Unlocking New Possibilities
Regardless of the time a graduate spent with their alma mater – be it one year of high school or the entirety of their K-12 independent school experience – the relationship between student and school need not end at commencement. Indeed, maintaining a relationship with the school’s alumni base often begins during students’ senior year, with alumni relations offices and/or development teams building rapport with these soon-to-be graduates.
There’s certainly the potential for financial benefit to schools who remain connected with their alumni, as this audience comprises the largest percentage of total donors for independent schools, according to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
But, for many school alumni relations and development staff, the focus of a robust alumni engagement program extends beyond building a pipeline of future financial supporters of the school. Strong alumni engagement not only engenders philanthropic support, but also encourages passionate volunteers, future potential enrolled families (as alumni children return to their parents’ alma mater), retention of current families (i.e. younger siblings of graduates), potential faculty pool candidates, and “superfans” whose word-of-mouth marketing are the best endorsement for the school.
For schools seeking ideas on how to create an alumni engagement program or how to enhance an already existing program, several SAIS members share their insights on the activities, programs, and outreach efforts offered.
Considering Each Audience
The Montgomery Academy, a coeducational, nonsectarian day school in Montgomery, AL, with more than 650 students in grades K-12, made the strategic decision to shift the alumni office under the admissions team, instead of the traditional development/alumni relations format. This is a new approach, according to Director of Admissions & Alumni Relations Rachael Saucer Gallagher, a 2003 graduate of the school. “I’ve been proud of how our first year or so has gone in getting programs back up and running,” she shares. Alumni programming is led by a newly created standalone position for alumni engagement, supporting the school’s more than 3,000 alumni.
“We reached out to several SAIS peer schools throughout the southeast region to learn more about successes and struggles that they had encountered through their programs,” says Saucer Gallaher. “With an emphasis on reconnecting alumni with activities going on at the school, in our first year we’ve tried to find ways to engage alumni of a variety of ages.” From a quarterly e-newsletter that shares highlights of student experiences and reflections on the past to re-establishing an annual print publication, The Montgomery Academy keeps each audience in mind with communications and outreach efforts.
The Montgomery Academy found it valuable to educate current students, especially seniors, on the value the alumni office can have for them in the future. Through activities like a panel discussion on college topics (e.g. internships, college majors, dorm room “must-haves”) to a celebration of 100 Days to Graduation (in a nod to their Kindergarten year 100th Day of School milestone) and gifting them a framed college t-shirt day photo from the alumni office, The Montgomery Academy sends off seniors with the knowledge that the school will stay with them long after graduation.
MA hosts an alumni brunch for college-aged students over the winter break that also includes current faculty and the current senior class. The school also introduced an “on the road” event for college students called “Coffee with Collegians,” where the alumni team visits colleges and universities throughout Alabama and connects with alumni over coffee in their local town.
All alumni, along with current and former faculty, are invited to The Montgomery Academy Alumni Tent Party at the annual homecoming football game. The school also sends a baby gift to alumni upon the birth of a child. “MA on the Road” events are socials held once or twice a year in cities where the school has a high concentration of alumni (e.g. Birmingham, Nashville, New York, Mobile, and Washington, D.C.). These gatherings are convenient for local alumni and help connect them with other MA Eagles in their areas. Each spring, reunion years celebrations welcome back alumni on their milestone reunions (e.g. 10th, 15th, 20th, and beyond). Reunions include an on-campus event, campus tours, and class-specific off-campus events planned by alumni.
To help MA stay connected to their alumni, the school also engages with parents of alumni. A designated home game for each sports season, as well as a parents of alumni night at school theater and chorus productions, are free events that keep parents connected to the school.
Every year, The Montgomery Academy celebrates alumni who have reached their 50+ year reunion milestones with a special Golden Eagle Luncheon held on campus prior to the homecoming football game and Alumni Tent Party
A Layered Approach
Darlington School graduate and Chief Advancement Officer Julie W. Lucas ’97 states that the school’s advancement team is dedicated to helping keep the connections students make while they are on campus and continuing them through graduation and beyond. The school’s 8,000-plus alumni base supports the school by advancing the mission through gifts of time and philanthropic support. “We are always evaluating how we partner with our alumni so we can best stay connected,” shares Lucas.
Darlington School is a co-ed, independent boarding and day school in Rome, GA, supporting approximately 750 students in pre-K through high school. The school’s approach to alumni relations is broken down into what Lucas describes as five main approaches: “While our approach is similar in many ways to other institutions, we have done a good job expanding our programs and being more intentional with our Alumni & Young Alumni Council, Leadership Darlington, and Darlington Connects.”
