Our alumni are always interacting with us and telling us something with each interaction. The key to answering our biggest advancement questions starts with measuring the myriad ways our alumni might be engaging with us beyond events, volunteering and donations.
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What defines relevant experiences in the 2020s? The answer is straightforward - omnichannel, round-the-clock engagement and personalization drive the digital experiences of the modern world. Every important brand that we associate with gives us the right reasons to associate with it. They constantly strive to understand us, create for us, and value our time by making things easy for us.
With the boom of the Internet, social media and instant messaging, digital experiences have evolved, and customer expectations have soared. Brands and service providers are in constant pursuit to adapt their engagement strategy with these rising expectations. It has given birth to a multi-channel, round-the-clock and consistent customer experience backed by data-driven decisions. Brands utilize this strategy to meet their customers where they are by better understanding what appeals to them.
Now customers decide how, when and why they interact with service providers. The power is solely in the hands of the customer. Factors like how easy it is to engage with a brand, how much the brand values their time and interests, and most importantly, the power of choice mould their decisions. Customers don't think twice about switching brands if they feel like it doesn't pay importance to their needs.
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Today, how our alumni interact with us is not so different. They're interacting with their alma mater 24*7 from across the globe, across programs and channels, even when you're asleep. Their expectations from their alma mater have increased. They seek greater control of this conversation and engage in areas that matter to them. They seek a better engagement experience. And most of all, they seek value before solicitation. In today's world, it is critical to meet our alumni where they are. If not, they are not reluctant in directing their philanthropy towards any of the many avenues available to them.
20% of advancement professionals today understand that competition for the attention of their alumni is a challenge in advancement.
The question is, as an advancement office, do we see alumni relations in the same light as our alumni do? Maybe we don't, and it is indicative that 95% of our donations today come from a measly 5% of our alumni, while the rest remain estranged from their once beloved alma mater. This statistic presses a question on the sustainability of our associations.
A majority of advancement shops measure engagement by the number of alumni that have donated, attended an event or volunteered for a cause. This is where the definition of engagement needs to be re-assessed. Remember that our alumni are interacting with us all the time, even when we're asleep. With each interaction, they're telling us something important about themselves. The onus is on us to capture these engagements to find the answers to relevant questions like "What do my alumni care about" or "What group of alumni are most likely to participate in my next event" or "Who are most likely to donate towards a particular appeal".
Our alumni's interactions with our alma mater are not limited to donations or engagement anymore. There are numerous ways they are interacting with their alma mater. It could be a visit to a jobs directory, a message to a faculty, an update on their alumni community profile, a message on the forum of an interest group, a reply to an email, or simply a like on a post on social media.
As advancement professionals whose work claims to be centered around the needs of our alumni, do we capitalize on these interactions to understand what might drive our alumni to an event or a fundraising campaign? As we don't, we miss out on thousands of alumni interested in engaging with the institution, just differently from how we expect them to.
A handful of advancement offices might say yes, and to their credit, it takes a lot of effort to collect the engagement information and consolidate them into meaningful reports. However, this comes at a cost. Our disconnected systems have made reporting difficult enough that it happens only once in several months. During this time, we lose opportunities to create value-driven programs for our alumni, and thereby their attention.
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It’s no secret that keeping alumni engaged in the post-pandemic landscape will present unique challenges, considering most events and fundraising efforts have moved online. Fortunately, many educational institutions have risen to meet those challenges and sharpened their abilities to maintain and even increase alumni engagement in the past year.
If you’re wondering what are some key strategies your organization can utilize to keep that momentum going and continue peaking alumni engagement in 2022 - we have got you covered. Let’s dive into some of the best approaches to keep your alumni virtually engaged with your institution going forward this year.
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Nothing encourages former students to stay plugged-in with their alma mater like the opportunity to create a community with other alumni. Many people have struggled with a lack of social interaction during the pandemic, and virtual community-building events are the perfect remedy for this situation.
