A new era of alumni engagement

Embracing change and leveraging opportunities

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Introduction

The 2022 decision by U.S. News & World Report to eliminate alumni donations from the criteria for their college ranking system has been met with a mix of relief and anticipation within the higher education fundraising community. This change, resulting from long-term efforts by CASE and many fundraising professionals, acknowledges the widely held belief that the true measure of alumni involvement encompasses far more than just financial contributions. As institutions navigate this new landscape, it is essential to recognize the dedication and expertise of advancement offices that have long championed a comprehensive strategy for engaging constituents.

Understanding the impetus for change

The alumni giving metric, which previously accounted for a minor part of a school’s total ranking, was the overly simplistic calculation of the percentage of contactable undergraduate alumni who made a gift. Advancement professionals have consistently argued that this measurement didn’t reflect the diverse ways alumni support their alma maters, potentially leading to a skewed perception of how well schools connect with their graduates.

CASE launched a new alumni engagement measurement system in 2018 to better represent the various ways graduates interact with their alma maters. By classifying significant alumni interactions into Philanthropic, Volunteerism, Experiential, and Communication categories (as seen in the CASE model), institutions can gain a more comprehensive understanding of their alumni engagement efforts and identify areas for growth.

Leveraging opportunities in the new landscape

Advancement offices have consistently recognized the importance of fostering long-lasting connections with graduates. With the removal of the alumni giving metric from U.S. News & World Report’s rankings, these dedicated professionals now have an opportunity to focus on cultivating new and deepening existing constituent relationships.

As institutions adapt to this new reality, advancement offices can continue to refine and enhance their strategies, centering on:

  • Broadening outreach to include more than just undergraduate degree-holders: Broadening the focus to include parents, friends, and community members can help drive participation and support from a wider range of constituents.
  • Cultivating potential benefactors: Developing targeted outreach approaches that cultivate interest and involvement before making financial asks can lead to more sustainable relationships.
  • Enhancing stewardship and donor experience: Drawing inspiration from the for-profit sector’s customer relationship management practices, advancement offices can ensure that donors feel valued and understand the impact of their collective contributions.
  • Tailoring communication: Shifting away from rankings-driven appeals and emphasizing the impact of giving and the sense of belonging that can accompany philanthropy resonates more deeply with alumni.

How Hivebrite can support advancement offices

At Hivebrite, we understand the challenges and opportunities that advancement offices face in this new era of alumni engagement. Our platform captures data from all four CASE engagement categories, providing institutions with a more complete view of alumni involvement. Hivebrite simplifies the process of compiling alumni engagement data, allowing advancement offices to focus on their core mission instead of chasing data points. 

We recognize the expertise and dedication of advancement professionals and aim to support their efforts by providing tools and insights that complement their existing strategies. Our goal is to empower institutions to make choices based on information and identify initiatives that offer the best results for the resources invested, maximizing the effectiveness and ROI of their alumni engagement efforts. Learn more about how Hivebrite’s Community Analytics can help you measure and improve engagement across all CASE categories.

Conclusion

U.S. News & World Report’s decision to stop considering undergraduate alumni participation as a proxy for alumni engagement presents an exciting opportunity for advancement offices to shift their focus to driving engagement more broadly and creating valuable connections with a broader range of constituents. By embracing a comprehensive strategy for alumni engagement, as outlined by the CASE’s framework, institutions can double down on nurturing relationships with their graduates, leading to increased support and advocacy. Hivebrite is committed to supporting advancement offices in this new landscape, providing the tools and insights needed to complement their existing strategies and thrive in this new era of alumni engagement.