The most common confusion in alumni relations and fundraising offices is the relation between engagement and giving. So, we will use that example to understand correlation and causation.
Earlier last month, I had the chance to meet my good friend Joseph Volin, Senior Director of Constituent Engagement at Illinois Tech, in downtown Chicago. Over a cup of coffee, Joe and I geeked out about everything alumni engagement — from engagement analytics, to the age-old correlation vs causation debate.
The most common confusion in alumni relations and fundraising offices is the relation between engagement and giving. So, let’s use that example to understand correlation and causation.
Correlation: If an alum attends an event, they are more likely to donate.
Causation: An alum who attended an event is more likely to donate because they attended that event.
The difference here is subtle, but it leads to deeper questions — Is it worth investing in alumni engagement, volunteering programs, or even mentorship programs? And how does this translate to better fundraising?
Joe offered a very interesting perspective — It doesn’t matter whether it’s correlation or causation. What’s paramount is that we focus on that particular segment. For example, what if the folks at Illinois Tech learned that the segment of alumni who visited the campus library were donating much more than the average alum?
Is there a causation there? Maybe, maybe not. We need to realize that there's now a segment of alumni who frequent the campus library or a segment of alumni who've gone to the campus library in the last, let's say, 12 months. We must allocate some resources and money behind marketing for that particular segment to drive more donations.
Going further down the rabbit hole, I realized we need to find segments where there is a correlation to whatever outcome you're trying to drive. Let’s take the example of former athletes. Are they giving comparatively more than the average alum? If so, can you execute a marketing program? Or a specific outreach for athletes who haven't given back, but who you know belong to a segment that is worth focusing on?
Identifying these segments is an important lesson for everybody in the industry. A lot of institutions don't even track data beyond event attendance and donations; because people are not able to make the case for why tracking this data is critical.
The frame of reference has now changed; it's not about figuring out causation, it's about identifying segments and then learning what to do with that information. And how do you identify these segments? By tracking more data. It informs you which segments are worth spending more time on, given whatever outcome you're trying to achieve.
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Our conversation made me realize there must be a certain level of deliberation when we’re building engagement metrics programs, engagement reports, engagement studio features etc. on the Almabase platform. We have to ask ourselves how we can build them in a way that informs segmentation, rather than trying to figure out causation.
We have all the data — we know who made the donations, who attended events, and everything else. Can we leverage this data to create smarter segmentations? For instance – people who interacted with a business directory are 3x more likely to attend an event. And is it possible to automate this process?
This would help alumni relations professionals prioritize more important segments, and focus on targeting them for specific appeals or campaigns. **This way, alumni directors can also make the case for tracking more data to identify segments and allocating more resources to engage with them. This beats the age-old way of non-targeted engagement, which relies on periodic newsletters to your entire database, and the occasional Facebook post.
My conversation with Joe yielded some great ideas that may well be the way forward from here. While we were done with coffee, I was left wanting to pick Joe’s brains for much longer. Maybe over Zoom sometime! I can certainly see how his thought leadership is so valuable to our industry. Thank you, Joe. 🙌
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See how modern advancement teams bring alumni engagement and fundraising together.
As we dive into 2021, alumni relations teams across institutions are gearing up to upgrade their programming for the year ahead.
However, the stakes for this year are high – alumni relations professionals cannot rely on a set of strategies that have worked for them in the past. Thanks to the new normal they find themselves in, institutions need to come up with an alternate plan of action that will help them succeed.
With the industry constantly evolving during these testing times, we understand the need for you to be on top of the latest trends and best practices. As you navigate this new normal, we bring to you top industry experts on LinkedIn who can help you find new strategies and get closer to your alumni engagement goals. These top 15 Alumni Relations leaders are helping revolutionize the alumni relations landscape with their valuable insights and thought leadership.
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Without further ado, here are our top 15 Alumni Relations Leaders to follow in 2021, in no particular order.
Dr. Jay Dillon has over 17 years of experience in alumni advancement in higher education. He is a skilled alumni strategist with expertise in alumni relations management, fundraising, and donor engagement. He has collaborated with renowned advancement professionals for multiple podcasts that are available on his website.
Jay founded the Alumni Identity Fundraising Consultants in March 2018, a consultancy that helps educational institutions accelerate philanthropy and improve fundraising outcomes. He is presently serving as the Executive Director of Alumni Relations at The University of California, Berkeley.
