Alumnae Circles
Alumnae Circles is an HBS-enabled, alumnae-owned program designed to build and foster genuine relationships among HBS alumnae*.
A Circle is typically a diverse group of 6-10 women who get together in-person and talk about life on a regular basis. It provides them with a strong support network and the opportunity to share, support, and inspire one another – personally and professionally – without competition or the need to impress. Members are asked to have an open mind and commit to participating in their Circle for a full year. This commitment strengthens the group’s relationships and enhances the sense of support within the Circle.
*While the program is in support of alumnae (women), it is open to all HBS alumni. Please see our policy on non-discrimination for more details.
- 2024-2025 MEMBERSHIP TIMELINE
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To ensure receipt of Circles communications, alumnae living in a Circles region are strongly encouraged to:
- Update their Alumni Profile with current contact and address information.
- Add circles@hbs.edu to their email contacts and safe sender list.
Late Summer 2024: Enrollment Opens
Formal invitations will be sent to current members to re-enroll (or withdraw) and eligible new members to enroll. Please note, all current members will be required to re-enroll via the membership survey if they wish to continue participating in Circles.
Fall 2024: Info Sessions, Enrollment Closes
A virtual information session will be offered to learn more about Circles from current members and the HBS program administration team. In-person Open House events will be hosted in select regions. Attendance at these events is not required but strongly encouraged, especially for prospective members.
The enrollment survey will close in early October in preparation for the matching process, where applicants are placed into a Circle.
Winter 2024: Matching, Volunteer Training
The HBS program administration team will complete the matching process and assign applicants to a Circle.
All facilitators – current and new – will complete the required training session.
Winter 2025: Circles Kick Off
Applicants will receive information about their Circle assignment and formally activate their membership. Facilitators will schedule their Circle's kick off meeting for the 2025 membership cycle. - JOINING A CIRCLE
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Alumnae Circles is available to those with HBS alumni status in an active Circles region.
Invitations to join (or renew) are sent once a year during the enrollment period to eligible individuals, based on the address listed in their Alumni Profile. To provide a positive and cohesive experience for everyone, we are not currently placing new inquiries outside of the enrollment period.
Apart from the three default matching factors (region, neighborhood, and general availability), no two members of a Circle are exactly alike. Each Circle is intentionally formed to have multiple perspectives represented in its discussions. Though they are diverse in many ways, each member will ideally share something in common with another person in their Circle (industry, life stage, domestic status, etc.).
Once the enrollment period closes, Circles staff begin the matching process to form Circles. The matching process takes several weeks, after which applicants can expect to receive an update with their Circle's information.
SPECIAL EXTENSION FOR WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT REGISTRANTS:
Complete the Alumnae Circles Interest Form by Sunday, November 17, 2024 (11:59 p.m. EST).
To access the survey, enter the email address used to register for the Summit. Please note, placement in a Circle is not guaranteed. It is dependent on 5 or more applicants having the same default matching criteria (region, neighborhood, and general availability). Every effort will be made to place all interested and eligible applicants. - MEMBER EXPECTATIONS
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Commitment
The importance of commitment cannot be emphasized enough. Commitment to consistent attendance at monthly Circle meetings for one year is important for building relationships and effective group dynamics. Shared commitment will give members the time and space needed to bond and become comfortable discussing a broad range of topics.Of course, life happens, and members may occasionally need to miss a meeting. However, the Circle dynamic can be negatively affected by members who don't make their best efforts to show up. Commitment truly is the magic to making a Circle work.
Community Values
All members are required to abide by the School's Community Values. - MEETING STRUCTURE
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Groups meet monthly, at a location of their choosing, to talk about their lives in an atmosphere of intimacy and trust. Meeting structure and topics of discussion vary greatly from group to group, but they can include issues such as:
- Work/Life Balance
- Relationships
- Children
- Aging Parents
- Community Involvement
- Health
- Professional Challenges or Opportunities
- Self-Care
- Goals and Aspirations
A gentle reminder: this is not a forum for self-promotion or soliciting business. Members are welcome to have discussions about professional endeavors, challenges, and opportunities, but need to be mindful of this distinction.
- LEADERSHIP
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Volunteers are integral to Alumnae Circles operations. While HBS staff support the Circles program, it would not exist without its dedicated volunteer leaders. We are grateful to our current Circles leadership for keeping the program operating and improving lives since 2016.
Regional Leaders
Each Circles region requires multiple volunteer leaders for them to be successful. Together, Regional Leads manage program aspects that ensure smooth operations and an engaged community:- Oversee and support facilitators with recurring check-ins
- Orient and support new and existing members
- Plan professional and social events, virtual and in-person
- Partner with HBS on strategy, growth, and initiatives
Facilitator
Each Circle needs one to two volunteer facilitators who help coordinate meeting logistics, guide the discussion, and create a safe space for the members to connect.- Facilitators receive training from the HBS Career and Professional Development office on confidentiality, conflict resolution, and group dynamics and are invited to connect with other facilitators in the region periodically to discuss issues and share ideas.
- Facilitators are fully engaged members of the Circle and, aside from their special responsibilities, engage in the conversation as peers and not leaders.
- Facilitators are gentle guides for discussion, time management, group norms, etc.
- REGIONS
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Alumnae Circles operates and accepts new member applications during the annual enrollment cycle in the following regions*:
- Austin
- Boston
- Chicago
- Houston
- London
- Los Angeles
- Paris
- Philadelphia
- New York City
- Raleigh
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Washington, D.C.
* Most regions encompass the city and its surrounding areas. Examples:
- New York City includes Westchester, NY; Fairfield County, CT; Hudson River region, New Jersey
- Los Angeles includes Malibu, Orange County, and Pasadena
- Washington, D.C. includes Alexandria and Arlington, VA; Bethesda, College Park, MD
Don't see your region listed?
Some Circles are operating in smaller satellite regions. Expanding Alumnae Circles to a new region requires strong, motivated volunteer leaders and enough alumnae interested in joining. If you are interested in learning more, please email circles@hbs.edu.Tip: Keep your Alumni Profile updated with your current email and mailing address to ensure you receive relevant communications should the program expand to your area.
- OTHER ALUMNAE RESOURCES
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- Career & Professional Development
- Job Search
- Career Coaching
- Networking
- Ongoing Learning
- Transitions & Paths: Career Re-entry, Diversity on Boards, and more
- HBS Women's Association
- Executive Education Programs
- Race, Gender & Equity Initiative
- HBR Podcast: Women at Work
- MBA Women's Student Association
- CONTACT US
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Contact the program administration team at circles@hbs.edu.
Please allow up to two business days for a response. While you await a response from us, we encourage you to review the information and resources provided on this page.
Updating Your Information
If you would like to make changes to your contact information, please do so by updating your Alumni Profile.
For assistance with your Alumni Profile, please contact Alumni Records via phone or email, or refer to the Help section of the Alumni website for self-service. Their hours are 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday - Friday.
Phone: 617-384-5977, Option 2
Email: alumni_records@hbs.edu