How Alumni Relations Can Boost Admissions— And Vice Versa
Dr. Katelyn Sanders
Director of Admission
& Alumni Affairs
Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy
Shenandoah University
Dr. Scott D. Miller
President
Virginia Wesleyan University
Active and engaged alumni are a vital component of any college’s long-term success. But while alumni support is obviously crucial in areas like philanthropy and public relations, there’s one important opportunity that many higher education institutions overlook: the potentially electric connection between alumni and admissions.
Your alumni — especially recent graduates — are better equipped than almost anyone else to tell prospective students what makes your school so special. Their experience, perspective, and passion can be a tremendous asset to your recruiting and enrollment efforts. The key is to find impactful ways to connect your school’s alumni with your new and potential students.
Here are several ways that your admissions and alumni relations departments can benefit from finding new ways to collaborate.
Establishing Your School as a Lifelong Community
It’s no secret that social media and COVID–19 have greatly disrupted the social aspects of school, leading to a widespread feeling of disconnection and loneliness among Gen Z, who often struggle to make friends. As a result, young people are actively searching for community, connection, and a feeling of belonging. By involving your alumni in the recruitment, onboarding, and mentorship process of new students, you can position your school as a learning institution that strengthens social bonds and fosters lifelong friendships, which is the kind of meaningful connection many prospective students crave. Furthermore, by introducing prospects to alumni, you demonstrate that graduates of your program are eager to stay in touch and give back to the next generation, which speaks volumes about the value of your education.
Previewing the “Real World” for Incoming Students
What does life look like after college? For a high school senior who hasn’t even committed to a college yet, that question could sound premature. But the better these students understand what their degree will lead to, the wiser they’ll be when making decisions throughout their college years. By sharing spotlights of successful alumni in their field of interest, or even inviting alums to host “real world 101” workshops for new and prospective students, you can prove your commitment to setting enrolled students up for long-term success.
Mentoring Students to Increase Their Odds of Success
Alumni who enjoyed their college experience often want to find ways to stay connected and give back, though they may not always be able to do so through monetary gifts. For this reason, establishing a mentorship program that matches willing alumni with interested students in the same degree program is a fruitful investment for everyone involved: new and prospective students receive first-hand academic and career advice from someone in their field, alums feel better engaged with their alma mater and valued as contributors in the school’s continued success, and the school itself will likely enjoy greater engagement from mentored students both during their education and after they graduate, as they may be inclined to join the mentorship program in order to help the next generation of learners just like them.
Providing Lifelines for Struggling Learners
What are the top challenges that cause students in your program to struggle or drop out? Which alumni faced similar challenges, but overcame them? Consider working with your alumni relations team or even with instructors directly to identify alums who might have insights on these issues. They can offer students heartfelt advice because they were in the same situation not too long ago.
Serving as a Role Model for First-Generation Students
Students whose parents didn’t attend college sometimes need extra help navigating the college world. Having a “big brother/big sister” alumni role model who can provide relatable guidance may reduce the stress of these situations and increase the retention and success rates of students who may lack effective support from other sources.
Increasing Referrals of Like-Minded Students
The best evaluators of potential new students just might be your school’s former graduates. You might offer a recommendation program through which your alumni can refer a potential student to the school. If that student enrolls, the alum receives a referral fee. This incentivizes alumni to keep an eye out for young people they think would be a good fit for a school they know very well.
Amplifying Alumni Giving
Forming a strong relationship with alumni relations isn’t just a one-way benefit for admissions. Alums who are actively involved in their alma mater are more likely to donate as well. This means working together between departments can not only boost enrollment — which therefore leads to even more alumni down the line — but it can also boost your institution’s endowment, too.
Reframing How You View Each Applicant
Likewise, don’t just think of prospective students as potential enrollees. Instead, view each of them as a future alumnus with the ability to help generations of students who come after them. But remember, what they’ll tell others about their time in college starts with admissions, so be sure to treat them like honored alumni from day one.
Dr. Scott D. Miller is President of Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Dr. Katelyn “Katie” Sanders is Director of Admissions and Alumni Affairs at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia.