About 10,000 young alumni live in the New York City metropolitan area, so for those looking to stay engaged with their alma mater, the city is the place to be. But maintaining strong ties with Cornell can also take a back seat to the competing interests and demands of daily life.

Soon after she graduated, Elizabeth (Scottie) McQuilkin '07 began working with trustee Andrew Tisch and former alumni trustee Martha Coultrap (both '71) on a new way to encourage her classmates to stay involved.

With help from the Division of Alumni Affairs and Development and in partnership with the Class of 2007 Alumni Council, the three launched a breakfast speaker series that brings prominent alumni from a range of professions together with their younger peers to share experiences and strategies for success -- along with their reasons for staying connected to Cornell.

"The idea was to connect young alumni with each other and with more seasoned professional Cornell alumni who have remained committed to the university," McQuilkin said.

It was a hit from the beginning, she said. All five breakfasts were oversubscribed, with up to 90 people attending. The breakfasts are hosted by the Loews Regency Hotel, with support from Tisch, co-chairman of the board and chairman of the executive committee of Loews Corp.

Along with Tisch and Coultrap, a partner in the law firm Sullivan & Worcester, LLP, speakers so far have been Jay Walker '77, founder of Priceline.com; Abby Joseph Cohen '73, economist and Goldman Sachs executive; Kevin McGovern '70, entrepreneur and chairman and CEO of McGovern Capital; and Sheryl WuDunn '81, journalist, author and executive.

Pat Burns '09, associate director of Young Alumni Programs, works with the group to plan the event and offer logistical support.

"What Scottie has done so well is supplement and complement traditional young alumni happy hours as a means of engagement. She recognized that young alumni are also interested in more substantive ways to remain connected with Cornell," Burns said.

The events are currently only open to members of the Class of '07, but in response to popular demand, organizers are considering expanding the series to other classes and cities in the future.