Here are some of our favorite picks from Jay’s library of resources on LinkedIn:
1. Is Fundraising more Science or Art? The results are in.
2. Donor Demographics are the Enemy of Equity.
Ryan Catherwood is currently the Assistant Vice President for Alumni and Career Services at The Longwood University in Virginia. He has hosted numerous podcasts on alumni management and advancement. His podcast series, Advancement Legends, features 36 episodes specifically aimed at alumni engagement and fundraising professionals in educational advancement.
Ryan was the former host of Advancement Live, a part of Higher Ed Live (a network of professional development web shows and podcasts) which aired over 30 live episodes covering topics like digital engagement, reunions, and donor relations.
Ryan also specializes in digital marketing, public relations, content management, and community building, in addition to alumni relations management.
Some of Ryan’s resources on LinkedIn you might enjoy reading:
1. For alumni and donor engagement pros, asking questions is the answer
2. What's next for alumni and donor engagement post COVID-19 crisis?
If you are looking for ideas to improve the impact of career services at your institution, then Don Philabaum is someone you should definitely follow on LinkedIn.
Don is the President and CEO of Talentmarks, a company that specializes in career and professional development programming for students, grads, and alumni. He has vast experience helping students find their career paths after graduation.
Don has authored six wonderful books. We highly recommend ‘Change It!: Create A Career Centered College Culture’ for colleges focused on becoming more career-centric.
Some of our favorite resources by Don:
1. What Should Your Alma Mater Focus On? Friend Raising or Career Raising?
2. What Do Alumni REALLY Want From Their Alma Mater?
Mark W. Jones, who is currently the Principal and Founder of Flywheel Strategies, has nearly three decades of experience working in frontline fundraising and communication for higher education. He has worked at various leadership levels across different institutions, including serving as Chief Advancement Officer at four leading liberal arts institutions.
Mark’s experienced insights, teaching, and writing have cemented him as a thought leader in the philanthropic advancement field. He has abundant experience working with institutions in unlocking their philanthropic potential through strategic training plans. While working as the leader of Flywheel Strategies, Mark has helped over 20 schools and non-profit organizations with his consultation, facilitation, and coaching services.
Mark regularly writes resources on fundraising strategies, alumni engagement, and talent development. He is also the owner of the Higher Education Advancement Professionals (HEAP) group on LinkedIn.
A few recommendations from Mark’s resource library on LinkedIn:
1. Time + Training = The Two Keys to Sustained Fundraising Success
2. A Checklist: 11 Ways to Train and Develop Your Staff from Day 1
Maria is the Founder & Principal of KITE - Keep In Touch Education, a consultancy that is at the forefront of research and thought leadership in alumni relations, trends, and engagement.
With over 20 years of experience working in various leadership roles in higher education and advancement, Maria brings expert insights and unique perspectives to the table through her resources. Besides having an active research portfolio, Maria also has several peer-reviewed academic journal publications in alumni relationships and philanthropy.
Through her publications, Maria expresses her strong belief in the power alumni networks possess. She also featured in a TEDx Talk in 2018 where she spoke about how one can make the most out of alumni networks.
Here are some of our recommendations from Maria’s LinkedIn library:
1. Orchestrating Alumni Serendipity: Masterminding Alumni Relations of the Future
Jon Horowitz has more than 15 years of experience in alumni and constituent relations, communications, and fundraising. He currently works as the Director of Market Research & Impact Insights for Advancement at Dartmouth College. He also hosts Advancement Live, a part of the Higher Ed Live network.
Jon is driven by the belief that the marriage of engagement analytics with a contextual understanding of constituent experiences and interests can yield powerfully dynamic intelligence about alumni and donors which, in turn, can drive advancement strategy that can profoundly transform their sentiment and involvement.
Before working as a director at Dartmouth College, he headed his consulting firm that focused on digital strategies for higher education advancement and engagement. He has previously also been acquainted with Princeton University and Rutgers University in implementing digital alumni engagement strategies.
Our top picks from Jon’s resources:
1. The Best Habits for Successful Digital Alumni Engagement
2. The Best Habits for Successful Digital Alumni Engagement, Part 2
3. The Best Habits for Successful Digital Alumni Engagement, Part 3
Duane, who currently serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has 22 years of experience working in leadership roles in various institutions across the country. One of his numerous accomplishments include being named by Legacy Magazine Miami as one of South Florida’s 50 most powerful, influential black professionals.
Duane is an active board member of the Council of Alumni Association Executives (CAAE), and the organizations led by Wiles have received more than 10 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awards of excellence. He has also made contributions to resources on CASE.
