Keeping the Meliora spirit alive: Jackie Meyer ’18’s journey in the Boston alumni community

Meet Boston Young Alumni Council Member Jackie Meyer ’18

What Jackie is up to now and reflecting on her time at the University

Tell us a little about yourself and what you’ve been up to since graduating from the University of Rochester in 2018.

After graduating in 2018, I moved to Denver, CO and worked as an actuary for a health insurance company. I spent about three years there before deciding to travel and work remotely for a year. I spent some time driving around the U.S., and a bit of time in Paris. When I came back, I moved to Boston. What originally began as a short-term plan to be close to college friends and family for a few months has somehow turned into a couple of years of happiness! Now, I’m a data scientist, a potter, a painter, and very happy to still be spending every day with friends and family.

What are some of your fondest memories from your time at Rochester, and how have they influenced your journey post-graduation?

I feel like I have too many to even choose! I always look back so fondly on my first summer of college, which I spent living and working on campus as an Orientation Leader. During that summer I made some of the best friendships I’ve ever had in my life and came to really really love the city of Rochester.

Volunteerism and making an impact

What inspired you to get involved with the Young Alumni Council (YAC), and what has been the most rewarding part of your experience?

I was inspired to get involved with the YAC after I reconnected with some of my college advisors during the “Welcome to Boston” alumni event in the fall. After connecting with so many familiar faces at the event, and since I absolutely love event planning, I figured that the YAC would be a great avenue to build community for myself and other Rochester alumni in the Boston area!

Check out the Young Alumni Council website and Instagram.

As a member of the Young Alumni Council, how do you see the role of young alumni in shaping the future of the University community?

I visited Rochester in 2023 when my sister was attending. It was my first time back since graduation. Walking around campus, I kept expecting to see familiar faces, reminding me that while the campus is beautiful, it’s the people who make the experience special. The friendships formed in college extend far beyond those four years, and I’m lucky to now call fellow University alumni in Boston some of my closest friends—even those I didn’t know during college. Young alumni play a vital role in keeping this sense of community alive, helping new graduates transition into post-college life.

What initiatives or events have you been most excited to be a part of through your involvement with YAC?

Also so hard to choose! Boston YAC events are so fun to plan. I think some of my favorites have been the Dandelion Day (D-Day) event in the spring or the Welcome to Boston event in the fall. Usually, for D-Day, we do a fun activity or some type of bar or restaurant space, like SPIN (to play ping-pong) or Cheeky Monkey.

In the fall we try to do something ‘quintessential Boston’, like a boat tour or a Fenway tour. I just love having different events to try around the city, and I get so excited to see other young alumni enjoying the events or activities. I feel proud of how many different places we’ve gotten to check out, especially when friends from other schools say they are a little jealous of how many cool events we get to do.

The Rochester alumni community in Boston is highly active, with events every few months that provide great opportunities to reconnect and build relationships. A favorite event is the annual New Year’s gathering at iconic venues like museums, offering a fun chance to dress up and connect with alumni across generations. Meeting alumni from different eras fosters a strong sense of community and shared experiences.

Check out the Boston Regional Network on Facebook and Instagram.

What goals do you have for your continued involvement with the University and the Young Alumni Council and Boston regional events?

My goal is to keep building a strong community through events and continue welcoming new young alumni into the Boston network. The best way to do this is by exploring new experiences that excite long-time residents while maintaining cherished traditions and annual events.

I’m excited to see our alumni community grow and thrive in Boston and beyond, with more cities becoming engaged University communities. Having lived in different places and traveled to visit old friends, I love seeing alumni reconnect with their University roots and keep the Meliora spirit alive through vibrant events and social gatherings.

How to get involved like Jackie

What advice would you give to recent graduates who are looking to stay engaged with the University and their fellow alumni?

I’d definitely recommend starting with social media or the websites if you’re not sure where to start. The alumni website and social pages have all the information you could possibly want about things going on in your city (and I’m always impressed by just how many places we’re engaged in!).

If you’re unsure about attending an event and want to see if you know anyone going, check the registration page for a list of attendees. And don’t hesitate to go alone! Some of my closest lifelong friends are people I met by attending events solo, and I’ve even reconnected with old friends I had lost touch with simply by showing up.

Also, just ask nicely!! This applies to a lot of things I think, but sometimes just by asking nicely you can start to find or make communities. In Denver, a friend and I learned that the owner of a local brunch spot was a University alumnus. We asked if we could come by and have brunch and meet him, texted a few other Rochester folks that we hadn’t seen in a while, and all met up for brunch at his restaurant. This turned into a weekly brunch get-together for the first year that I lived there. It all just started with a quick email to ask nicely if folks were open to connecting.

Check out volunteer opportunities with the University today!