Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) emerged in the early 19th century as a response to racial segregation and exclusion that characterized American postsecondary education. Of the 105 HBCUs, 47 are closely affiliated with a Black Church whose fundraising capability exceeded that of the HBCU. A decline in federal and state support…

The gap between predicted and actual outcomes--following a university's removal of their controversial Native American nickname--may be rather wide. This study investigates what alumni threaten or promise to do upon a potential school nickname change, and what actual actions result once change does occur. The University of North Dakota's (UND)…

Alumni's engagement and contributions are mission-critical to a university. Alumni's role can be both financial as well as engagement in promoting and supporting the university's vision, mission, and operations. In the case of HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), alumni members also play a significant key role in communicating the…

This study investigates the relationship between social media engagement and alumni giving, focusing on its contemporary relevance within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The purpose of the study was to explore alumni perceptions of various social media activities and examine differences based on education level and alumni…

This research study sought to better understand what motivates and influences young alumni to engage with their alma mater. For many development and alumni relations departments, alumni have become a source of private funding to assist in the decreased burden of tuition and the cost of attending college. Frequently, alumni who are reached out to…

The purpose of this study was to empirically analyze the determinants of charitable giving rates generationally among alumni of a private business college in the northeastern United States, with a focus on three areas: the unique cultural component of giving as it relates to the college and its entrepreneurial focus; the level of connectedness and…

Fundraising for higher education institutions is becoming more important as there is increasingly limited government funding for public education. With shrinking funding, university programs and departments may be expected to raise more income on their own. This study hypothesizes that higher levels of stakeholders' (students and alumni)…

Increasingly, institutions of higher education seek out alumni support to help offset budget cuts and look toward technological advances to lower costs of instruction and create new revenue streams. In light of the desire to increase funding for university programs and the potential giving-power of MBA alumni, this study investigates factors that…

This study analyzed the open-ended responses given by young alumni during an institutional survey conducted by the annual giving office at a large, public university. For this study, 204 responses from non-donors were analyzed and coded. Several keys themes were identified in the analysis, including young alumni's attitudes regarding career…

Alumni relations and stewardship officers have the makings of a strong partnership. Alumni relations and stewardship can be a natural fit--a perfect match even--according to Mary Jo Chiara of St. Joseph's College (SJC) in New York. Both strive to cultivate long-term relationships with constituents and build increasing levels of engagement and…

The authors examined factors associated with membership of university graduates in the dues-based alumni association of their alma mater. Logistic regression was used to analyze variables that came from survey responses and from an existing database. All participants had attended a public doctoral-granting research university in the South.…

In the competitive marketplace of higher education, colleges and university leaders increasingly rely on the influence and service of their alumni to further institutional goals. Because of their demonstrated financial commitment to the institution, alumni donors are often enlisted to serve important roles as volunteers and political advocates.…

Alumni are both a vital source of financial support and an important barometer of the institutional climate. Research studies on alumni donor motivation are summarized. (MLW)

When an institution changes its name, adjusts enrollment patterns, merges with another institution, or undergoes any major change affecting its identity, alumni and donors signal their feelings through their giving. Careful attention must be paid to donor perceptions. (MSE)

A study investigated attitudinal, demographic, involvement, and philanthropic characteristics of a university's alumni donors (n=210) and nondonors (n=161). Analysis revealed predictors of nondonors versus donors with 65 percent accuracy, and high donors versus low donors with 87 percent accuracy. Implications for fund raising are discussed.…