Chris Gehringer

Alumni Channelalumnichannel.com / (609) 471‐3580

• Advancement– a systematic, integrated method of managing relationships in order to increase an educational i i i ' f i k idinstitution's support from its key outside constituents, including alumni and friends, government policy makers, the media, membersgovernment policy makers, the media, members of the community, and philanthropic entities of all types

– alumni relations, communications and marketing, and development (fundraising)

• Alumni Relations– Alumni relations programs build and strengthen relationships with students and former students, f l d f i d h k l i i f dfaculty, and friends. They keep alumni informed about the institution and in contact with each other by providing opportunities such asother by providing opportunities such as homecomings, reunions, and alumni club events. They provide educational opportunities to alumni th h ti i d ti k dthrough continuing education programs, weekend seminars, and travel programs.

• Developmentp– Development at educational institutions encompasses a sophisticated and comprehensive 

f l i i i j ifprogram of annual giving, campaigns, major gifts, and planned giving. While alumni annual giving remains the cornerstone of the developmentremains the cornerstone of the development function, other sources of funding include corporations, foundations, trustees, faculty and t ff t d t t d tstaff, parents, and current students.

• New funding sources are no longer optionalNew funding sources are no longer optional 

• Parish, diocesan and tuition dollars don’t cover everything anymorecover everything anymore

• A move from “fund‐raising” to “development”

• Prediction:  All schools will have to build alumni development programs

• If you don’t do it . . .

• Using Classmates, Facebook, other sites, etc.Using Classmates, Facebook, other sites, etc.

• Being asked for million $$ gifts

D i t t l i• Doing estate planning

• Arranging charitable bequests

• Wanting to make a difference; i.e., leave a legacy, help others, make a contribution

• Chances are you are not in their thinking

• U.S.U.S. charitable giving givingestimated to be $307.65 $billion in 2008 

• You have the most important cause in townYou have the most important cause in town

• Giving to education rates high (80%)

Y h h 1 000’ f li i• You have a huge resource – 1,000’s of living alumni

• Hometown nostalgia (6, 9, 11 years)

• It’s time to tell your story!

• A “Culture of Support”A  Culture of Support

• Dynamic database

I t t d l i id tifi d• Interested alumni identified

• Potential for annual gifts, major gifts, endowments and bequests 

• Platform for the future

• Records (database potential = annualRecords (database potential   annual graduates x 50+ years)

• Programming• Programming

• Communications

• Continuity

• Friend‐raising

• Alumni Records and Data ManagementAlumni Records and Data Management

• Homecoming, Reunions and Other Events

Cl A t / Cl R• Class Agents / Class Reps

• Alumni Merchandising

• Technology in Alumni Relations

• Young Alumni/Generational Programmingg / g g

• Student OutreachStudent Outreach

• Board and Volunteers

Affi it /S i l I t t G• Affinity/Special Interest Groups

• Chapter and Regional Programming Strategies

• Alumni Community Service Programs

• Working with other Departmentsg p

• The future of alumni relations will depend onThe future of alumni relations will depend on technology– WebsitesWebsites

– On‐line directories

– E‐mail marketing– E‐mail marketing

– Social networking

Blogs– Blogs

– Pod Casts

“Young alumni (0‐10 years out) are different.Young alumni (0 10 years out) are different.  To us, internet is a tool, to them it is the air they breathe.  We are thinking hard how to they breathe. We are thinking hard how toengage them in their world, not ours.  Hence our focus on online communities.”  

‐ Howard Wolf, Stanford

• Keep in mind the demographic andKeep in mind the demographic and psychographic differences

• Tailoring programs and services to address• Tailoring programs and services to address their particular interests and needs

• Di ersif the programming offered to appeal• Diversify the programming offered to appeal to a diverse audience.

• Try to understand what alumni need and make that available to them.

• Improve marketing of alumni program(s)Improve marketing of alumni program(s)

• Career services

C i ti ill b lit b t i t• Communications will be split between print and electronic but print will continue to be criticalcritical

• Need to engage students earlier

• Building communities since 1998Building communities since 1998

• Allow you to build long‐term relationships

E il ll t it l t t i f ti• Easily collect vital contact information

• Always on / always up‐to‐date

• Professionally designed, official “home” for graduates

• alumnichannel.com/blog• CommunitySpark.com• NCEA and www.ncea.org• CASE and www.case.org• NAIS and www.nais.orgCASE/NAIS C f• CASE/NAIS Conference

• alumnifutures.com• SupportingAdvancement com• SupportingAdvancement.com• Local gatherings (e.g. ACAAP)

• “Engaging Alumni Online” • “Alumni: A Valuable Resource”• Engaging Alumni Online

• “Recruiting Class Agents/Representatives”

• “Your online community should be a drug”

• “Building an Alumni Support Network”

• “Unofficial Alumni Web Sites and Their Effect on

• Alumni: A Valuable Resource

• “Time Capsules Resurrect a Sometimes Forgettable Past”

• “Alumni e‐Networks: Using Technology to Engage Net Generation Alumni”• Unofficial Alumni Web Sites and Their Effect on 

Alumni Relations”

• “Evaluating Your School’s Alumni Program”

• “Seeking Major Gifts: How 57 Institutions Do It”

• “Evaluating the Effectiveness of your Catholic 

• “Why My Alumni Magazine Will Never Be As Good As Facebook”

• “Online Fundraising Handbook”

• “Beyond Bake Sales”g ySchool Development Efforts”

• “Simple, Yet Sophisticated Strategies for Achieving Full Lifetime Value from Your Alumni”

• “Successful Capital Campaigns: Opportunities for T hi S d hi W f Lif ”

• “Characteristics of Successful Online Communities”

• “The Kids Are All Right”

• “Building the Case for an Alumni Program”

• “Creating your own ‘Alumni Advisory Council’”Teaching Stewardship as a Way of Life”

• “Affinity Reunions are better than Class Reunions”• “Homecoming/Thanksgiving is the Right Time to 

Engage Alumni”

• “Young Alumni Strategies”

• Alumni Relations – more specifically alumniAlumni Relations  more specifically alumni relations professionals  – must continue to focus and be highly adept at building and focus and be highly adept at building andmaintaining relationships with alumni – both personal (one to one) as well as with groups of p ( ) g palumni.