Preconference Workshops: Student Engagement and Recent Alumni
8:30 AM - 11:30 AM ET
Speaker(s): David Erwin, Chief Advancement Officer, Central Catholic High School, D Sydney Rybicki, Associate Director of Alumni Relations, University of Vermont, Mat Delaire, Assistant Director, Annual Giving, URI Foundation and Alumni Engagement
8:45 AM – 9:15 AM
Poll and Discussion
Get on the same page and break the ice:
- Interactive poll: How Do We Define Young Alumni?
- Open discussion: How does this definition affect your outreach and engagement?
- Why definitions matter for accurate segmentation, messaging, and goal setting
- How institutional culture influences these definitions (i.e. GOLD, 10 Under 10)
- Airing of grievances and bragging rights: What has made you cringe and what has made you brag?
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM
Generational Definitions and Norms
Understanding Millennial & Gen Z Engagement
- Basic definitions of generations based on birth year
- Cultural trends associated with generations connected to the term “young alumni”
- Philanthropic habits of Millennials vs. Gen Z
- Their top motivations for giving and volunteering
- How they respond to authenticity, transparency, immediacy, and digital-first communication
- Key themes to keep in mind when crafting communications
- Common barriers to engagement and strategies for overcoming them
- Monthly giving to mimic subscription services
- Time for questions and answers
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Student AKA Future Recent Alumni Engagement
Building a Culture of Philanthropy: Creating the Alumni Pipeline
1. Identifying Student Leaders
- Where leaders emerge (student orgs, club sports, residential life, ambassador programs)
- Working with advisors and staff members to ensure continuity during student leadership transitions
- Integrating philanthropy messaging into established programs such as orientation, tours, Greek life, and residence halls
- Establishing consistent data integrity to code student leaders
2. Training Student Fundraising Volunteers
- Teaching the fundamentals of higher-ed philanthropy
- Developing student storytellers and social media mobilizers/influencers/advocates
- Demonstrating the tangible impact of donors on the student experience
- Using peer-to-peer strategies during Giving Days, class gifts, and club fundraising
- Establishing clear roles for student volunteers and incentivizing participation as professional development
- Normalizing participation beyond just financial giving
- Providing clear paths to volunteering beyond giving days or charitable gifts