Ask an Earlhamite: A new tool for sparking career connections, sharing advice 

When Lwandile Mavimbela ’28 started thinking seriously about life after Earlham, she had plenty of questions. 

An international student from Eswatini majoring in African and African American Studies and International Studies, Mavimbela was weighing several possibilities for her future, including a career in law, graduate school, and internships that could help her gain professional experience. With uncertainty surrounding the job market for international students, she wanted guidance from people who had already navigated the paths she was considering. 

She found that guidance through Ask an Earlhamite, an easy-to-use platform that connects Earlham students with more than 17,000 living alumni for professional advice, networking and new opportunities. Students can tap into alumni experience as they explore careers and plan their next steps, while alumni can use the platform to connect with fellow graduates, share expertise and learn from one another. 

“I was feeling so much anxiety about what I was going to do after Earlham,” Mavimbela said. “The job market can be hard for international students. I wanted advice for how to get the right kind of internships.” 

Ask an Earlhamite is free and requires no app, registration or login. Students and alumni can start by visiting ask.earlham.edu and submit questions. Once a question is received, AI-powered software connects the question to alumni who are well-suited to answer based on their professional experience, interests, or expertise.  

When an alum receives your question, they can choose the most convenient way to respond — via email, a phone call, or a meeting.  

Questions are only shared when there is a strong match, meaning responses may come quickly or take a little time.  

“Earlham has an incredibly strong alumni network, and one of our priorities is finding meaningful ways to keep graduates connected to the College and to one another,” said Kim Tanner, Earlham’s vice president of institutional advancement. “Ask an Earlhamite brings that network to life. It gives alumni a simple way to share their experience, support current students and build relationships with fellow graduates. These connections are an important part of what makes the Earlham community so special.” 

Through Ask an Earlhamite, Mavimbela submitted her questions and heard back from two alumni within about a week. Both responses offered practical advice and new possibilities. 

One alum shared her experience working with the Carter Center in Atlanta and pointed Mavimbela toward a program that allows aspiring lawyers to shadow legal professionals. Another alum working as a public defender in Maryland, discussed his experiences in the field, offered his contact information and asked to see Mavimbela’s résumé to explore potential internship opportunities. 

“Earlham’s alumni network is one of the most valuable resources available to our students,” said Corey Kundert, Earlham’s director of career education and Epic Experiences. “Our graduates have pursued careers in virtually every field, and many are eager to share what they’ve learned along the way.  

Ask an Earlhamite makes those connections easier, helping students turn questions about their futures into meaningful conversations, practical advice and potentially new opportunities,” he said. 

Mavimbela is now preparing to apply for internships and is considering how Earlham’s Epic Experience initiative, which provides students with up to $5,000 to support a career-focused opportunity before graduation, could help cover housing and other expenses associated with an internship. 

“It was a stress reliever,” she said. “I had responses in a little over a week. Doing that gave me a sense that there was a light at the end of the tunnel.” 

She also appreciated how the platform helped her organize her thoughts into a clear, direct question, making it easier to seek the guidance she needed. 

“I would definitely recommend it,” Mavimbela said. “It reminded me to be patient. You will get a response. They do a good job connecting you to the right people. It worked for me. I’m speaking from experience.”  

***

About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.