Joe Letourneau

When Joe moved to Baltimore for graduate school in 2007, he expected to stay for a couple years-he’s now beginning year 18. Joe grew up in southeastern Massachusetts and received his Bachelor’s degree from Vassar college in Poughkeepsie, New York. He earned his Master of Fine Arts from the Rinehart School of Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in 2010.

After graduating from MICA, Joe joined its undergraduate admissions office and later moved to alumni relations. This experience eventually led him to the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) as the Associate Director of Constituent Engagement. “It was a pivot to shift from working with artists to ambassadors,” he says. “I’m unbelievably grateful to have been given the chance to join SAIS and bring a new perspective to the alumni relations program.”

Joe now manages Hopkins at Home, the Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association’s virtual program spotlighting research and expertise across the institution. He focuses on ways to make online engagement opportunities dynamic and relevant in a post-pandemic environment.

What do you like most about your job?

Besides being surrounded by an amazing and talented team, I love that my job can connect to many different topics with incredibly brilliant speakers every week. I’m a curious person by nature, so it’s great having a job where I’m always learning. The discussions range from ophthalmology treatments to space travel and international relations. It’s like living inside my podcast app, and it’s wonderful.

What does your job involve that others might not realize? 

I manage the event chat feed at our live events and sometimes need to create a question on the fly when our live audience in too bashful to send in their own questions to the speakers.

How did you get into the development and alumni relations field? 

I spent three years at MICA working in the undergraduate admissions office before moving to alumni relations. It was rewarding to play  apart in the momentous life decision for young artists. The cyclical nature of the job became difficult for me because after spending months getting to know the students, every June we’d wipe the slate clean to start recruiting the next class. Pivoting to alumni relations allowed me to develop longer-lasting relationships and do more creative and responsive projects with that community.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? 

As a relatively untrained graphic designer,  I’m proud to have created some merchandise and swag for the alumni association. One of my designs, our signature tote bag that we give to Hopkins at Home presenters, made it to the university’s brand page as a model example.

What do you like to do when you are not working? 

My free time always seems to be at a premium, but I’m always doodling. I have a small studio at home where I play around with a couple of rug tufting machines. You can follow me on Instagram @garbagedoodle. I’m also running a Ghostbusters-themed Dungeons and Dragons campaign set in the 1980s.