Furman University launches The Furman Network platform to connect students, alumni and professionals

A Furman University education has always been built on relationships – with professors, mentors, advisors and the alumni who came before. Now, the university is making those connections easier to find and easier to keep.

Furman has launched The Furman Network, a private networking platform that links current students with alumni, faculty and staff, parents and friends of the university who are ready to share their expertise, open doors and give back to the Furman community.

Powered by PeopleGrove, a platform used by colleges and universities to facilitate networking, mentorship and career development, The Furman Network leverages the university’s robust alumni connections through an active, searchable network where students can find alumni working in their exact field of interest, and where alumni can offer mentorship, career advice and job opportunities in just a few clicks.

“The value extends beyond our current students and recent graduates, as our alumni who sign-up can connect with other alumni and faculty, not only reconnecting personally, but extending their professional networks,” said Beth Pontari, vice president for academic affairs and provost.

Paul Siffri ’92, a Furman alumni and orthopedic surgeon with Prisma Health, helps Avery Columbus ’29 perform arthroscopy techniques in a lab at The Hawkins Foundation. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

Victoria Turgeon, associate provost for Integrative Pathways, said the platform builds on work already underway across campus.

“Furman is already doing so much work to prepare students academically, personally and professionally while they’re here,” Turgeon said.

Through The Furman Network, alumni support can now extend well past commencement as they can give back with their time, expertise, and their skills, all while deepening their own relationships with former classmates, students, faculty and staff.

To learn more and join The Furman network, visit thefurmannetwork.furman.edu.

Built to Scale with The Furman Advantage

The Furman Advantage guarantees every student a personalized four-year pathway that pairs classroom learning with research, internships, mentorship and other engaged-learning experiences. The Furman Network extends that promise into the professional realm, giving students the tools to build meaningful industry connections throughout their time on campus, and not just in their senior year.

As students declare majors and sharpen their career interests, they can join micro-communities built around specific industries, such as healthcare, sustainability, finance and the creative arts. Inside those communities, students can search out alumni in their intended field, gaining firsthand insight into career pathways, the skills employers expect and the trends shaping their industry.

Furman departments can also use the platform to make targeted introductions between students and alumni based on specific needs, ensuring that the benefits of The Furman Network are available to everyone – not just students already in the know.

What It Offers Students

Through The Furman Network, students can:

• Build professional relationships with alumni who have volunteered their time and expertise
• Explore career paths by talking directly with people already working in those fields
• Access career services and support in one central hub
• Practice essential skills such as writing professional emails, interviewing and building a resume, with feedback from real professionals
• Browse job and internship postings and connect directly with the alumni behind them
• Find department-specific resources, discussion boards and events

What It Offers Alumni, Parents and Friends

Dipak Malla ’26 speaks with Zoo Atlanta staff member Staci Wiech during a visit to the zoo as part of the 2025 Career Trek in Atlanta. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University

For Furman’s more than 33,000 graduates, the platform offers a straightforward way to reinvest in the university that shaped them. Alumni, parents and friends can use The Furman Network to:

• Give back by mentoring current students on their career paths
• Reconnect with classmates, former professors and academic departments
• Discover alumni events happening on campus or in their own area
• Post job and internship opportunities for students and fellow alumni
• Participate in departmental career panels and events
• Manage their connection to Furman – updates, events, opportunities and more – in a single place

What It Offers Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff gain new tools for staying connected to the alumni and students in their programs. The Furman Network allows departments to message alumni directly, share resources such as past career panels and articles, and send targeted communications to alumni by graduation year, major or area of interest. It also gives faculty an easy way to route students toward alumni mentorship, post job and internship leads shared by colleagues at other institutions, and keep in touch with former students long after they’ve left campus.

A Network Built Specifically for Paladins

Turgeon, who regularly talks with both current students and alumni about the platform, said one of the first questions she asks is simple: “Have you signed up yet?”

“LinkedIn and Facebook are great tools, but The Furman Network is specifically for Paladins,” Turgeon said. “It’s also easier than any other platform.”

That distinction matters for students, who are often excited to talk about their career pathways but run into real barriers when trying to make those connections on their own. Searching for alumni on Instagram or LinkedIn can be hit-or-miss, and cold outreach can feel intimidating on both ends.

“On The Furman Network, when they reach out to an alum, they know that alum is interested in them, because they’ve listed on their profile the subjects they want to talk about,” Turgeon said.

Alumni and students can self-select the categories and topics that interest them most, whether that’s advice on graduate school, navigating a career change, or feedback on a resume or interview. Students can also see who else is connected to a given role or field, providing a fuller picture of the paths available to them.

Getting Started

Melanie Armstrong, middle, associate director of networking and student connection, meets with Mackenzie Taylor ’28, left, Nick Musson ’28 and Molly MacDonald ’28 in the James B. Duke Library. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

The Furman Network is now live for students, alumni, parents and friends of the university. Furman officials describe the platform as a natural extension of the university’s long-standing commitment to mentorship – putting decades of Furman relationships to work for the next generation of Paladins, one introduction at a time.

“Furman has the four-year Pathways Program, providing students with the support they need to grow not just academically or professionally, but as people,” Turgeon said. “What The Furman Network reinforces is that they don’t have to walk it alone – there’s a robust alumni network willing to walk with them.”