In order to plan a successful virtual event be sure to nail down key logistics beforehand like an event agenda, promotional efforts, and setting up a plan to analyze post-event feedback. Let your alumni know in advance what the event has to offer and make sign-up as seamless as possible by offering quick registration supported on a variety of devices.
When it comes to promoting the event, use multiple channels to maximize your outreach. For example, you could create Facebook pages alongside email invitations to reach alumni no matter how they prefer to communicate. A good way to increase engagement would be to make your promotional efforts interactive. Ask your alumni to RSVP using a hashtag or commenting on a Facebook post - this will ensure better reach and engagement on your social media handles.
Finally, you can create opportunities for post-event feedback to tailor your approach for future events and increase alumni turnout. You want your former students to know that their opinions matter to you, so make sure you ask them to share it! This will also make planning your next event simple since you can build on the feedback and experience that your alumni share.
Check out how various institutions have leveraged the virtual space for innovative online events like virtual happy-hours, book clubs, and flagship events.
A good social media presence can undoubtedly do wonders for your engagement goals. You likely already have a social media strategy in place, but how tailored is it to empower alumni to interact with one another and the institution? A simple way to get alumni engaged is to interact with their posts and to invite them to interact with yours!
One option is to create content that invites alumni to post photos of them at college events or even happy memories from their time at the school, college, or university. This is a great method to evoke nostalgia in your alumni and encourage them to remember the positive impact that your institution had on their academic experience.
You can even personalize these calls-to-action by tailoring them to specific programs or organizations involved within your school. For example, you could ask all journalism students to post a memory of why they chose to pursue journalism - or maybe ask all of the students involved in your athletics program to post a photo of their team. These specific calls-to-action are more likely to fetch responses from the targeted group of alumni.
Ensure social media calls-to-action remain engaging and personal by applauding donor efforts and the impact their gifts have on opportunities for future students. You can even share narratives of these impact stories by showcasing the effect their donations have made on a particular student or program. This is a great way to remind them that they are a part of the good change which will surely translate to donor engagement and retention.
Finally, you can encourage peer-to-peer giving campaigns through social media, so that alumni feel more directly involved with their community fundraising. By encouraging students to fundraise directly with their peers, you ensure an organic giving environment that fosters the sense of community that many alumni might associate with your school - making it a win for everyone involved!
When it comes to finding new ways to keep alumni engaged with your giving campaigns, matching gifts is a valuable giving option to consider. Matching gifts are a form of corporate philanthropy in which companies financially match the individual donations their employees make to charitable organizations - sometimes even at a 2:1, 3:1, and even 4:1 ratio.
Donors love to discover their eligibility for these programs as it allows them to instantly double the impact their donation can have on causes they care about, without having to reach back into their wallets. Informing donors of their eligibility can encourage higher donations; 84% of donors are more likely to give a donation in the first place if they know their gift will be matched and 1 in 3 donors indicate that they would donate a larger amount if their gift will be matched.
Many donors are actually unaware that they qualify for a matching gift program - in fact, 78% of match-eligible donors don’t know about their employer’s matching gift program. That’s why we recommend marketing matching gifts to your former students to help them discover eligibility and submit their matching request. This is a great way to add value to their donation experience while boosting revenue for your fundraising campaign. You can utilize a variety of avenues for this outreach, such as on a “Ways-to-Give” page, via social media, and through email outreach.
Moving forward into 2022 with these alumni engagement strategies in your toolbox, you can ensure your alumni remain not only plugged-in, but also well engaged, which is sure to reflect in your fundraising campaigns.
Alumni Engagement: 3 Ways to Keep Former Students Involved
Most fundraising campaigns and engagement events were held virtually in the wake of the pandemic last year, and have continued to leverage the virtual platform ever since. Have a look at three key strategies that can help you improve your virtual alumni engagement in 2022.
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June 8, 2021
12 minutes
Alumni are the backbone of any institution and maintaining consistent alumni engagement is crucial to building a great institution and ensuring continuity.
While alumni engagement has come a long way from traditional direct mail campaigns and annual student reunions, we've witnessed a tremendous shift in the way alumni relations has evolved. While advancement teams will still continue to engage alumni via traditional channels in 2024, the previous year has shown us enough evidence to suggest that institutions can no longer be restricted to them.
