Back in late October at Howard University’s annual homecoming celebration, I was out on the yard selling and signing books when it struck me that many of the young students there didn’t have the slightest idea of who I was or who else they could have been around on the yard. And there were plenty of older graduates out there like every year. In fact, imagine the human brain power at any university’s homecoming. That’s a lot of experience to learn from. If we ever learn to utilize it.

That’s the whole point of an education, to learn from those who learned before you, and then pass it on. Hopefully that’s still the intention of being educated. But sometimes we get caught up just trying to survive in life. That’s how we become detached, with each person worried about his or her own survival. And if we’re not successful in arriving at where we feel we’re supposed to be, we can end up running around in circles, like a cat chasing after its own tail.

So, I had this idea, that should be natural to all postgraduates, really. It’s like coming back to an educational reunion as much as to a class, where we say what we’ve done in the world and what we’ve learned from our journeys. Or at least some of us can share our stories—those who don’t mind speaking out in that manner. We could have graduate panel discussions of five grads in each school auditorium for the current students. That way, there would be a connection and an awareness of the new with the old and old with the new. And it doesn’t need to be anything more than that, just a simple reintroduction of graduates with undergrads so they know what has been done, and what is still possible in their chosen fields of work and community.

In fact, it would be nice if the schools could invite postgraduates back to speak to the current students each new semester. That just makes sense to me. I grew up that way with my aunts and uncles, where they naturally passed their know-how down to their nephew. That’s how the present becomes a composite of the past. Of course, you would always have a touch of the past that is lost with each new generation. But at least you would develop continuity. And hopefully, we could gain something new with each generation to compliment and improve the old.

At least that’s the idea of it. I’m not talking about anything as deep as an intern or apprenticeship, just a reconnecting conversation. I believe we should owe that to each other. And again, not all of us have to do it, just those who feel willing, capable and giving each year. I mean, what’s the use of information if you’re not sharing it? Or maybe that’s my goal as a journalist and a storyteller, so sharing information comes natural to me. But it seems like it should be natural for all of us.

It would be a great thing if a new Howard University doctor could hear a veteran speak about his or her career with patients, hospitals and clinics. It would be great for dentists, lawyers, teachers, business owners and journalists to all come back and share their knowledge and stories in a focused conversational setting. That type of program would surely increase the awareness of the postgraduates quite a bit, while giving the current student body a higher sense of connection to those who came before them and after.

It all sounds like a pretty good idea to me. I’ve already thought about bringing the idea up to the alumni association for next year. What do you think? Would you be willing to return to your alma mater at the high school or college level and for a small panel discussion about your life and career? All we need is the alumni association to connect us to the current staff and leadership o set up workable dates and times for each school’s auditorium and students. 

The same program could inspire young college athletes to follow through on their careers in sports, broadcasting, business, or recruiting. I still remember an opening semester speech in January of 1990 when I first transferred into the school of communications from Howard’s English department. I don’t believe this particular speaker was a Howard grad, but he came to the school and spoke about the competitive nature of a young journalist placing articles in newspapers and magazines, and the challenge of finding good reporting and writing jobs. And by the time he was finished speaking that morning, I was nervous about whether I had picked the right career.

I was actually intimidated that morning, which I can’t say was a good thing. Fortunately, I had already turned in my first article to the school newspaper, by just being proactive. You know, I was the kind of student who would go early to events instead of late. And as they say, the early bird gets the worm. I was that way with all of my assignments. I would jump right on it early instead procrastinating.

Well, after this intimidating communications speech that took place on a Thursday morning in January of 1990, my first Howard University article was published that same Friday, an article that I had already written and had turned in earlier that week.

And when that first article came out in the student newspaper and actually had readers, I was so elated and energized by it that it jumpstarted my whole philosophy on writing. Do it early and with passion and let the readership guide the way. Because ultimately, you’re writing articles for the readers, and that was a principle that I held onto. Not necessarily to write what the people want all of the time, but to write what they need when they needed it. I was an accountable writer, and I took that responsibility seriously an educated Black man in our community. If you have certain skills that your community can benefit from, then use it.

As a proud postgraduate of Howard University—one of the most recognized and prestigious HBCUs (Historically Black College and Universities) with a long history in America—and now a New York Times bestselling author with an NAACP Image Award, who co-wrote an autobiography with one of the most embattled Washington, DC, mayors in history in Marion Barry Jr., there is a wealth of knowledge that I could now pass down to hundreds of new Howard University students as well as thousands of other young journalists around the country and the world. But if no one asks me who I am or what I’ve done, while walking around the yard during homecoming, then they would never know how much they could learn or be inspired by.

I don’t know about you, but I now see these homecoming events as opportunities for thousands of young students to connect with their elders, who have already experienced life in the careers that these new students are now heading into. Homecoming could be utilized as a major educational tool to reinforce the wisdom and confidence of all future student bodies. Don’t you think that would be a good idea?

So, wish me the best of luck on finding a way to implement this college graduate reintroduction program to start at Howard University next fall. Then we’ll see if the idea can catch on over the next dozen years at other schools and universities.

Omar Tyree is a New York Times bestselling author who has published more than 30 books and counting and won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Work of Fiction after graduating from Howard University, cum laude, with a degree in Print Journalism from the School of Communications in 1991.