The NS Alumni Network: How to Stay Connected After Leaving Network School
How the Network School alumni network works, how to maintain connections, and how to leverage your NS relationships after departing.
The Alumni Community Structure
After departing NS, you retain access to the NS Discord community, including alumni-specific channels.
After departing NS, you retain access to the NS Discord community, including alumni-specific channels. Cohort group chats on WhatsApp or Telegram typically form organically and persist long after departure. The broader NS alumni network spans 70+ countries, creating a distributed global community. NS hosts periodic alumni events and reunions, both online and in-person at various global locations. The alumni network is still young (NS launched in 2024), so its structures are evolving. Early alumni have the opportunity to shape the network's culture and value proposition. Unlike university alumni networks that take decades to mature, the digital-native NS community maintains connections more actively through online channels.
Maintaining Meaningful Connections
The connections that last are the ones you actively maintain. Send personal messages to your closest NS friends within a week of departure — share a specific memory or inside joke. Schedule quarterly video calls with your top 5 to 10 connections. Share professional updates, wins, and challenges — vulnerability maintains depth. React to their posts, celebrate their launches, and offer help proactively. When you travel to a city where an NS alumni lives, reach out for coffee or dinner. These simple practices keep relationships alive. The biggest risk is letting connections fade through passive neglect — set calendar reminders if needed.
Professional Value of the Network
The NS alumni network generates professional value in several ways. Job referrals — members share opportunities across companies and countries. Investment connections — the crypto and tech-focused community includes angel investors, fund managers, and founders who invest in alumni ventures. Collaboration — distributed teams forming across time zones with people you already know and trust. Knowledge sharing — alumni Discord channels serve as a real-time expert network for questions about markets, technologies, and opportunities. Local guides — having friends in 70+ countries means you always have a trusted connection wherever you travel or do business.
Contributing to the Community
The strongest alumni networks run on mutual contribution. Share job openings at your company. Introduce NS members to people in your professional network. Write about your post-NS experience to help prospective members make informed decisions. Return to NS as a speaker or mentor. Organize local alumni meetups in your city. Review the projects of current NS members. The more you give, the more the network gives back. Alumni who are active contributors receive disproportionate value from the network because they are visible, trusted, and top-of-mind when opportunities arise. The NS alumni network thrives on generosity.
70+ countries represented in the NS alumni network
Source: NS community data
Discord + WhatsApp — primary alumni communication channels
Source: NS community
“The most powerful networks are the ones where members help each other without keeping score. Build that culture from the beginning and the network becomes self-reinforcing.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I keep Discord access after leaving NS?
Yes, NS alumni retain access to the Discord community including alumni-specific channels. Some channels may be restricted to current members, but the core community and networking channels remain accessible. Your connections, DM history, and community reputation persist.
Are there in-person alumni events?
NS organizes periodic alumni gatherings and reunions, both at NS (homecoming events) and in major cities where alumni clusters exist (Singapore, San Francisco, London, Bangalore). These events are evolving as the alumni base grows. Community-organized meetups in specific cities happen more frequently and are often more intimate and valuable.
How does the NS alumni network compare to university alumni networks?
It is smaller but more active per capita. University alumni networks benefit from decades of growth and thousands of members in senior positions. The NS network is younger but more digitally connected, more globally distributed, and more engaged in real-time communication. Over time, as alumni advance in their careers, the NS network will likely compound in value similar to how university networks do.
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