Introducing the Levine Alumni Council – Laura Outlaw Overman ‘14
Greetings! My name is Laura Outlaw Overman and I am a Levine Scholar Alumna from the class of 2014 (the first graduating class of the Levine Scholars Program). Since graduating, I have developed a consultancy firm, Outlaw Global Projects, and utilize my career skills as an independent management consultant to address key business and financial questions for individuals and organizations, both nationally and internationally. I currently reside with my spouse in Charlotte, NC and serve as the first and current president of the Levine Alumni Council.
The Levine Alumni Council (“LAC”) officially launched in January 2020 with its first meeting on January 27th! The LAC’s mission is to promote close ties among Levine Alumni and to strengthen the relationship between Levine Alumni, the community, and the Levine Scholars Program.
The LAC is comprised of 10 Levine Alumni this year with representation from diverse demographics, backgrounds, locations, and occupations. Members were voted in by their cohorts and were eager to accept the roles. That enthusiasm was noticeable during the virtual video meeting, with Members given time to reacquaint and introduce themselves to alumni that did not overlap their years as a Scholar (amazing that we’re in the 10th year of the Program!).
During the two-hour evening meeting, we established ourselves as a Council, reviewed draft bylaws, discussed 2020 priorities, divided into committees, and elected committee chairs. The priorities discussed were fueled by responses from a survey sent to all Levine Alumni requesting input on top interests related to getting more involved. Committees will be the lifeblood of the LAC, so their early creation was a top priority in order to start taking action. The committees will meet independently in the next couple of months to determine their goals and targets for this year, which will be discussed during our next quarterly LAC meeting in April 2020!
From my personal experience and testimonies from other alumni, the Levine Scholar experience is second to none. The educational, service, and leadership opportunities made available to students creates an environment of creativity, flexibility, and independence that launches Scholars toward their desired professional track following graduation.
As alumni, we can’t wait to give back to the Program that gave us so much.