Key Takeaways
- Universities rely on alumni fundraising to support various initiatives, but they need to focus on engaging younger graduates within the last ten years.
- COVID-19 significantly impacted the college experience for students, leading to disconnect and stress.
- Approaches to reconnecting with young alumni include providing value, segmenting alumni, consistent communication, offering volunteer opportunities, and using software tools for analysis.
- Multi-channel digital engagement through dedicated webpages, mental health resources, career development workshops, social events, and personalized emails can foster relationships with recent graduates and inspire future donations.
Universities rely on fundraising for various purposes, such as capital construction, student scholarships, classroom innovation, and faculty recruitment. Alumni play a significant role in fundraising efforts, with almost a quarter of the nearly $60 billion donated to colleges in 2022 coming from alumni. While historically, older alumni contribute the largest donations, universities need to focus on the potential of younger alumni who graduated within the last ten years.
According to Inside Education, graduates with positive student and alumni experiences, college connections, and professional success are the strongest alumni donors. As universities plan for the future in capturing funding from younger alumni, the University President and the Alumni Affairs Director must consider how to build relationships with recent graduates who had lackluster experiences due to the pandemic. Engaged alumni with a sense of community and pride in the university are more likely to donate in future years as they build their careers and gain financial standing.
Effects of COVID on college students
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional college experience was significantly impacted, with campuses closing down and affecting academic and social aspects.
- Most universities shifted to remote classes, leading to a disconnect from the campus and reduced connections with other students. Using platforms such as Zoom hindered spontaneous discussions and interaction among students.
- The abrupt shift to online learning caused stress and anxiety for students and teachers, as both had to adapt quickly to a new platform.
- Study abroad programs were canceled, disrupting students' experiences and studies and resulting in financial losses.
- The cancellation or online venue of university clubs, activities, and events reduced network connections and personal experiences. Additionally, no fans were allowed at college athletic events, impacting campus culture, spirit, and the sense of community.
These factors strained the student-institutional relationship, especially as many students dealt with mental health issues and pandemic-related stressors such as financial difficulties. Even as activities and classes return to campus, the long-term impact of COVID-19 on graduates, including feelings of “missing out,” will continue to affect them for years.
Classes significantly affected by COVID
COVID-19 impacted five college classes, with the last graduating in 2025. The Class of 2020 was the first to experience virtual graduation ceremonies and enter the workforce that was facing closures. The classes of 2021 through 2023 had their college experiences disrupted at some point in their four years, while students in the classes of 2024 and 2025 have never known college without the pandemic.
Many students lost connections and interest in participating in clubs or virtual events through platforms like Zoom. Some felt that they were unable to form strong relationships in college or meet new people at the beginning or end of their college years. Some had to move back home during the pandemic and found it challenging to readjust to college life, feeling like first-year students when classes resumed on campus.
Approaches to Reconnect with Younger Alumni
As alumni fundraising is crucial to the sustainability and future of colleges, re-establishing and deepening connections with recent alumni is important as they represent the pool of future major donors. While not the biggest contributors, they can become repeat and reliable donors. Don't discount the value of small donations. Here are some tactics for building relationships with recent graduates.
Give before asking
Don't initially ask for money, as recent graduates may feel solicited and that they already paid what they owe. This is especially true for recent grades affected by the pandemic who don't feel motivated by a sense of duty.
Provide meaningful value
Institutions should take the first step by engaging recent alumni with valuable content and events that are relevant to them. This can help establish a meaningful connection.
Segment alumni
Fundraising departments should create targeted outreach campaigns to motivate various alumni groups. Creating a profile or persona for individuals can help tailor communications effectively.
Engage and communicate often
Be patient, as many younger graduates won't respond when building careers and paying off loans. Consistent outreach builds a connection and lets students know that their college institution is there for them.
Volunteer opportunities
Offer volunteer opportunities to give other than money while providing them with a chance to meet new people and increase their affinity with the university.
Use software tools to both implement and analyze results
Understanding their contributions and engagement levels can provide insightful data to tailor strategies effectively.
Types of engagement
To increase engagement and foster stronger relationships among younger alumni, a multi-channel digital approach is recommended. This approach may involve offering additional resources or experiences that extend beyond the current offerings.
These can include:
- A dedicated alumni web page accessible by mobile phone. The web page should offer value and a sense of community by providing resources, discounts on services and products, and valuable resources.
- Virtual mental health resources and professional resources for alumni. Many graduates may be experiencing ongoing stress and anxiety due to the pandemic, so acknowledging this need and offering help can create value with many recent graduates.
- Virtual career development workshops focused on skill enhancement and in-person network opportunities to make connections in specific fields can be beneficial for recent graduates who are starting careers.
- Social events tailored to specific alumni segments, such as those who experienced college life during the pandemic, can create an environment where alumni can bond over shared experiences.
- Targeted and personalized emails categorized by college, curriculum, athletics, class, etc. This approach is effective, as most individuals check email as the first task of the day.
- Social media to relay different messages. For instance, LinkedIn can be used to provide resources to help alumni find jobs and connect with other professionals. Twitter is a great forum for brief updates, while Instagram can showcase photos to generate memories.
By adding value to the college experience, building relationships, and nurturing long-term loyalty, universities can inspire the same levels of gratitude and enthusiasm in young alumni seen in previous generations that lead to getting fundraising results.