Besides his experience in the industry, Duane was also a former football player for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Here are some of the resources we loved from Duane’s LinkedIn library:
1. The evolution of virtual volunteering
2. Alumni chapters get creative throughout the pandemic
If you are looking for expert tips and guidance on how to effectively raise funds for your campaign, then Jason Lewis is someone you should watch out for.
Jason is the founder of Responsive Fundraising, a management consultancy that helps non-profit leaders find meaningful and sustainable ways of raising funds for their campaigns. His book titled ‘The War For Fundraising Talent: And How Small Shops Can Win’, is an amazing resource for small organizations aiming to fundraise better.
Jason hosts The Fundraising Talent Podcast, a 100-episode series that deals with the latest trends in fundraising
Here are some of our top picks from Jason’s resources:
1. The Decisions Our Donors Are Making, Part 1
2. The Decisions Our Donors Are Making, Part 2
Lyndsey, who has over 15 years of experience in university advancement, currently serves as the AVP for Alumni Relations at her alma mater. She has also served as an advancement leader at the University of Denver and the University of Colorado.
She has worked in raising philanthropic support for educational advancement and also drove public relations and marketing efforts to boost the relevance and impact of higher education.
One of Lyndsey’s driving force is to work towards building a global network of alumni volunteers, donors, advocates, and friends to raise the bar for educational success and career outcomes of current and future students.
Our top picks from what Lyndsey has shared on LinkedIn:
2. Making the Most of LinkedIn
Andrew is a non-profit leader with over 3 decades of international experience in alumni engagement, communications, and fundraising.
Currently the Vice President for Alumni Relations at Brown University, he specializes in strategies for community-driven organizations and coaches education professionals on career success.
He is also a frequent international speaker and author on topics related to global non-profit strategies.
Our recommendations from Andrew’s library of resources that you might like:
1. Alumni Relations in the COVID Era
2. Democratizing Alumni Relations: The Shifting Balance in Engagement
Kathleen, who is currently the Principal at Kathleen Loehr LLC, has more than 35 years of experience working with university and nonprofit leaders as an advisor. Using her knowledge and expertise, she works with leaders who want to create a sustainable model of fundraising for non-profit organizations.
What makes Kathleen stand out as a leader is her impact on modern philanthropy, which puts the focus on women and their growing contributions. Her book, titled Gender Matters: A Guide to Growing Women’s Philanthropy, provides a detailed analysis of how women have taken the center stage in fundraising and also provides actionable insights for fundraising leaders to follow.
Kathleen’s women-centric philanthropy expertise comes from her experience in working with universities and nonprofit organizations to more deeply engage women donors.
What stood out for us among Kathleen’s resources:
1. As Women Surge in Leadership and Philanthropy, Are They Among Your Top Fundraising Priorities?
2. A Broader Definition of Philanthropy by Women
Christopher Vlahos is the Principal & Owner of Chris Vlahos Alumni Engagement Consulting LLC, a consultancy that helps institutions become more effective at alumni engagement. He is the author of multiple blogs and articles, most notably his work on the link between alumni engagement and fundraising.
Christopher’s experience and work are characterized by his emphasis on ‘purposeful alumni engagement’ - a metrics-based concept for institutional advancement that utilizes insight, strategy, and experience.
Heis a founding member of the Council for Alumni Membership & Marketing Professionals (CAMMP), a network of 450+ individuals committed to the needs of membership and marketing programs in alumni relations. Besides being an integral part of CAMMP, he has also maintained a long affiliation with the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Some of Christopher’s resources on LinkedIn you might like:
1. The 12 Characteristics of a High Performing Alumni Relations Office
2. Alumni Engagement Strategic Planning: A Necessary Normal
Lynne Wester is a well-known personality in the field of donor engagement and alumni relations. She is the Principal and Founder of Donor Relations Guru, a consultancy that helps non-profit organizations unlock their true potential for fundraising and donor retention. She strongly believes that donor relations hold the key to exceptional fundraising results.
Lynne has helped top institutions in the country with alumni relations and management for over 16 years. She has authored numerous resources that help non-profit organizations and institutions improve their donor retention and engagement.
Here are some must-read resources from Lynne’s extensive library:
2. What you can do for your donors and others in Times of Crisis: COVID-19 Edition
Louis Diez, who is currently the Executive Director of Annual Giving at Muhlenberg College, has 8+ years of experience working as a fundraising professional for various educational institutions. He is also the Principal of MarktLab, a non-profit management organization.