One of the challenges Darlington School faces is an alumni base that spans both the United States and the world. This presents difficulties for in-person connection, which has the potential for leaving alumni feeling disconnected. Yet, the school uses alumni survey data to enhance programming and better connect with more alumni. Two of the biggest positive impacts for Darlington School have been through the “Darlington Connects” and “Leadership Darlington” programs. Darlington Connects allows the school to connect its alumni base with not only other alumni, but also other constituents who love the school and want to support the community. Leadership Darlington has both expanded the top donor and leadership pool, as well as allowed the school to better educate alumni about the opportunities and challenges the school faces on a daily basis, encouraging alumni support.
Lucas shares that flexibility and creativity are essential to keeping all advancement programming heading in the right direction: “We find that something that works one year might not the next.”
Alumni Weekend: More than 400 alumni attend the event for reunion classes, but all alumni are invited to attend, fostering connections and camaraderie. The weekend features
Darlington Connects Events
Local and Regional Events
Student Engagement
Darlington School provides a variety of volunteer opportunities, including those specific to alumni, which are thriving programs.
This program began as a Covid response to connect alumni virtually through a mentor/mentee program but has grown into a program to better engage with all constituents, focused primarily on alumni. Various events include Veterans Day speakers and outreach, Mothers of Alumni Brunch, Fathers of Alumni Tailgates, Tiny Tiger Events for young parents to connect on an alumni and prospective parent level, Lattes in Lot for parent engagement, Commencement Brunch for all graduates and their families to celebrate together after commencement.
Strong Alumni Chapters Form the Foundation
Woodberry Forest School is an all boys boarding school, with approximately 400 students in grades 9-12, located in Woodberry Forest, Va. Dan Callahan, director of strategic communications, joined the school’s staff last year, and noted that, while the school’s strong alumni office, biannual printed magazines, and monthly newsletters are key to communications with alumni, the heart of the alumni program is the active regional chapter network. There is also tremendous alumni involvement around the rivalry football game against Episcopal High School. Several thousand alumni and parents return to campus for home games or host regional watch parties for the away games.
“The loyalty of Woodberry’s alumni makes it easy to get attendance to these events,” says Callahan. For nine consecutive years, more than 60% of Woodberry alumni have donated to the annual fund, far exceeding the typical 20% alumni participation rate (CASE Insights on Philanthropy in Independent Schools, 2023). Not surprisingly, reunion is a massive undertaking each year. Last spring, more than 600 alumni returned to campus to celebrate, including 59 members of the class of 1974 (a school record for a 50th reunion class) and 75 members of the class of 2019 (a record turnout for any class).
To pull off the many events hosted by Woodberry Forest, the 14 members of the alumni and development team join forces with dedicated volunteers, who are selected based on their engagement with the school. For each class, regional, and parent volunteer group, the school aims to compose a well-rounded group, aspiring for every member of each class or constituency group to have a good relationship with at least one volunteer. Expectations are shared with prospective volunteers, with a key element service focused on looking out for fellow classmates and taking care of each other.
Woodberry’s alumni program dates back at least to the 1940s, when the school first hired an alumni secretary. Today, volunteers return each year, as their interest and time allows, with new volunteers added, such as the formation of class volunteer groups for the most recent graduating class, parent volunteer groups for the new classes of students, and, occasionally, a new regional chapter board. Recent graduates connect with the 1889 Society, a group of students who work with initiatives focused on students and visiting alumni. In addition, as seniors prepare for graduation, they are encouraged to consider serving as a class volunteer.
More than 60% of solicitable alumni contribute to the Woodberry Forest School’s annual fund. The school sends three appeals to constituents: one at the calendar year-end; one in February to those who have not yet donated in advance of the OneWoodberry community celebration (i.e. “Give Day”), and the final sent in advance of the June 30 end of fiscal year to those who haven’t contributed. While alumni do not receive targeted solicitation letters, the OneWoodberry effort is particularly geared to alumni. Class competitions and leaderboards for both participation and dollars contributed are shared.
Indeed, the school tailors many of its communications to individual class groups. Each class has its own class email group, and the school has compiled each class’s giving history so that each class can strive to set its record for participation and dollars contributed. In the school’s annual report, top class performances and the class records set during the previous year are noted.
For several years, OneWoodberry has been more than just a Give Day. Instead, the focus has been more of a Spirit Day, with integrated campus and alumni engagement programming. All annual fund gifts made in the fiscal year to-date count in the OneWoodberry totals, which means that all alumni classes are included, regardless of age.
What’s Possible? Putting Ideas Into Action
Looking to build (or expand) an alumni engagement program? Woodberry Forest offers advice for schools exploring the launch of an alumni engagement program.
Making changes to curriculum can be daunting, but the alternative isn’t appealing – nothing will stifle a student’s engagement more than stale material that’s misaligned with their needs and interests. Through the SAIS Curriculum Reimagined online course, you’ll learn how to identify the values at the heart of your curriculum and build a plan for thoughtful and effective change.
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