The Effectiveness of Alumni Engagement in the Recruitment Process: How Alumni Make Your School “Shine”

Presented by:Mr. Stanley J. Kania III, MBA

Marywood University

If You Would Like a Copy of this Presentation… Please e-mail me at stankania@marywood.edu

About Me Academic Background

PhD Candidate, Human Development (Concentration in Higher Education Administration), Marywood University

MBA General Management, Marywood University BA Political Science/Law, Marywood University

Professional/Volunteer Background Graduate Admissions Counselor, Marywood University Vice-President, Marywood University Alumni Association Board of Directors

Research Interests Alumni engagement in recruitment, education policy, rising higher

education costs and student debt, and leadership in post-secondary institutions.

About Marywood Founded in 1915 by the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate

Heart of Mary Started off as an all-women college

Gained “University” status in 1997 Men were first enrolled in 1970

Gained full co-ed status in 1988 International students first enrolled in 1917 Began offering graduate study in 1921

Started conferring MA degrees in 1922

About Marywood Currently has approximately 3,400 enrolled students

1,200 are graduate and doctoral students Offers over 60 undergraduate programs and 36 graduate programs,

including the Ph.D in Human Development, Psy.D in Clinical Psychology, MArch in Architecture, EdS in School Psychology, and a low-residency MFA Program

Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Athletics

9 Men’s Sports and 10 Women’s Sports Member of the CSAC (Colonial States Athletic Conference)

Student Recruitment Process Traditional Recruiting

Web inquiries/applications University Admissions events

Student Panels Open Houses Faculty Appointments Campus tours Individual student appointments/ “walk-ins”

Marketing Materials Mailings, website, e-mails, viewbooks, graduate catalogs

What About Alumni??? Let’s Discuss!!

What are your thoughts on alumni engagement in recruiting students? Helpful? Not quite? Why or why not??

Why do you use alumni in recruiting students? Why don’t you? Implications (long-term and short-term)?

Marwood University Alumni Marywood has over 50,000 alumni spanning across all 50

states and more than 20 countries! Active alumni chapters located in Northeastern Pennsylvania,

Georgia, Arizona, Philadelphia, Florida, New York, and Puerto Rico 800-900 average graduates annually

Recruiting Students with Alumni Why alumni???

Prospective students and alumni share common views Why did they chose this school? How did it help educate them to enter

the job market and professional careers? Presents opportunities for parents to ask questions to alumni

How did their education set them up for success? Would they do it all over again at the same institution? More prospective graduate students bring parents to open houses and

Graduate Admissions event Starts the networking process between students and alumni

early

Student Benefits of Alumni Recruitment Better sense of student life

Life as a student, clubs/organizations to join Better sense on academics

What coursework/degree is needed to enter certain job fields and internships

Establish relationships for personal recommendations and future mentorship

Opportunity is knocking! Engaging students with alumni facilitates networking Helps develop the “professional side” of students

Alumni Benefits of Alumni Recruitment Actively engages alumni with institution

Knowledge of institutional changes and enhancements (i.e. facilities, programs, etc.) creates an affinity to the college/university and makes them a valid, knowledgeable spokesperson

Provides alumni with satisfaction in giving back to their alma mater

Keeps alumni knowledgeable about market trends Allows for pertinent data to be conveyed to students for their

benefit

Institution Benefit of Alumni Recruitment Cultivating relationships with alumni make them more apt

to increase volunteerism and make philanthropic donations to the institution

Alumni referrals go a long way Alumni Referral Programs

Alumni Recruitment: How is it Done? Try to target:

Younger and more recent alumni Fresh perspectives on campus/student life, “the real world”, job market,

and academic advice to aid in increasing potential job opportunities Mid-level and senior managers

What do employers look for in applicants? Student internship opportunities

Alumni board members Allows students to gain access to connections across multiple industries

and develop professional networks

Alumni Recruitment: How is it Done? Affinity group alumni

Student government, Graduate Student Council, campus ministry/service, athletic teams, clubs/organizations, etc.

Former Admissions Student Ambassadors Already knowledgeable about the institution, commonly asked

questions, and admissions process

Great…But How Do We Find Them??? Alumni registry

Alumni records with updated contact information Student records and yearbooks

Academic programs, athletic rosters, student activities records (i.e. clubs/organizations)

Social media outlets Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

Alumni Recruitment at Marywood Undergraduate Open Houses Educators on Campus Program

Referral program for high school seniors Must be referred by a Marywood alumni educator

Scholarship money available for qualified students referred by alumni educator

One weekend a semester presentations to local high school teachers and guidance counselors

Grad Finale Event before finals where students pick up regalia, pay final bills, submit

Senior Survey Alumni help recruit students for employment, internships, graduate school

Pacer Alumni Recruiting Team (PART) Program The Pacer Alumni Recruitment Team (PART) Program is a group comprised solely of Marywood

University alumni who volunteer their time to further aid the overall recruitment efforts of the Office of University Admissions. Almuni will work closely with the Office of University Admissions to aid in recruiting future

Marywood University students The Admissions Counselor will contact alumni with a list of recruiting events in their area

that Marywood University is attending. Alumni can volunteer in various ways, such as:

Attending a college fair/school visit as a Marywood University ambassador in their area; Volunteer as an alumni panelist at University Open Houses and Orientation events; Reaching out to prospective and accepted students to offer advice on making the most of

their time at Marywood University; Attend luncheons or receptions with Admissions Counselors in their area.