Louis is an expert at annual fund development, digital fundraising, and engagement strategies. He runs the Donor Participation Project, a group of fundraising professionals who take an active interest in the national decline in donor participation.
Some of the resources Louis has written that we recommend:
1. Helpful articles for alumni relation professionals
2. How fundraising should be approached
A. Philanda (A.P.) Moore has served as the Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement at the University of Oregon for nearly 3 years. In his role, he serves as the point of contact for minority, special interest, and professional alumni constituency groups in the university.
Recently, A.P. served as a panelist in a webinar that featured noteworthy leaders from the industry. The panel, titled ‘Alumni Relations & Diverse Populations - Reframing Engagement Towards Equity & Inclusion’, was a platform for him and other leaders to discuss how social science research has impacted the engagement of diverse graduates, and how advancement can be more inclusive.
Our top picks from A.P.’s resources shared on LinkedIn:
1. Can colleges be saved in the COVID era?
2. The Coming disruption to colleges
That about wraps up our list of the top alumni relations leaders you should follow on LinkedIn.
We are immensely grateful for the overwhelming response that we received for this article. A special shout-out to all the advancement leaders for all the inspiration and support:
Institutions will need to bring their A-game to stay on top of their goals for alumni engagement and advancement in 2021. We hope the resources shared by these experts can bring you greater success this year and beyond!
15 Alumni Relations Leaders You Should Follow on LinkedIn
As you navigate the new normal in 2021, here's our pick of the top 15 Alumni Relations Thought Leaders that you must follow to stay updated about the latest alumni relations trends & best practices.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
January 18, 2021
12 minutes
These are both exciting and nervous times for Alumni Relations as schools and universities around the world go through a tremendous transformation in the way they approach, engage, and stay connected to their alumni. The pandemic almost makes it look like the world has hit the pause button but, for alumni relations professionals who have invested years in building meaningful relationships with their alumni, putting everything on hold is not an option.
Alumni Relations teams are going above and beyond to keep delivering value to their communities with incredibly creative digital engagement strategies. As we looked at the data based on strategies adopted by Alumni Relations teams in 2022 so far, we were able to put together some emerging trends. Watch our Alumni Relations Trends for 2022 webinar here.
While the future is still volatile and the long-term impact of the pandemic is highly debatable, here’s a closer look at the 5 emerging trends in Alumni Relations that are here to stay.
Events are at the heart of any alumni engagement program but COVID-19 completely transformed the way events are now being approached. As strict social distancing measures make it impossible to host in-person events, the pandemic paved the way for virtual events. A majority of institutions have already adopted this new format and hosted a slew of successful virtual events for their alumni.
While Alumni Relations teams may be embracing the shift to virtual events, most of these institutions are apprehensive about going fully virtual while planning their events calendar for this year. Some feel that virtual events can never substitute the feeling that alumni share at in-person events and also are apprehensive about security concerns such as Zoom bombing. However, this new world order is gradually prompting many teams to think differently and explore all options.
So, while Alumni Relations teams might not have shifted to virtual only, 2022 is definitely going to see a lot of them. And, as institutions continue to experiment, events strategy, going forward, will most likely be a combination of both virtual and in-person events - the best of both worlds.
As virtual engagement strategies open up new avenues, Alumni Relations teams are now able to tap into a wider network of alumni. A large part of traditional alumni engagement strategies involved trying to get alumni back to campus for reunions, homecomings, or chapter meetings. Going to campus for these occasions was only possible for alumni who lived in the vicinity or had enough resources to travel from afar to attend. This way, a large segment of alumni were left unengaged.
However, with the adoption of digital engagement methods such as emails, social media, online communities, and virtual events, Alumni Relations teams no longer face this challenge.
Institutions are now able to target alumni living miles away from their campus and invite them for a virtual reunion or homecoming. They can also easily stay connected to their younger alumni via social media, rally more support for their virtual events or giving campaigns, and build a loyal community online. Alumni relations teams will now see newer alumni that who never engaged in the past start to engage.
As a consequence of the pandemic, we saw countless fundraising campaigns getting postponed and cancelled but, on the other side, we also witnessed millions of people expressing their generosity on the global day of unity and giving - #GivingTuesdayNow. While most of the initial fundraising campaigns amidst the pandemic were student emergency campaigns or appeals that urged alumni to donate in kind, this seems to change as we move into 2022.
