ARCS Foundation has supported 12,156 students nationwide pursuing degrees in science over the past 65 years. How do you stay in touch with them all and keep them connected?

How do you share their collective research success, plus use their experiences to encourage the current students navigating a graduate degree?

These are renewed focuses of the national ARCS Board of Directors after celebrating 65 years as a nonprofit with the goal to advance U.S. scientific achievement. The board has added a Scholar Relations Committee, chaired by longtime ARCS Member (over 26 years as a member) Christine Simpson Brent from the Northern California Chapter.

The committee includes members from several ARCS chapters, including past scholars who received ARCS awards and are now members.

Students who receive ARCS funding “are part of ARCS for life,” Brent explains. “It’s not just the year, or two or three of their scholar funding, but they’re part of our community – a community of excellence and pushing the boundaries of science.”

The new committee has identified several initiatives. One initiative is a “seek and find alumni project” – ensuring an accurate database of the majority of scholars who have been funded by ARCS in the past 65 years. (There was no internet for the first class of scholars in 1958.) Finding information on past scholars “is possible now more than ever,” Brent says, “with LinkedIn and other various tools.”

The committee will focus on other projects as well, including a virtual speaker series to build connections between scholar alums and encourage their involvement, and a program to offer life skill enrichment topics to scholars. Creating an “ARCS Alumni Association” is a goal being pursued, which could help scholars in specific science fields connect.

“The ‘shingle is out’ and we want people to know this group, working for and with ARCS scholars and alums, is operational and engaged,” Brent says. Scholars and alums are “a fundamental part of the ARCS story. We want to keep them engaged — and reengage them if we’ve lost track of them. They demonstrate our impact in the most compelling ways, and their mentorship to the next generation is a huge value-add to science.” 

Brent has the background and experience to lead the new committee. She learned from the example of her mother, Dottie Simpson, who left an indelible mark on the Seattle ARCS Chapter and ARCS National.

As an ARCS member, Brent has been president of the Northern California chapter, worked on national leadership for Collaboration Networks, University Relations and the Council of Presidents. Some roles were during, and now after, her 30-year career with IBM.

She started at IBM in 1978 because she wanted to learn about the new information technology industry. Her leadership roles included client management, sales, marketing, strategy, business development and venture partnerships. 

Brent has given her volunteer time and leadership to many organizations, including as immediate past Board Chair of GAIA Global Health. Her newest commitment is with the American Red Cross.