Next week over 2,000 Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals will invade the Microsoft Campus in Redmond, WA for the annual MVP Summit.
As a Microsoft MVP this is the one week I really look forward to each year because myself and the other MVPs get an opportunity to meet and hear from the product teams about what they are working on and their road maps for the future development of Microsoft products and services.
The Summit is one of the MVP benefits that I probably cherish the most. Even though we are not allowed to talk about the stuff we hear from the product teams, everything is under a Non-Disclosure-Agreement, we do get to reconnect with fellow MVPs during this annual event. For many of us it is the one time each year that we get to see each other and catch up a little bit.
It really is a terrific community and one I am very proud to be part of as an awardee.
However, some day I will likely not be renewed as an MVP and when that day comes I will have no regrets as my goal is to be passionate about what I do and I have been just that. I shared that passion before my first MVP Award in 2010 and I will continue to share that passion after I leave the program - although I do hope that day is well down the road.
When you leave a community it can be tough and there are a lot of emotions that go along with that change however, Microsoft has announced a new program that is intended to encourage former MVPs to be a part of a formal MVP Alumni community after their award period ends.
That program is called MVP Reconnect and its mission statement is to provide those former MVPs a chance to remain connected, recognized, and engaged.
Steve Guggenheimer, the Corporate VP for Developer Platform & Evangelism and Chief Evangelist for Microsoft, announced the new community today alongside details about next weeks Summit.
"We are therefore thrilled to announce a new program called MVP Reconnect. This is our way of reconnecting former MVPs and keeping them in touch with Microsoft and the select technical expert community. The program is available to join starting today. All former MVPs, regardless of their technical expertise or award category, are invited to program."
If you are a former MVP and want to join MVP Reconnect, you can fill out this form and answer a few questions about your past award to get the process started to join the community.
In the future, as MVPs leave the program at the end of their awards, they will automatically be invited to join the Reconnect community.
But, wait...there's probably more so be sure to follow me on Twitter and Google+.
