Summer Institute in Alumni Relations 2026
Join us this summer to hit the books, review the basics, and start on your path to success.
Hear what past attendees say about the Summer Institute in Alumni Relations
Benefits of Attending
- Receive practical training in key concepts and review best practices for all sizes and types of institutions.
- Gain a deeper understanding of how alumni relations plays an integral role in advancement and beyond at an institution.
- Develop practical strategies that will improve and advance your alumni relations initiatives.
- Discuss the ever-changing landscape of alumni engagement metrics and ROI.
- The opportunity to make valuable connections with peers who you can call upon throughout your career.
Content Highlights in Alumni Relations
- Alumni Relations Fundamentals
- Alumni Engagement and Purposeful Inclusion
- Affinity Engagement
- Alumni Events
- The Future of Digital Engagement
- Intro to Metrics and Outcomes
- Volunteer and Board Management
- Engaging Different Generations and Life Stages
Who Should Attend
- Professionals new to the field of alumni relations
- Experienced professionals with new alumni relations responsibilities
- Experienced alumni relations professionals who are new to higher education
- Advancement leaders and anyone who wants to better understand alumni relations fundamentals
Institute Experience Highlights
- All-Institute general sessions that explore key concepts from inclusion and belonging to emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, leadership, and integrity.
- Interdisciplinary elective sessions that provide industry-sector expertise in educational fundraising, advancement services, alumni relations and communications and marketing.
- Small Group, Faculty-Led Advisory Meetings designed to target essential content covered each day.
- Peer to Peer Networking Opportunities
Institute Chair
Josh Harraman
Josh Harraman serves as the Director, Constituent Experiences- Strategy for The Ohio State University. He recently returned to the University in January 2023. In this role, he is responsible for central engagement and individual annual giving efforts that include digital engagement, annual giving, lifelong learning, alumni travel, alumni career services, and episodic volunteerism. He is also responsible for developing partnerships with college and units in the annual giving and early engagement acquisition space.
Prior to returning to Ohio to start a family, Harraman served as the Vice President for Alumni Engagement, Annual Giving, and Advancement Communications at the Rutgers University Foundation. For over 5 years, he had responsibility for University-wide alumni engagement and annual giving activities and the Foundation’s communication professionals. In addition to his experiences at Rutgers and Ohio State, Harraman previously worked at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and focused on student leadership and involvement. He received his bachelor’s degree in history from The Ohio State University, master’s degree in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University and completed his doctoral degree in educational philosophy at The Ohio State University in 2019.
Harraman has presented at multiple CASE conferences including CASE Districts V and VI, CASE Young Alumni and Student Engagement Conference, CASE ASAP conferences, and served on the faculty and as co-chair of the CASE Summer Institute in Alumni Relations. He has also volunteered for nearly two decades with CASE District V and has served as Conference Chair and District Chair-Elect in addition to other roles. In 2020, Harraman was recognized by his peers for service to CASE District V by receiving the Mike Ziemianski Distinguished Service Award.