Sure, Alumni Relations teams will still be apprehensive about asking their alumni to donate money but, that doesn’t mean that fundraising will be halted altogether. Here are the 3 major changes in the way schools and universities will fundraise going forward:
1. As things slowly resume to normalcy, fundraising will pick up the pace with one major change - it is not going to be as aggressive as it used to be.
2. As millions of people face pay cuts and undergo furloughs due to the economic crisis at hand, institutions will prioritize cultivating relationships and providing value to its community over chasing short-term fundraising goals.
3. Schools and universities will continue to garner monetary support from their alumni but, the intent will change. In future, we will see institutions urging their communities to come forward in order to support their alma mater and help them raise money to power through the economic crisis.
With the approach to fundraising changing, the outcomes will too. The economic impact of COVID-19 will leave a devastating impact on the total dollars raised but, as institutions continue to ramp up engagement & value-add services, relationships will grow stronger. While these loyal supporters may not be able to contribute big, institutions will see a rise in participation and the number of volunteers.
In April 2020, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine launched a network of volunteers, staff, students and alumni, to devote small amounts of time to crowd-sourced work. The institution received overwhelming support from over 1200 volunteers.
Traditional ways of adding value to alumni included organizing local mixers, career networking events, and workshops on campus but social distancing measures have put an end to all of these in-person activities. As Alumni Relations teams strive to keep their alumni digitally engaged and informed, closed affinity groups and online communities play a critical role.
Many institutions are adopting creative strategies to drive participation amongst these close-knit affinity groups and encouraging alumni to get more deeply involved.
With recent reports showing over 21 million Americans as unemployed, industry-based affinity groups will see a massive spike with alumni counting on their peers to navigate the tough job market.
The pandemic has also wreaked havoc on mental-health systems as we witnessed a historic wave of mental health problems approaching. While the social distancing norms are creating a lot of mental health challenges, the dire situation of the economy is adding to that stress. Alumni Relations teams realize the immense need for alumni to connect virtually to get through these testing times, as a community.
Prior to COVID-19, a lot of institutions measured alumni engagement based on a set of parameters such as in-person event attendance or volunteer participation. With the pandemic forcing Alumni Relations teams to function completely virtually since the past 5 months, engagement metrics have changed.
As alumni outreach initiatives shift to the virtual format, Alumni Relations teams are rapidly evolving to measure the outcome of each of these initiatives accurately.
The institutions that previously reached out to their alumni once a month via a monthly newsletter, have now ramped up the frequency. Institutions that were inactive on social media now take to Facebook live to announce an upcoming virtual event or a giving campaign. Alumni Relations teams are adopting tons of creative ideas to get accustomed to the new normal. Here are some of the virtual engagement metrics that will no longer be ignored:
1. Virtual event attendance
2. Email opens & click-through rates
3. Social media impressions, likes, and shares
4. Volunteer participation measured via online requests
5. Digital donors
5 emerging Alumni Relations trends that are here to stay
Here are 5 emerging trends - reshaped event strategies, young alumni engagement, short-term fundraising, virtual engagement metrics, and on-demand alumni services.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
These are both exciting and nervous times for Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States as they go through a tremendous transformation in the way they approach, engage, and stay connected to their alumni. The pandemic almost makes it look like the world has hit the pause button but, for alumni relations professionals who have invested years in building meaningful relationships with their alumni, putting everything on hold is not an option.
Alumni Relations teams at Liberal Arts Colleges are going above and beyond to keep delivering value to their communities with incredibly creative digital engagement strategies. As we looked at the data based on strategies adopted by Liberal Arts Colleges in 2020 so far, we were able to put together some emerging trends.
While the future is still volatile and the long-term impact of the pandemic is highly debatable, here’s a closer look at the 5 emerging trends at Liberal Arts Colleges that are here to stay.
Events have always been at the heart of any alumni engagement program at Liberal Arts Colleges but COVID-19 completely transformed the way events are now being approached. As strict social distancing measures make it impossible to host in-person events, the pandemic paved the way for virtual events. A majority of institutions have already adopted this new format and hosted a slew of successful virtual events for their alumni.
While Alumni Relations teams at Liberal Arts Colleges may be embracing the shift to virtual events, most of these institutions are apprehensive about going fully virtual while planning their events calendar for this year. Some feel that virtual events can never substitute the feeling that alumni share at in-person events and also are apprehensive about security concerns such as Zoombombing. However, this new world order is gradually prompting many teams to think differently and explore all options.
