Alumni engagement is not one-size-fits-all. While central alumni programs provide broad reach, academic units offer unparalleled opportunities to engage alumni in ways that align with their academic identity and professional interests. In recognizing this, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has unlocked deeper, more meaningful alumni connections through a hybrid model that combines the power of centralized strategy with the precision of unit-specific execution.

At VCU, six directors of alumni engagement operate within the central Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) department, each serving and working closely with up to three academic units. Through the lens of one director supporting the School of Education, School of Social Work, and L. Douglas Wilder School of Public Affairs, this session will explore how this structure works in practice. Attendees will gain insight into how academic unit engagement strengthens central efforts—and vice versa—while learning practical strategies for building unit-specific plans that resonate with alumni and align with the priorities and needs of each academic unit.

Real-world examples will illustrate successes and limitations, including programs and initiatives, communications/marketing, data management, managing multiple units, and operational considerations. Participants will leave equipped with a framework for launching or enhancing unit-based alumni engagement, actionable tips for fostering collaboration between central and academic teams, and creative ideas for leveraging resources and champions within the unit—including alumni, faculty, staff, and academic leadership—to drive meaningful, lasting engagement.