2024 is undoubtedly going to be a challenging year, given the evolutionary phase that alumni relations is currently in. However, where there are new challenges, there are also new opportunities. Alumni engagement this year will offer tremendous possibilities for universities to engage with their alumni on a deeper and more meaningful basis – even in these times of uncertainty and chaos.
Here are five alumni engagement trends for 2024 that you should watch out for to achieve your alumni engagement goals.
As the pandemic made it impossible to host in-person events in 2020, we witnessed a host of creative virtual alumni events by institutions, big and small. While the COVID-19 crisis doesn't seem likely to die down any time soon, recent reports indicate that social distancing guidelines are going to be further relaxed in 2025.
Alumni event strategies this year are set to evolve depending on COVID-19 state regulations. Some schools may continue to host all alumni events virtually, while some may open up their campuses to in-person events. Either way, advancement teams in 2025 will need to take a hybrid approach to keep their alumni engaged.
For a majority of institutions, alumni engagement has been restricted to monthly newsletters, traditional events, and yearly fundraising appeals. But, the pandemic has prompted advancement teams to look for creative solutions to penetrate a wider segment of their alumni population and maintain consistent engagement year-on-year.
The past few years and its unprecedented challenges have allowed institutions an opportunity to review and rebuild their alumni programming with alumni at the core of it. This year, advancement teams will find a way to provide more value and on-demand programming to build meaningful relationships with their alumni. Schools, colleges, and universities will work towards creating easily accessible programs to maximize outreach, facilitate greater flexibility, and enhance alumni relations.
From focused workshops to career networking and mentoring programs, institutions will ensure the easy availability of all these programs to all alumni.
During the pandemic, William Peace University launched a Virtual Book Club focused on professional development and career advancement for the university students and alumni. The group helped set and realize career goals for all participants. Via this initiative, the institution made valuable resources and knowledge easily accessible to alumni and students from the comfort of their homes during a crisis. Read more →
Thus, focusing on alumni needs is the key to forging strong, meaningful relationships in 2025.
Traditionally, alumni engagement data has mostly been limited to measuring event attendance and fundraising revenue. However, these metrics failed to provide any insights during the COVID-19 pandemic, when institutions had to cancel all in-person events and dial down on fundraising asks.
The past few years have provided advancement teams with an opportunity to identify massive gaps in alumni engagement data and work towards creating a better structure for alumni engagement reporting.
As a result, engagement data today can do so much more – from social media interactions, email engagement, mentor-mentee engagement, to volunteer participation and a lot more. Digitization of all this data will offer advancement teams the essential knowledge they need to make the right decisions and develop stronger relationships with alumni.
2020 set a landmark record for one of the highest unemployment rates in the United States. This alarming trend directly affects institutions as a lot of their major gift donors have taken a huge hit on their fortune. Studies indicate that 88% of all funds donated to schools come from 12% of donors, and these donors constitute major gift donors.
Fundraising in 2025 is going to be largely different from what we have saw back in 2020 and 2021. Institutions will shift their focus towards mid-level donors, working towards converting them into long-time donors. Additionally, advancement teams will also be on the lookout for creative ideas to expand their current donor base and drive up engagement with more diverse alumni segments.
The importance of alumni networks for professional networking and career growth has only increased in recent years. With unemployment steadily increasing in the US, institutions have stepped up to provide an additional resource for finding and pursuing career opportunities.
Additionally, these career services also foster alumni engagement by allowing them to provide opportunities while simultaneously tapping into their alma mater's fresh talent to nurture an ever-growing community.
Alumni engagement is a crucial part of advancement and alumni relations efforts for a reason. An effective alumni engagement strategy:
2025 is likely to witness advancement teams rebuilding their alumni engagement programs to cater to the evolving needs of their alumni. This evolving alumni relations landscape calls for the adoption of more modern, technology-driven strategies for effective alumni engagement.
With the amount of changes that alumni relations has gone through in the past few months, we've already witnessed some amazing new trends emerge in the last few months.
