Session Description: How does your institution engage with its network? This seemingly simple question is often met with a complex web of systems that vary by user profiles, university departments, vendors, digital platforms and organizational priorities. Many higher education institutions are plagued by siloed agendas that make accessing, maintaining and leveraging your outreach efforts feel overwhelming.

In this session, we will examine how Santa Clara University (SCU) is re-envisioning its approach to outreach. Since 2020, the Jesuit university of Silicon Valley has been designing, implementing, and expanding one seamless pipeline that provides a curated and personal experience for every stage of the Bronco lifecycle: prospective, admitted and current students, undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, alumni and friends of the university. We will also provide an analysis into the best practices, data, campus partnerships and advancements necessary to connect our community of Broncos across the world.

In response to the COVID pandemic, the SCU Admissions Department pivoted to virtual recruitment efforts by partnering with PeopleGrove. This new partnership resulted in immediate success by connecting prospective and recently accepted students to the campus community and alumni. SCU’s Career Center, Alumni Association, and Division for Student Life began to examine how leveraging that platform could benefit the entire SCU community; students, alumni, faculty/staff, parents. A university-wide approach that supports networking and mentorship needs was developed: Bronco Exchange, Student & Alumni Connections. This platform allows us to scale and provide equitable access to our community around shared interests, ideas, industries and identities.