Volunteer Spotlight: Momchil Jelev ’08

Throughout Momchil Jelev’s years in Europe and Asia after graduation, he’s found plenty of reminders that the Mac community makes for a small world, from a busy WhatsApp chat group for Singapore alumni to tagging along with friends for drinks with former president Brian Rosenberg while traveling in Tokyo.

“I spent four years at Macalester being so intensely connected with people from all around the world, and since then, I’ve moved around and connected with Macalester people from many different generations,” Jelev says. “It just confirmed to me that this is an extremely powerful network.”

After graduating in 2008, Jelev earned a master’s degree in international relations at King’s College in London, then moved back to his Sofia, Bulgaria, hometown before relocating to Brussels. He found a niche in consulting, then was hired by a client, Johnson & Johnson. His J&J work started in Brussels and then brought him to Singapore, where he’s currently working in government affairs and policy for the Asia-Pacific region with a focus on the supply chain.

At each step, Jelev reflected on his college years. “After graduation, I just missed everything about Macalester—my friends, of course, but also just the whole environment and the whole experience,” he says. “I wanted to see how I could stay connected.”

When he arrived in Singapore four years ago, Jelev found out that more than 70 alumni live in the country. Today he helps foster that community, and across the region more broadly, by helping organize and host alumni events, including Mac in Your City and a virtual event with President Suzanne Rivera. The Singapore alumni group on the WhatsApp social media platform helps alumni stay in touch and gather outside of college events.

“Macalester alumni have strong opinions and views, and at the same time, they’re very good listeners,” Jelev says. “That’s very inspiring—it’s part of why I try to connect with alumni wherever I am. There’s always something to learn when you meet another Mac grad as well, because everyone comes with a different background.”