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5 Alumni Engagement Trends You Need To Watch Out For in 2026
Discover 5 alumni engagement best practices to boost participation and meet your engagement goals in 2026.
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Alumni are an institution’s most precious asset. However, the reality is that while alumni will often have a sense of belonging to their alma mater, a constant connection is needed to cultivate this relationship. While there are a bunch of ways to achieve this, today, we’re focusing on one of the most effective communication methods employed by schools and universities around the globe – email communication.
While there’s a plethora of information on best practices for email marketing, our experience with various schools has helped us understand email best practices specific to alumni.
Email has an ability many channels don’t: creating valuable, personal touches – at scale.
- David Newman
While email communication plays a crucial role in the digital engagement strategy of many institutions, the rate of success for each school may differ greatly. The difference lies in the approach that each school takes. Here’s a list of tested techniques that have brought success to most schools:
To be able to engage alumni via emails, it is pivotal to maintain updated email lists. Over time, alumni contact information is bound to get outdated. For your email campaigns to have higher alumni engagement rates, it is integral that your emails reach the right people, and that’s only possible if you have updated information about your alumni.
Whether you’re a small school or a larger university, there are various ways to keep your alumni database up-to-date. Tap on the banner below to read more about the complete list of all the database update techniques that are typically employed by schools and their relative benefits.
While creating an email, it is important to be able to evaluate what alumni would value. Sticking to a template might look like the easiest route, but schools have witnessed greater success with personalized email campaigns. One way of personalizing your emails is by segmenting alumni based on gender, class year, and other relevant criteria.
It’s always a good practice to use a real name as opposed to a common name such as ‘Your Alumni Association’ as the sender of your emails. Using a person who your alumni may already be familiar with is ideal. You could even add in a picture and signature of the person at the end of the email to make the email seem more genuine.
Other than the high risk of your alumni email landing in spam, adding multiple links often comes at the expense of having an unfocused message, severely impacting your click-through rates. Sticking to a clear call-to-action button is the best practice.
Mercy High School, Burlingame does an amazing job at targeting its alumni with emails that have a clear call-to-action.
While we discussed how personalized email campaigns can help boost alumni engagement rates, monthly alumni newsletters and weekly updates have also proven to be highly effective. Monthly alumni newsletters and weekly update emails act as a source for alumni to stay updated with all that’s happening at their school and often evoke nostalgia and a sense of pride.
Here’s how Upper St. Clair School District & Taylor’s University keep their alumni engaged with informational monthly newsletter emails.
This is probably the most basic yet the most essential part of creating a successful email campaign. Optimizing your emails so that they appear in your alumni’s inbox at the right time and in the right format is critical to your campaign’s success. Here are some key aspects that should be ensured with respect to email optimization:
1. Ensure that alumni receive your emails during their active hours. If your alumni are in a different time zone, scheduling your emails is highly recommended. Analyzing past email delivery statistics might help in scheduling the timings for your new campaigns.
2. While attaching any images to your email, it is recommended to stick to a maximum file size of 1 MB.
3. Subject lines play an integral part in the success of any email marketing campaign. Including your alumni’s first name within the subject line is a great practice that we’ve seen schools achieve success with. Adhering to shorter, to-the-point subject lines is also highly recommended.
When it comes to engaging subject lines, QuestBridge Academy hands-down wins the game. For its September Bar Night event, the institution reached out to its alumni with a simple, yet highly effective subject line:
Here are some outreach email templates to kickstart your emails:
Subject: Connect & Grow: Your [Institution Name] Network
Dear [Alumni Name],
Hello from [Institution Name]! We hope you're doing well.
Did you know your connection to [Institution Name] offers a powerful way to boost your career? Our alumni network is full of people in many different fields, ready to connect.
We've made it easy for you to use this network:
- Network Platform: [Link to platform] - Join our special online platform to find and connect directly with fellow alumni for advice, opportunities, and shared experiences.
- Virtual Event: [Link to event details] - Sign up for our next online networking event. It's a great chance to meet alumni working in specific areas you're interested in.
