Alumni Websites: The Key To A Thriving Campus Community

Building an engaging alumni website is key to the success of an alumni community for a higher education institution.

It’s the time of year again. Colleges and universities have sent another batch of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed graduates into the world to make their way, hoping they stay connected to their alma mater. To make sure these new graduates stay engaged, schools need to provide a great online experience that facilitates connections and community, and shows how important and active alumni group is to a thriving higher education community.

Alumni associations segment their membership in a number of different ways, from grouping by class year to affinity group to region. But regardless of how alumni are categorized, they all expect to find the information they need and engage with their cohort online. Whether through the association’s website, individual segment websites, or social media, alumni want specific information such as:

  • Campus news

  • Milestone reports

  • Class updates

  • Event calendars

  • Localized information

  • Photosharing

  • Faculty news

Despite offering all the right content on all the right channels, it can be challenging to keep alumni engaged. Even though alumni typically have positive feelings toward their school and want a continued relationship in order to connect with classmates, engage in planned giving, network for career opportunities, and join a social community, they tend to be too busy to regularly participate in events and activities. However, there are key moments that open the door to reconnecting. Research shows that certain inflection points are life cycle events that trigger a re-engagement among alumni. These include:

  • The start of a new job

  • A move to a new location

  • A child going off to college

Successfully building a lifelong connection with alumni is key to meeting many institutional goals including fundraising, student recruitment, career development and networking, and elevating the school’s profile. By investing in the creation of an online resource for alumni, colleges and universities not only keep their community thriving, but they also ensure their own long-term success.