So, while Liberal Arts Colleges might not shift to virtual only, 2020 is definitely going to see a lot of them. And, as institutions continue to experiment, events strategy, going forward, will most likely be a combination of both virtual and in-person events - the best of both worlds.
As virtual engagement strategies open up new avenues, Liberal Arts Colleges are now able to tap into a wider network of alumni. A large part of traditional alumni engagement strategies involved trying to get alumni back to campus for reunions, homecomings, or chapter meetings. Going to campus for these occasions was only possible for alumni who lived in the vicinity or had enough resources to travel from afar to attend. This way, a large segment of alumni were left unengaged.
However, with the adoption of digital engagement methods such as emails, social media, online communities, and virtual events, Liberal Arts Colleges no longer face this challenge.
Liberal Arts Colleges are now able to target alumni living miles away from their campus and invite them for a virtual reunion or homecoming. They can also easily stay connected to their younger alumni via social media, rally more support for their virtual events or giving campaigns, and build a loyal community online. Alumni relations teams will now see newer alumni that have never engaged in the past start to engage.
As a consequence of the pandemic, we saw countless fundraising campaigns getting postponed and cancelled but, on the other side, we also witnessed millions of people expressing their generosity on the global day of unity and giving - #GivingTuesdayNow. While most of the initial fundraising campaigns amidst the pandemic were student emergency campaigns or appeals that urged alumni to donate in kind, this seems to change as we move into the latter part of 2020.
Sure, institutions will still be apprehensive about asking their alumni to donate money but, that doesn’t mean that fundraising will be halted altogether. Here are the 3 major changes in the way Liberal Arts Colleges will fundraise going forward:
1. As things slowly resume to normalcy, fundraising will pick up the pace with one major change - it is not going to be as aggressive as it used to be.
2. As millions of people face pay cuts and undergo furloughs due to the economic crisis at hand, Liberal Arts Colleges will prioritize cultivating relationships and providing value to its community over chasing short-term fundraising goals.
3. Liberal Arts Colleges will continue to garner monetary support from their alumni but, the intent will change. 2020 and the future will see institutions urging their communities to come forward in order to support their alma mater and help them raise money to power through the economic crisis.
With the approach to fundraising changing, the outcomes will too. The economic impact of COVID-19 will leave a devastating impact on the total dollars raised but, as Liberal Arts Colleges continue to ramp up engagement & value-add services, relationships will grow stronger. While these loyal supporters may not be able to contribute big, institutions will see a rise in participation and the number of volunteers.
Traditional ways of adding value to alumni included organizing local mixers, career networking events, and workshops on campus but social distancing measures have put an end to all of these in-person activities. As Liberal Arts Colleges strive to keep their alumni digitally engaged and informed, closed affinity groups and online communities play a critical role.
Many Liberal Arts Colleges are adopting creative strategies to drive participation amongst these close-knit affinity groups and encouraging alumni to get more deeply involved. With recent reports showing over 21 million Americans as unemployed, industry based affinity groups will see a massive spike with alumni counting on their peers to navigate the tough job market.
The pandemic has also wreaked havoc on the United States’ mental-health system as the country witnesses a historic wave of mental health problems approaching. While the social distancing norms are creating a lot of mental health challenges, the dire situation of the economy is adding to that stress. Liberal Arts Colleges realize the immense need for alumni to connect virtually to get through these testing times, as a community.
Prior to COVID-19, a lot of Liberal Arts Colleges measured alumni engagement based on a set of parameters such as in-person event attendance or volunteer participation. With the pandemic forcing these colleges to function completely virtually since the past 5 months, engagement metrics have changed.
As alumni outreach initiatives shift to the virtual format, Liberal Arts Colleges are rapidly evolving to measure the outcome of each of these initiatives accurately.
The Liberal Arts Colleges that previously reached out to their alumni once a month via a monthly newsletter, have now ramped up the frequency. Colleges that were inactive on social media now take to Facebook live to announce an upcoming virtual event or a giving campaign. Liberal Arts Colleges are adopting tons of creative ideas to get accustomed to the new normal. Here are some of the virtual engagement metrics that will no longer be ignored:
1. Virtual event attendance
2. Email opens & click-through rates
3. Social media impressions, likes, and shares
4. Volunteer participation measured via online requests
5. Digital donors
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5 emerging Alumni Relations Trends at Liberal Arts Colleges
As Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States go through a tremendous transformation in the way they approach, engage, and stay connected to their alumni, here’s a closer look at the 5 trends in 2020 that are here to stay.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
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