- Career Help: [Link to career services page] - Visit our career services page just for alumni. You can find job postings, get tips, and learn about workshops to help you move forward.
Make the most of your [Institution Name] connections today.
Best regards,
The [Institution Name] Alumni Relations Team
Subject: Support [Institution Name]: Help Students Succeed
Dear [Alumni Name],
We're reaching out because you can make a real difference at [Institution Name]. Your time here helped shape your path, and now you can help shape the path of current students.
Supporting [Institution Name] is a direct way to invest in the future. Your contribution, no matter the size, can help provide essential resources:
- Give Now: [Link to donation page] - A financial gift helps fund scholarships for deserving students, support important research, and improve campus facilities.
- Volunteer: [Link to volunteer page] - If you have time to share, consider volunteering. You could mentor a student, help at an event, or offer your professional skills.
Every bit of support helps us give students the best possible experience.
Thank you for considering how you can help.
With sincere gratitude,
The [Institution Name] Advancement Team
Subject: Stay Connected to [Institution Name]
Dear [Alumni Name],
Life after graduation takes you to new places, but your connection to [Institution Name] and the people you met here is still important. We love sharing what's happening and hearing about your journey.
Here are a few simple ways to stay part of the [Institution Name] community:
- Read Our Magazine: [Link to magazine] - Check out the latest alumni magazine for campus news, stories about fellow graduates, and updates on upcoming events.
- Follow Us: [Links to social media profiles] - Connect with us on social media for daily updates, photos, and a chance to interact with the wider community online.
- Find a Local Chapter: [Link to chapter list] - Look for an alumni chapter in your area. It's a great way to meet up with other alumni near you for social events and activities.
- Update Info: [Link to update form] - Please take a moment to make sure we have your current contact information so you don't miss out on important news and invitations.
We value your connection. Stay in touch!
Warmly,
The [Institution Name] Alumni Relations Team
Subject: Keep Learning with [Institution Name]
Dear [Alumni Name],
The world keeps changing, and learning new things is key to staying ahead. As a graduate of [Institution Name], you have access to special resources to help you keep learning and growing in your career and personal life.
We offer opportunities designed just for our alumni:
- Online Courses: [Link to course platform/library] - Explore our library of online courses to learn new skills or brush up on topics relevant to your field.
- Webinars/Workshops: [Link to events page] - Attend online sessions led by our faculty or industry experts on a variety of interesting topics.
- Library Access: [Link to library access info] - Access many of the academic databases and publications available through the campus library from wherever you are.
- Mentorship: [Link to mentorship program details] - Whether you want to share your experience or learn from someone further along in their career, our mentorship program connects alumni.
Keep your mind sharp and continue your learning journey with [Institution Name].
Sincerely,
The [Institution Name] Professional Development Team
Subject: Share Your [Institution Name] Story
Dear [Alumni Name],
Your time at [Institution Name] gave you unique experiences and memories. Your positive stories are the best way to show others what makes our institution special and why it's a great place to learn.
We invite you to share your pride and help us tell the [Institution Name] story:
- Share Your Story: [Link to testimonial submission form or social media hashtag] - Tell us about your favorite memories or how [Institution Name] impacted you. We might feature your story!
- Represent Us: [Link to volunteer page] - Volunteer to represent [Institution Name] at college fairs or other events to talk to prospective students about your experience.
- Engage Online: [Links to social media profiles] - Like, share, and comment on our social media posts. This helps our news reach more people.
- Refer a Student: [Link to referral form] - If you know a student who would be a great fit for [Institution Name], encourage them to apply and let us know.
Your voice is important in helping us build a strong future for [Institution Name].
Best regards,
The [Institution Name] Communications & Alumni Relations Team
We hope we’ve given you some new ideas and motivations to make the most out of your email channels. If you’re looking for a tool to streamline your communication efforts, let us know and we’d love to show you how we can help.
6 ways to increase alumni engagement over emails
Find the email best practices to increase alumni engagement for your school, college, or university. Here's the list of techniques for alumni email marketing
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