Download - Clare Gordon - Alumni Relations Masterclass
Student engagement and the student experience
Clare Gordon, Alumni Events [email protected], +44 (0)121 414 8904
In the next 30 minutes….
Why student experience is such a hot topic
Why engage with students
Why you shouldn’t be afraid to jump in!
Shaping our Future: Birmingham 2015
5 key strategic goals, one of which is to:– “Provide our students
with a distinctive, high quality experience”
How can alumni relations help?
Alumni have so much to offer students Broader themes of employability and global
impact give us an opportunity to be relevant to other parts of the University
Fundraising can enhance the student experience
Engaged students become engaged alumni
Why engage with students? Great opportunity Dispel myths Educate Promote students as ambassadors for your
institution Connect with campus life and issues Steward/cultivate alumni The beginning of a lifelong relationship
Staff resources Started in October 2007 as Alumni Projects
Officer Tasked with developing and implementing
DARO’s student engagement strategy Joined in 2008/09 by CARMs who help to
implement strategy at a College level My role now includes the delivery of the
alumni events programme (12-15 per year)
Student survey – December 2007 Only 20.8% knew about DARO One third of respondents were aware of alumni
financial support 71.6% wanted to know more about the career paths of
alumni from their departments 57% wanted to know more about prominent alumni
who have reached the top of their professions 70% of respondents wanted access to careers advice
after graduation
MBA research – Summer 2008
Recommendations included:1. Students need to be made more aware of
impact of alumni donations2. Birmingham should be an early (UK)
adopter of a student alumni association
Where we started Increased presence at student events across
campus
Increased involvement with careers events Poster campaign across campus
Involved with HoneyPot Overhauled presence at graduations
Established in September 2009 51 members in 2009/10, 60 so far in 2010/11 6 committee members Open to all students £5 membership fee – includes t-shirt and £1
donation to Circles of Influence campaign
Goals
Raise the profile of DARO Transfer DARO-organised events to students,
providing them with skills Introduce students to the benefits offered to alumni
before they graduate Cultivate future alumni leadership Opportunities for students to network with alumni Encourage students to develop a lifelong relationship
with the University
Recruitment events
Table for Ten
Students v Alumni Pub Quiz
Networking Workshop
Fab ‘n’ Fresh nights
Attending alumni events
The 3 year plan 80 members by the end of 2010-11. Annual Giving tag campaign this summer 120 members by the end of 2011-12, with a 50%
retention rate of 2010-11 members. All 7 committee members elected by September
2011. By start of 2011-12, committee members to be
planning all aspects of BFL events Create more opportunities for student/alumni contact
Student Life Survey 2010/11 16% have heard of DARO
– Higher for PGR and final year students– Advertising/publications/emails
7% have heard of Birmingham. For life. 37% feel that DARO’s most important function is
fundraising (UG), 35% that it is keeping in touch with alumni (PGR & PGT)
51% would like the opportunity to network with alumni
Where we are now Birmingham. For life. Student communications strategy
– Student e-newsletters– Presence on student portal– Welcome Week messages– Annual Giving messages
More focussed careers events including Table for Ten
Greater presence at graduations– Graduation goodie bags and data collection– Arts & Law yearbook– Good Luck email– 2013 graduation gift
Greater sense of identity among scholarship recipients
Greater understanding of the value alumni can add to the student experience
Resources
Student Alumni Association Forum– Warwick Connective– OxSAS– Aberdeen Student Alumni Club– Manchester and Southampton have initial
ideas CASE ASAP – www.case.org/asap
Now it’s over to you!
Clare’s top tips:– Start small but keep it broad– Keep it fun - the less corporate the better!– Let your students come up with the ideas– Demonstrate that you are relevant to them
now
Student engagement and the student experience
Clare Gordon, Alumni Events [email protected], +44 (0)121 414 8904