after graduation, both professionally and personally. In addition to mingling and sharing stories, they were able to hear from Dean Thanassis Rikakis about the impact and importance of a robust alumni community and revitalize their connection to the school’s mission and vision. 

The reception served as a reminder that no matter where you land, the lasting interconnectivity of the IYA community is right there with you. Former student Anant Vasudevan was in attendance, and his sentiments echo this idea. 

“Overall, I just loved seeing friendly faces and realized how much I took the Academy for granted when I was there. Also, it's exciting to know that this many alumni all exist in NYC!” he said. 

“It was so incredible to see how strong the IYA alumni network is in the big city!” Wells Doughary, founder of the brand deal automation app July, added. “Make sure to swing by our office in Soho if you ever make it out!"

“We hope this event serves as a reminder to our alumni, even those 3,000 miles away, [that] they will always be an integral and valued part of our community,” Gonzalez concludes. 

Here’s to more metropolitan meet-ups, good times, and IYA memories. 

The reception served as a reminder that no matter where you land, the lasting interconnectivity of the IYA community is right there with you.

Alumni Reception Unites IYA’s NYC Community