Properly designed and properly evaluated, entrepreneurial activities can have many kinds of positive financial and non-financial results for an alumni program. A service or product line that alumni can not get from any other source can benefit the budget and both internal and external goodwill. (MSE)

Every college alumni program needs a mission statement specifying why it exists. In creating a statement, administrators should consider who designs it, drafts it, must endorse it, must adopt it. When institutional purpose and resources change, it can be redrafted. It should be an active guide, regularly reviewed and used. (MSE)

Advice is offered on promoting diversity within the college alumni association, based on the University of Kansas Alumni Association's experience. Suggestions include providing offerings that appeal to everyone; challenging alumni to participate in reaching out to others; and inviting alumni involvement when dissatisfied. (MSE)

An audit can give easy-to-understand indicators of how the various parts of an alumni association are doing. Prepare for an audit by: identifying goals and the areas that are most symbolic of the well-being of the organization, and quantify what to measure. (MLW)

Alumni with drive and influence can help a college alumni organization meet its long-term goals. Prospective donors may be willing volunteers, and regular review of the alumni notes may suggest volunteers. A diverse volunteer group can best represent diverse alumni populations. Challenging, meaningful assignments that tap expertise are the most…

College and university public relations professionals have cultivated faculty volunteers and developed new ways to bring the classroom to alumni by involving faculty in homecoming, reunion activities; requesting nominations for alumni awards; informing faculty how their participation affects former students; socializing with faculty to discover…

As college alumni become more diverse, alumni associations are finding that special interest groups are increasingly popular. Gay, ethnic, and racial clubs may spark controversy and require that alumni administrators address concerns tactfully while nurturing the affinity group. (MSE)

Guidelines offered for working with college alumni volunteers in student recruitment efforts include enlisting local alumni leaders' help; communicating expectations and procedures; requiring up-to-date records on local schools; prompt response to volunteer communications; and recognizing volunteer contributions. (MSE)

Discusses a variety of fun activities that college and universities can develop as alumni fund-raising events: a golf tournament; scholarship auctions (silent, on-the-spot, live televised, and live); charitable raffles; duck dashes; themed banquets; and a tuition raffle. (MSE)

Five veteran college alumni directors share strategies for creating an effective association: deciding what program aspects must be measured; assessing the program realistically; listening to customers; stretching program resources to hold down cost and work more efficiently; and remembering the value of the human touch in program design and…

Potential uses of computers in alumni office administration are discussed, including management and manipulation of numbers, calendar maintenance, events management, and communications, and tips for implementing a computerized system effectively are provided. (MSE)

Advice for alumni program directors to increase productivity and counter negative images includes developing a long-range plan for budget-building, being flexible enough to seize opportunities, building a base of support within the institution, cultivating support among senior administrators, building on successes and expecting excellence, and…

Alumni leaders should be included in a school or college capital campaign drive. The alumni office can help find prospects, provide events and programs for fund raising, promote the campaign, involve alumni staff members. Alumni themselves can assist in campaign planning and inspire others to give by donating themselves. (MSE)

Effective fund raising among graduate school alumni requires efforts that differ from those used with undergraduate alumni. Working with school-based or umbrella alumni organizations, staffing, and development of services and programs appropriate to this population are keys to success. Reunions, career roundtables, orientation, mentor programs,…

This article proposes that the success of an alumni travel program depends on finding the right faculty leaders. Advice for selecting appropriate faculty includes learning as much as possible about the individual's interests and strengths, matching trips with enthusiastic professors, and considering potential benefits and disadvantages of faculty…