The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of alumni relations, prompting new questions and concerns for university alumni associations. With the onset and continued risks of COVID-19, traditional opportunities for alumni engagement, such as class reunions, March Madness, NCAA football, tailgates, homecoming, in-person social events, alumni chapter meetups, and networking opportunities have been cancelled, or remain in limbo.
Indeed, while many held out hope that fall NCAA football would be a comeback after March Madness was called off, the Big Ten cancelled fall 2020 football in early August, and traditional social events like tailgates and alumni chapter watch parties are being suspended.
Despite the hurdles, alumni engagement is critical for building a university’s reputation and brand, securing donations, and creating community. In response to new challenges and unforeseen circumstances, many alumni associations have adapted by doubling down on their digital engagement strategy, with incredible results.
Here, we will examine the continued importance of an active alumni association for both universities and alumni, along with seven exciting ideas to activate alumni engagement during COVID-19 and beyond.
The Ongoing Significance of Alumni Engagement
Alumni associations are of vital importance for both alumni and universities. For alumni, their alma maters often provide networking opportunities, job connections, and community. Even graduates who move far away from their universities have opportunities to participate in local alumni chapter events, sports watch parties, and meetups. Especially during COVID-19, as the unemployment rate has spiked, many graduates are tapping into their alumni networks to seek job opportunities in a challenging economy.
For universities, alumni engagement is important for maintaining both brand and fiscal security. To begin with, many alumni associations require dues, which can be important sources of financial support. Additionally, when alumni derive a high level of value from their participation in their alumni network – whether that’s for social and/or professional reasons – they are more likely to give further to their alma mater.
Alumni giving rate is widely used as an important metric of success for universities, with schools like Princeton University touting a 60% giving rate. Additionally, alumni giving rate can impact university ratings and prestige in publications like the U.S News & World Report, deepening its importance.
Besides ratings, alumni serve as brand ambassadors for their alma maters, frequently recruiting and interviewing prospective students and writing letters to incoming and current students. That makes them essential to the continued success of universities.
Overall, engaged alumni are more likely to donate, and in no small numbers. At schools like Harvard University, nearly half of the annual revenue is derived from donors, many of them former students.
Keeping alumni engaged is an important priority across the board, and digital strategy can help!
Here are seven ideas for digital and virtual initiatives that can help connect alumni with each other and with their alma maters to build community and maintain relationships, while benefiting both universities and alumni.
1. Experiment with virtual social events
Source: University of Maryland
In lieu of in person alumni chapter meetups, many alumni associations are trying out a variety of virtual social events like happy hours and book clubs. For example, Florida International University Alumni Association offered both virtual happy hours and a virtual game night to members. Organizations like University of Cincinnati Alumni Association have taken these social events further by crafting them around affinity groups. For example, they hosted one virtual happy hour especially for Black Alumni.
Book clubs have also been a popular virtual social event for alumni organizations. University of Maryland Alumni Association offers four different books clubs to choose from: fiction & literature, social sciences, education, and management & leadership.
Many other alumni associations, including University of Pennsylvania, Tufts University, and University of Oklahoma also offer a virtual book club for their members.
2. Launch a virtual lecture series
Source: Virginia Club of NYC
Another option to keep alumni engaged is a virtual lecture series. University of Virginia Alumni Club of New York, for example, has launched a “centerpiece pandemic initiative” called “Hoos in the Know.” This lecture program has featured panels on a variety of industry topics and has been a smash hit, allowing the club to reach entirely new alumni and host diverse speakers from outside of the NYC area.
Other university associations, notably Duke Alumni, have launched topical lecture series about current events. This summer, Duke has been hosting a series called “Black in 2020,” where alumni can explore race and equality in America.
Virtual lectures can be an informative and engaging way to build community and connect with alumni who may not have had the opportunity to frequent in-person events.
3. Promote virtual engagement with sporting events and teams
Source: Penn State University
One of the biggest losses for alumni associations has been the hit Coronavirus has taken to sporting events. The cancellation of March Madness, and the current uncertainty around the return of college football, tailgating, and homecoming has been an enormous challenge. Traditionally, large schools like Ohio State University have seen as many as 80,000 alumni return to campus for homecoming weekend. However, such events now pose high risks in the era of Coronavirus.
In response, several universities have worked to promote virtual engagement with sporting events and teams. For example, after March Madness was cancelled, Cleveland State University Alumni Association called alumni to locate old photos as part of a “Viking Scavenger Hunt,” to fill the void left by the end of basketball season.
Other universities, including Penn State and Colorado State University have organized Virtual Tailgates. In July, Cornell College announced that they had virtual homecoming events in the works for October 2020. With disruptions to the normal fall football season, we may soon start seeing even more creative ways to help alumni engage with their beloved teams and fellow alumni.
4. Offer networking opportunities and career advice
Source: JHU Alumni Association
One of the foremost benefits of alumni association membership is the career and professional development opportunities they provide. Many alumni chapters and clubs regularly offer networking events and meetups, all of which have been disrupted by COVID-19.
In response, alumni associations have begun offering new virtual events, or increased their existing offerings. For example, Georgetown University Alumni Association has launched Virtual Networking Events. Organizations like Indiana University Alumni Association have taken this even further by offering virtual networking with interest groups like “Working Moms” and LGBTQ+.
Finally, organizations like University of Michigan Alumni Association have launched “Career Webinars” on topics like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Managing Career Transitions, and more. Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association offers a combination of the two with their “Virtual Networking and Webinar Series.”
5. Create digital ambassadors
Source: UGA Alumni Association
Many university alumni associations already leverage their alumni as ambassadors, seeking their help in recruiting future students and representing the university in local clubs and chapters. Some, like University of Georgia Alumni Association, have taken this a step further by initiating a Digital Dawgs program.
Digital Dawgs turns alumni into social media ambassadors, who periodically receive updates from the Alumni Association that they can customize and share on their own social media.
This is a great way to drive engagement, amplify your social media presence, and reach alumni who are connected with their former classmates.
6. Facilitate connections with current and incoming students
Source: University of Colorado Colorado Springs
One of the most important relationships to foster as an alumni association is that between alumni and current and incoming students. Even during COVID-19, many organizations are finding ways to facilitate these connections. For example, Southwestern University Alumni Association asked alumni to write congratulatory letters to the parents/families of admitted students. University of Colorado Colorado Springs is similarly encouraging alumni to write letters to incoming students.
Similarly, at Trinity University, alumni volunteers reached out to current seniors, who had their last semester on campus cut short, with notes of support and memories from campus.
Amidst many digital opportunities, a letter from alumni to students can be a special personal touch that goes a long way in fostering connection.
7. Switch to Digital Membership Cards
Source: UTSA Alumni
If you issue alumni membership cards, one easy engagement strategy (which can also save time and money) is switching to Digital Membership Cards. Alumni are highly engaged with their mobile devices, and a digital card can ensure that their alma mater is top of mind, they can access their benefits, and they view any events and updates in one centralized place on the back of their digital card. Back of card information can even be customized based on which local alumni club or chapter members belong to.
Universities alumni associations at University of Michigan, University of Texas San Antonio, University of South Carolina, Western Washington University, and more are already using Digital Membership for their alumni cards.
If you’re looking to drive engagement, tighten your budget, and free up staff labor, Digital Membership Cards are a one stop shop
COVID-19 has brought many challenges for alumni associations, but it has also produced new opportunities. Across many industries, the rise of virtual events has been a surprising silver lining to the global pandemic. Such digital experiences have been able to reach audiences who may not have had the time or ability to attend in-person events. Alumni associations have been thrust further into the digital era, and we can’t wait to see what creative new initiatives are generated as a result!
Looking for more information on Digital Cards? Reach out to Cuseum today!