Alternative Breaks are service trips that occur at colleges and universities all around the United States, but little is known of their long-term impact on the participants. This study explored how alumni of Alternative Break programs were civically engaged in their communities post-graduation. The survey instrument, modeled on the Life After…

The time has come for community colleges to realize the potential of alumni private funding gifts. While some community colleges have developed alumni associations with success as a source for private fundraising, there are many that have not been successful. Today leaders are still perplexed as to the strategies and factors that contribute to the…

A growing number of U.S. institutions are recognizing the importance of reaching out to and involving alumni in meaningful ways--so much so that it's encoded as a specific campaign goal. But, like fundraising goals, alumni engagement goals are not realized easily, overnight, or just because they're committed to paper. Lasting engagement takes…

Jeremiah Stevens, director of alumni relations at Lake Forest Academy in suburban Chicago, contends with a bit of an unusual challenge. He must manage and motivate not one but two alumni boards. While alumni professionals may not share Stevens' particular circumstances, they certainly can relate to a struggle to jumpstart a languishing board and…

There's no question that alumni admissions programs can be win-win collaborations. They can be a boon for both the admissions office and the alumni association. But depending on the scope of the venture and the size of the institution, they can take a lot of care and feeding, demanding comparatively more time and resources than other alumni…

Working with alumni volunteers shouldn't create horror and suspense. Following a few key steps can help maintain a smooth relationship between alumni volunteers and the alumni relations office staff. In this article, the author discusses how to manage volunteers and keep the alumni volunteer relationship on track.

Long gone are the days when being an alumnus with great connections and leadership skills meant that one would get the job as the senior alumni relations professional at one's alma mater. Institutions are now seeking alumni relations leaders armed with operational and leadership experience and an understanding of advancement methodology and best…

Many universities, colleges, and independent schools face the reality of geographically expanding alumni bases, likely combined with constant or decreasing budgets for alumni activities. Well-intentioned colleagues understand the potential power of a geographically diverse alumni network but do not always grasp the time and complexity associated…

Mobile technology is an effective way of conveying information to alumni, especially during a major event. Alumni appreciate not only access to information in a convenient medium, but also efforts to engage with them through new technology. Like so many of the best ideas at Princeton University, the creation of Reunions Mobile emerged from…

Many small-shop alumni directors with no-frills budgets have found volunteer alumni help worth the organizing efforts. Some creative ways that colleges and universities have found to inspire new interest among the uninvolved are described. (MLW)

Whether facing budget and staff cuts or event logistics, alumni associations can make good use of volunteers. Three important rules for volunteer program management include maintaining good volunteer relationships, knowing when to ask for help, and recruiting good veteran, novice, and even nonalumni volunteers. (MSE)

The ways in which alumni associations trace missing alumni are described. Methods vary from listing lost names in alumni periodicals to paying credit bureaus to trace alumni by Social Security number. The U.S. Postal Service, which runs National Change of Address, sells access to its database of forwarding addresses. (MLW)

Alumni administrators must become full partners in institutional advancement and fund-raising. The salaries, access, and respect accorded alumni administrators must be at parity or near parity with development professionals. Some suggestions to further alumni/development partnership are provided. (MLW)

This study examined whether alumni who were resident assistants (RAs) gave more to the institution than did alumni who were not RAs. This information was deemed significant for two reasons: (1) contributions from graduates are increasingly important sources of funds for colleges and universities; (2) information on why alumni contribute is…

Five strategies for recruiting and motivating college alumni club leaders are outlined, including focusing on collaboration among volunteers as much as on leader qualities, recruiting volunteers to support leaders, allowing key volunteers to make contributions that don't require much of their time, maintaining continuity of policy and practice,…