Alumni Recruitment at Marywood: Alumni

Profiles

Chris

Undergraduate Degree in Communication ArtsI graduated in 2003 and immediately moved to Los Angeles with my wife to break into the movie business. (She's a MU graduate as well.) I found my way to DreamWorks Animation. For nine great years, I worked with amazing teams of artists crafting entertainment enjoyed by people the world over. I worked on everything from The Croods to Kung Fu Panda. After finishing The Croods, I left DreamWorks and joined DisneyToon Studios where I currently handle stereoscopic-camera-finaling on Planes: Fire and Rescue. I go through every single shot of the movie and not only fine tune the camera work to make sure it's perfect, I also help creatively drive the 3D version of the movie.

You may be wondering how my time at Marywood helped me get into the field of animation. With its liberal arts core, Marywood better prepares you for your career than you might have imagined. It's the foundation that you build upon. You use the smaller class sizes to your advantage by creating bonds with your professors, who are working professionals in most cases. For me, it was really exploring the technology and art of filmmaking. This was a natural introduction into the world of computer-generated animation; an art form I have always loved.

Alumni Recruitment at Marywood:

Alumni Profiles

Ryan

Graduate Degree in Nutrition and DieteticsI have a bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and a master's degree in Sports Nutrition and Exercise Science from Marywood. After obtaining my master’s degree, I found a career that was the perfect fit…working for PowerBar!

In my position, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many athletes, novice and veteran, and teach them the proper recommendations in sports nutrition to help reach their fitness goals. Over the past eight years, I’ve been fortunate to have met many talented professional and world-class athletes, including Josh Cox (Olympic marathoner), Brandi Chastain (World Cup soccer champ, pictured at right), Peter Reid (three time Ironman World Champion), and Meb Keflezighi (Olympic silver medalist marathoner). I’ve attended several marathon expos, including the Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and New York City Marathon and have participated on expert panels with some of the above mentioned athletes.

In 2005, I started my own software company, Visual Veggies Software. I created the company to develop software study materials for other nutrition students preparing for their national registration exams. The software is used or recommended by over 80 nutrition departments at various colleges and universities throughout the nation.

EXAMPLES OF ALUMNI RECRUITING AND EVENTS

Graduate Open Houses Host Open House events around university

events/traditions Ex. Homecoming, board meetings, alumni reunions (i.e.

Reunion/Alumni Weekend), on-campus alumni events, athletic events “If you build it, they WILL come”

Effective utilization of alumni at Open Houses will increase the amount of Alumni Admissions Ambassadors

Alumni get a sense of appreciation and importance in aiding the institution recruit students

Connect-the-Dots Networking event during Graduate Open House or

Graduate Orientation Alumni from different industries speak and network with

students according to program of interest Offer with resume reviews, mock interviews,

professional/academic advice, internship/job opportunities

Alumni Mailings and Phone Calls Mailings

E-letters or mailings sent to prospective students from the alumni about their experiences at the institution. Highlight academics, extra-curricular activities, professional

development opportunities, etc. Successes of alumni through personalized mailings to students help

create strong bonds to the institution Usually sent to inquiries after initial contact is made by the counselor. Highlight 2-3 different alumni across different backgrounds within the

specific program of interest.

Alumni Mailings and Phone Calls Phone Calls

Alumni from specific programs will call accepted students prior to their semester of entry Further establishes an affinity to the institution and program of study

Sense of feeling part of “an exclusive club”

Alumni Mentorship Program Alumni serve as professional industry mentors to students.

Aid in advice about the job market, available positions, internship opportunities, etc.

“Professional-Side vs. Academic-Side” of students. Excellent resources for access to recommendations and other

professional networks.

Student-Alumni Social Accepted/Confirmed students attend an informal social

gathering with alumni on campus. Added avenue of networking and displaying the benefit of

education from the particular institution. Turn accepted students into confirmed students!

Could also be an event for a Graduate Orientation

What Have We Learned? Takeaways

Benefits of alumni engagement in the recruitment process How to engage alumni in recruiting students Admissions events to increase alumni engagement and recruitment

Your Task: Develop a strategy to engage alumni recruitment at your institution

Coordinate with necessary Admissions and Office of Alumni personnel.

“Baby steps…” “Test the Waters”

Bibliography

Dolbert, S.C. “Alumni Admissions Programs.” In J.A. Feudo (ed.), Alumni Relations: A Newcomer’s Guideto Success. New York: Council for theAdvancement and Support of Education, 2000

McAlexander, J.H., and Koenig, H.E. “University Experiences, the Student-College Relationship,and Alumni Support.” Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 2001, 10(3), 21-43

BibliographyPastorella, M.J. “Keeping in Touch: Alumni Development

in Community Colleges.” In M.D. Milliron, G.E.de los Santos, and B. Browing (eds.), SuccessfulApproaches to Fundraising and Development. NewDirections for Community Colleges, no. 124.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003

Singer, T.S. and Hughey, A.W. “The Role of the Alumni Association in Student Life.” In M.B. Snyder (ed.),Student Affairs and External Relations. New Directions for Student Services, no. 100. SanFrancisco: Joseey-Bass, 2002

Contact Information

Stanley J. Kania III, MBAGraduate Admissions Counselor

Marywood University2300 Adams AvenueScranton, PA 18509

E-mail: stankania@marywood.eduPhone: 570-340-6002 Ext. 2271