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Chart your course for alumni engagement success

It’s April...already. What does that mean for most in the alumni engagement world? It means you’re entering the fourth quarter of your fiscal year and most of you probably have spring reunions or commencement events coming up quickly that take up plenty of your time and resources. While the thought of pulling off another reunion may give you heartburn, this is actually my favorite time of year. Why? Well, the fiscal year end always meant two things...

5 Tip to Simplify Your Alumni Event Management

Successful events and programs leave a crowd with the impression that each detail magically floated into place after a flick of the wand and that a delightful team of characters danced and sang music throughout the process. Alumni Relations Professionals know that a successful event or program is the result of an intricate symphony bound together with timelines, project management, strict deadlines, organization, and planning. With all of the intricacies of event and activity planning, how can we find time...

Key Trends from 2017 in Alumni Relations

An exciting 2018 is up ahead and as departments start gearing up for new strategic planning for the 2018-2019 year, I thought I'd share some of the key trends we saw last year through conversations, industry conferences and research. Here are my thoughts....

Not Quantity but Quality: Segmenting is Key

When I was the Director of Alumni Relations at my alma mater I was often asked what my job entailed. Many thought my primary role was to raise money for the school. Others thought I was a party planner. While there is nuance to being an alumni engagement professional, at the end of the day we are all seeking one thing, to get someone to take an action. Whether you’re a major gift officer or someone running regional chapters,...

Total Eclipse of Engagement

MIT has always been known for innovation - and things are no different in their Alumni Relations Department. With some bright minds, teamwork and, of course, data - the alumni team is thinking outside of the box when it comes to staying connected to alumni across the country - or in this scenario - “inside the shadows.” One of the most creative uses of data-driven strategy and programming aligned recently with one big astronomical event- the Solar Eclipse. While everyone...

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