From the Nominator

Young alumni sentiments about Stanford have declined in recent years. Meanwhile, our data shows that they crave connection with classmates and friends locally. We created the Young Alumni Opportunity Fund to encourage young alums (0-10 years out for undergrad, 0-5 years out for grad) to self-organize and engage with their Stanford communities in ways that worked best for them. Our launch email (tagline: “Hang out with Stanford friends on Stanford’s dime”), sent to all young alums globally, had a 10.3% click-through rate, greater than three times our average.  We invited alums to request up to $100 to subsidize a gathering that they would plan, and they responded immediately and positively, sharing comments like: “This would be such a great opportunity to see folks I haven’t been able to in 2+ years!” “Having a social life in SF can be expensive and out of many people’s budget, so I’m excited to use this opportunity to bring people together!” Nearly 220 alums submitted event proposals, and 85 came to fruition, from dinners to ski trips, sports games to hikes, movie nights to picnics, and more. In all, the program engaged 679 young alumni worldwide at ~$8 per engagement. In other words, we achieved a remarkable level of engagement for this cohort while spending less than half the cost of traditional programs like welcome events and mixers. Overall, we were able to identify hundreds of new potential volunteers, increase positive feelings about the university, and, most importantly, empower young alums to reconnect with their Stanford communities in ways that were meaningful to them.

From the Judges

Stanford developed an innovative approach to reengaging young alumni that streamlined planning logistics for staff and maximized outreach. This cost-effective strategy empowered young alumni to take the initiative and creatively tailor their own Stanford communities wherever they were located.