1. Singing Camp Songs for Life: How Higher Ed Alumni Relations Practices Can Work for You!
Danielle T. Reddy
Director, Student/Alumni Relations
MIT Alumni Association

2. How’d I Even Get Here?

3. The Elephant in the Room

4. But We’re Not MIT… MIT alumni statistics:
137,000 alumni worldwide
80+ alumni clubs worldwide
127 Staff
And what is Student/ Alumni Relations?
Reminder that 127 staff are ALL of the MITAA, including Annual Fund. Explain RD/AA relationship.
We know you’re not going to have a broad-scale 80-club structure, BUT… how can we utilize some of MIT’s engagement tactics, closer to home, to engage your populations?

5. Student/Alumni Relations: What We Do
Parent Programs
IC Blitz
Graduate Alumni Programs
Pi Reunion
MIT10
Family Weekend
Student Ambassadors
Student Group Reunions
Alumni Talks
Campus Preview Weekend
Externship Program
Parent Orientation
Coaching/Mentorship
Department/Lab/Center Relations
So… what does this all mean for you today?
Athletics Alumni Relations
FSILG Alumni Relations

6. Measuring Engagement Living by the Venn diagram
Tracking: why and what?
All good development starts with metrics. If you’re not tracking, even just the basics, you’re not going to be as successful as you could be.
Who are your alumni/ae? Where are they? What are they doing? HOW do they want to be involved?
This comes from tracking who is going to certain events, responding to certain things, and keeping track of this over time.
It’s also tracking what your STUDENTS are doing, because it makes a difference in alumni relations.

7. FY16 Unique Undergraduate Alumni Engagement (at end of FY16)
32% OF UG ALUMNI WERE ENGAGED PHILANTHROPICALLY*
28% OF UG ALUMNI WERE ENGAGED FACE-TO-FACE
MINDSHARE UG ALUMNI ENGAGED
IN ALL 3 WAYS
FACE-TO-FACE & PHILANTHROPIC & VIRTUAL
12%
MINDSHARE
Visualization of our metrics, Venn Diagram…
Just for undergraduate alumni, 56% were engaged in FY16
40% OF UG ALUMNI WERE ENGAGED VIRTUALLY**
FY2016 Year-end
56% of all living UG alumni are engaged
*Participation Rates may differ, as some alumni are not solicitable or “fund-active.”
**Virtual does not include social media like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

8. Let’s Start at the Very Beginning
Alumni Relations starts on the 1st day of camp, or even before!
Campers are part of a wider community
Campers should see alumni volunteers
Alumni and Welcoming
Campers can play a part in Alumni Relations, too!
You want campers to model behavior, so show them alumni AT camp if you can.
Do you do a welcome letter campaign from fellow campers? How about alumni?
Do you highlight alumni on staff?
Are there ways to bring alumni back during the year?
Winter alumni-current camper reunions?

9. If We Build It… Will They Come?
The Ask
We need to create an intentionality around how we invite alumni to participate in activities.
The activity/opportunity needs to be clear and meaningful to the cohort we’re targeting.
The Volunteer
We need to deputize alumni to join us in this work.
Alumni volunteers should work under a structure they can manage (mostly).
Intentionality is important – if we don’t know what we’re asking people to do, they don’t know what to expect, and don’t know when they’re successful.
Are you building something for new alumni? More experienced alumni? All alumni?
Make the description of their volunteer opportunity clear and manageable.
You are often small teams – utilize your volunteers to reach fellow alumni. Foster a network!
Deputize your volunteers to do the work you can’t.

10. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Make it easier for you to get alumni to do the work for you
What are your key areas of focus?
Deputize, deputize, deputize (use PAC example)
Are you thinking about your former staff? My experience made me a Belvoir girl – but they don’t take advantage of that.
Spouses? Children?

11. Reunited… and it Feels So Good
Textbook Reunions
Traditions!
Timing
The traditional reunion isn’t always working
MIT is working to change things
Other schools already have – Emerson moving away from years, onto affinities
What makes sense for your population?
Are smaller reunions right, or should they include everyone?
What’s the right timing?
Can you handle a reunion over the summer? Every summer? Major years only?
Does your reunion need to be AT camp?

12. Location, Location, Location
Colleges
Careers
Families/Legacies
Former Staff
Meet your alumni where they are
There’s power in going to where your alumni are
Do you keep records of where alumni move post-high school? Post-college?
Are your campers going to some schools in wider numbers?
Are campers moving to the same cities after graduation?
Think about a Boston reunion of younger and older campers (maybe around something that IS happening at camp at that time)
Where are your alumni gathering without you putting any work into it?
USE YOUR VOLUNTEERS

13. Alumni Relations is Universal
Jack Fischer, currently on International Space Station.
Did a NASA downlink for 20 minutes for students and alumni
Webcast
Pre-event with professors explaining what it’s like being in space
Who do you have who can help? Who do you have who can speak?

14. Fueling Your Future Careers/Networking Secondary/College preparation
Last Lecture
Coaching
Look at NY Connection Program at Emerson
Can alumni do college nights in individual areas? Share their expertise with the community?
Angela Belcher, women in STEM come from girls in STEM. Girls decide by age 5 or 6 that they aren’t “good” in STEM subjects. Who are your STEM alumnae? How can they be involved with your students? Science fairs?

15. We Are Who We Are
Embrace your quirks, know who you are as an institution, and don’t be afraid to utilize that… even the less fun stuff.
Remind camp alumni of what makes you unique – and find ways to ignite that in their memories

16. Don’t Just Dream Big, Follow Through
You’ve developed programs, opportunities, and events… what happens now? Your camp here 
Do you need your own Venn? (Maybe.)
Follow-up is everything!
Always being saying to yourself “great, they showed up. How do we get them to come back again?”
What are our next steps?
If you have an event or a set of events, and don’t track or follow up… what’s the point?

17. Thank you!
MIT Logs at Symphony Hall!

18. Questions?
Danielle Reddy Director, Student/Alumni Relations MIT Alumni Association