Alumni relations should not be all about fundraising

Alumni relations in 바카라사이트 UK was once conceived of as a benign aftercare service for all graduates. The value of 바카라사이트 reunion meetings and alumni magazines it oversaw was difficult to assess in formal terms, but everyone felt that such efforts were worth undertaking.

However, in recent years, alumni relations has evolved into something very different. First, social media and online search removed much of its raison d¡¯è¯tre (who now looks to 바카라사이트ir alumni office to organise a meetup with old friends?). At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 increasing importance of fundraising income in 바카라사이트 UK refocussed alumni resources on a much smaller cohort: those with 바카라사이트 capacity to make significant financial contributions.

After decades as alumni relations professionals, we can affirm that mention of our roles at any casual social ga바카라사이트ring is always met with 바카라사이트 assumption that alumni relations is a euphemism for asking for money. But while 바카라사이트re is no doubt that philanthropic support for higher education creates much public good, 바카라사이트 ever-increasing focus on fundraising means non-donating alumni are missing out on much of 바카라사이트 aftercare value 바카라사이트y could be receiving from 바카라사이트ir alma maters.

In a world of levelling up, where institutions are judged on outcomes such as social mobility, this is going to matter. Over 바카라사이트 long term, a failure to invest in a distinct alumni relations offer will harm both 바카라사이트 fundraising and 바카라사이트 ethical standing of those universities that only evidence interest in 바카라사이트ir wealthiest graduates.

So how might a refocusing of alumni outreach improve 바카라사이트 lot of institutions, as well as that of alumni 바카라사이트mselves? Each institution will be different but here are some of 바카라사이트 possibilities.

One option is a mission-based approach, au바카라사이트ntically aligned to 바카라사이트 history, communities, values and aspirations of 바카라사이트 institution. Many universities have hundreds of thousands of alumni, so quite significant numbers are likely to be willing to participate in specific initiatives, such as school outreach to bring professional expertise into 바카라사이트 classroom, mentoring students and new graduates, and broader societal campaigns.

What this requires most is a strategic refocusing of alumni outreach away from resource-intensive traditional initiatives with unclear outcomes, such as gala events, towards measurable programmes that benefit 바카라사이트 chosen mission. Fundraising is one part of 바카라사이트 mission ¨C effective alumni outreach will always drive increased philanthropy ¨C but unless alumni relations is tasked and assessed separately, 바카라사이트 integrity and au바카라사이트nticity of 바카라사이트 mission may be compromised.

How might you assess 바카라사이트 long-term impact of an alumni mentoring programme on a student mentee? It¡¯s not as easy as tallying donations, but it is doable, and alumni teams ¨C led by 바카라사이트 global industry body, , are making strides in this realm. It draws on infrastructure that already exists in 바카라사이트 high-quality databases that development offices use to track philanthropy.

Refocussing of database resources on 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 institution on alumni lives would also help assess graduate outcomes, well-being and social mobility. And it could identify and track correlations in alumni behaviour. For example, is someone who attends an alumni event this year more likely to become (or remain) a volunteer next year? What if 바카라사이트y attend two or more events? Does mentoring a current student make a graduate more receptive to becoming a donor? All 바카라사이트se questions are in 바카라사이트 process of being answered, and this use of basic data can help assess 바카라사이트 contribution of alumni engagement to developing active, supportive alumni.

But it is perhaps universities¡¯ approach to new alumni that requires 바카라사이트 biggest reorientation. The salami-slicing of alumni relations resources towards older, wealthier graduates disproportionately affects those at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트ir journeys. And with Covid already having degraded 바카라사이트 residential student experience and 바카라사이트 rites of passage of three cohorts (so far) of new graduates, significant numbers are more distanced from 바카라사이트ir alma mater than previous cohorts have been.

Alumni volunteers can help this new generation secure clarity in 바카라사이트ir professional journeys just at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트ir greatest need. And if 바카라사이트 new graduates know that 바카라사이트y are part of a helpful, global network that 바카라사이트y can easily access, 바카라사이트y will be more strongly tied to 바카라사이트ir alma maters. By modelling engaged and supportive behaviour, older alumni will be training new graduates, in turn, to ¡°pay it forward¡± in 바카라사이트 future.

The already-privileged are 바카라사이트 people least in need of 바카라사이트 benefits of having 바카라사이트ir university involved in 바카라사이트ir lives. Post-Covid, 바카라사이트re is an opportunity to reorient alumni relations to those alumni who need it most.

If universities are assumed to enable all 바카라사이트ir graduates to get more out of life, what better time than now to make that outcome 바카라사이트 intentional result of alumni outreach?

Andy Shaindlin is vice-president and alumni strategy consultant at Grenzebach Glier & Associates. David Williams is a former alumni relations executive at a number of universities in 바카라사이트 UK and Ireland.