How Williams Uses Switchboard to Engage Students and Alumni

It's no surprise that the college with the oldest alumni association in the country should continuously top the list of schools with the highest alumni giving rates.

And we weren't surprised to see the Williams Switchboard flourish as soon as it launched in August 2014.

In the 15 months since then, more than 1,800 Williams students, alumni, staff, and parents have signed up to post more than 900 asks and offers.

The Williams Switchboard has become the go-to place for Ephs of all ages to exchange advice, look for places to stay, and find rides to and from campus for reunions and breaks.

We asked Williams's Assistant Editor & Social Media Specialist Francesca Shanks about Williams's success.

How Willamette University Engages Young Alumni

Sometimes, alumni engagement is more art than science.

That art requires a deep understanding of and affinity for your alumni community. So who better to engage that community than alumni themselves?

Willamette University in Salem, Oregon has taken that point to heart. Willamette succeeds in engaging its young alumni by leveraging the generosity of its broader alumni network.

We asked Devin Bales, Willamette's alumni and parent relations associate, and a Willamette alumnus himself, to shed some light on Willamette's most successful strategies.

Switchboard's Alumni Career Services Chops

Recently, we've been getting questions specifically about how Switchboard helps students and alumni advance their careers. So our dev team pulled some numbers on career-related posts across all higher ed Switchboards.

The results are clear: Students and alumni trust Switchboard to help them find their next job and plan their careers in the long-term.