SSDP Grads Unite to Form Alumni Network

When asked to make brief comments about how his involvement in SSDP shaped his life during and after college, Jesse Stout laughed and exclaimed that he could talk for ten hours about the subject. And he easily could have.

Stout is a former president of the SSDP chapter at Brown University, and a passionate advocate for drug policy reform. After earning a degree in English literature, he was hired as the executive director of the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition (RIPAC), an organization responsible for the state’s successful medical marijuana legislation. Stout is also one of about 25 alums who have recently united to form the SSDP Alumni Network.

Those who have played an integral role in the organization’s growth and success rarely end their involvement upon graduation. Whether or not they proceed to establish careers in drug policy reform, members generally stay in touch with friends they made in SSDP and are excited to continue helping the organization.

“Being a part of SSDP is an incredible experience,” said Alex Kreit, who was elected to the first Board of Directors in 1999. “I met a number of my closest friends through SSDP and did it while making a contribution to achieve real change on issues I care deeply about… When I interviewed at law firms, the part of my background that seemed to impress them most was my work for SSDP.”

The Alumni Network is currently in its formative stages, and members are in the process of determining what the network will work on. Kreit sees the network as an opportunity for friends to stay connected with each other, to remain active in drug policy, and to help advise current SSDP members. Meanwhile, Rebecca Saltzman, who served on the SSDP board with Kreit and now works with Americans for Safe Access, has ambitious plans for fundraising. “I would love to see the SSDP Alumni Network serve as a powerful fundraising team to assist the national staff and Board of Directors in raising SSDP’s annual budget and supporting special projects,” Saltzman said. Similarly, Stout sees the alumni network as “fundraising foot soldiers, the middlemen who both contribute and turn to others for more donations.”

Tyler Smith, who once led the College of William & Mary chapter and served as the chair of the national Board of Directors, agrees that the network should be involved in fundraising and advising. Beyond that, he’d like to see the network “find ways to make SSDP and/or drug policy reform in general more relevant to the growing list of professionals that already ‘get’ drug policy,” as well as “realize the initial medium and long term returns of our nationwide public education efforts.”

Whatever the Alumni Network decides to work on, it will certainly be of great benefit to SSDP. And, knowing our alumni, it will also be fun. In fact, there have been whispers of an SSDP reunion dance at the tenth annual conference in 2008. Better dig out those dancing shoes, alumni!

If you are an SSDP alum and would like to join the network, please visit http://www.ssdp.org/signup/alumni/

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