Start 2017 off right by brushing up on the empirical foundations of your advancement and alumni relations methodologies.
We handpicked these five articles from academic journals and elsewhere to give you a foundation for success in the new year.
How Oakland University Runs an Award-Winning Student-Alumni Engagement Program
"Early and often" is an apt motto when it comes to engaging students with alumni affairs, but putting that sentiment into practice is easier said than done.
Oakland University pulled it off.
Oakland's "Leadership OU" program fosters professional growth among students while highlighting the accomplishments of alumni through a mentoring program and a speaker series. The program won a Pride of CASE District V award for best student-alumni programming in 2015.
CASE DV/VI Preview: "The Lost Generations: The Essential Steps to Connecting Alumni Back to Your Organization"
Many advancement offices give up on soliciting alumni who have been unengaged for decades, but not Chelsea Knowles. Knowles is Regional Director of Development for the Western US at University of Michigan's College of Literature, Sciences, and the Arts.
We asked Knowles to give us a preview of her CASE DV/VI Conference session, "The Lost Generations: The Essential Steps to Connecting Alumni Back to Your Organization."
CASE DV/VI Preview: "Using Social Media to Help Create and Sustain Excitement in a Fundraising Campaign"
Social media is a vital part of any modern fundraising campaign—both for a campaign's launch and keeping it going.
For large universities, coordinating social media strategy across campuses, schools, and departments can be incredibly hard. It's Marisa Larson's job to do that as Development Communications Coordinator at the Kansas State University Foundation.
Upcoming Features: Revamped Analytics Dashboard, AI-Powered Language Processing
Why Santa Clara University Chose Switchboard
We're thrilled to share news of our partnership with Santa Clara University. Hundreds of alumni and students have already signed up for the Santa Clara University Switchboard.
Michelle Cwirko-Godycki '03 is Associate Director of Marketing and Communications in the Office of Alumni Relations. Megan Bradley is Assistant Director of Social Media and Career Networking in the Office of Alumni Relations.
We asked them to share why they're excited about working with Switchboard.