Alumni can be an important asset for any educational organization for many reasons. The relationship between the educational institution and alumni can become paramount for the reputation of the institution.
Alumni relations have become a strategic asset for higher education institutions. These relations make them stand out at the domestic and international competition.
A culture of alumni engagement after their graduation requires thoughtful planning. It also requires proof that alumni opinions matter to the institution and its current management. They must feel like being important to the institutions and that they are valuable members of the broad community.
Alumni are the reflection of a school’s past, representation of its present and a link to its future.
Graduates’ success is a key factor in the decision-making of prospective students who are looking for educational institutions that offer curriculums relevant to the current market. Alumni that have become successful professionals are living proof of that. Here are just a few ways that alumni can contribute to their alma mater success after their graduation:
- Give back to their school. For many schools or universities, important investments would not be feasible without alumni contribution. This is the case when it comes to campus expansion, new facilities, scholarships, etc.
- Mentor current students. Alumni can take students under their wing and show them the way. They can become what they have needed when they were students as well.
- Affect the perceived value of the university’s degrees. Studies have shown that alumni associations help colleges rank higher. A key factor in institution rankings is the amount of alumni participation. This isn’t surprising, considering that an active alumni base indicates that past graduates have had a quality educational experience.
On the other hand, there are also many reasons for graduates to stay engaged with their alma mater. Some of the most important are that alumni can:
- Develop valuable connections. Through alumni associations, they can expand their business and network.
- Stay informed about career opportunities. Through active networking, they can always keep up with what’s going on in their industry of preference.
Student information systems for alumni engagement: data is key
As of today, most schools and institutions use social network platforms for alumni engagement. But data collection and engagement via social media can be complex, inaccurate and time-consuming.
Education technology is constantly evolving. Student information systems, such as Classter, are being used by the countless institutions around the globe. And with this constant evolution, these platforms develop features that affect all aspects of education.
This also includes features that are making alumni engagement easier. There are a lot of student information systems in the market; but, does your own help you to engage with your alumni network?
The go-to student information system enables you to:
- Collect alumni data and keep track of all the information in a functional way
- Engage with them through a dedicated and targeted communication
- Access insightful and customized analytics
- Create and manage surveys and quizzes
- Give access to your alumni to library services
- Integrate with platforms you need to engage with and grow your community
Interacting with alumni via a cloud-based platform can strengthen the bond and the level of engagement between your institution and your alumni. By using a 3rd party system you may lose trust and credibility. On the other hand, a branded and configurable platform can foster a sense of belonging, as it can be exclusive to your alumni.
That being said, a customizable alumni portal should allow you to engage with alumni in various ways through:
- Membership management
- Career opportunity announcements
- Information about scholarships
- Event management
- Integration with Social Media platforms
Wrap-up
This bunch of functionalities that an alumni portal offers, simplify the management of your alumni network. A student information system software enables the flow of data between both sides: university and alumni.
Having said that, we can draw the conclusion that:
- There is an increasing importance of fostering the relationship of the institutions with alumni long after the year of their graduation.
- It’s important to measure the level of alumni involvement with the institution; as it has a direct impact on the reputation of the institution to current and prospective students.
- Educational Institutions must have in place the right Student Management Information System that will allow them to seamlessly connect with their alumni network.
Classter is the go-to student information system for alumni engagement. Its Alumni Portal contains features such as personal calendar, announcements and internal messaging that enable communications with the school’s alumni.
Classter allows educational institutions to easily manage contacts database and build lifelong relationships with your alumni. With our robust database management system, your alumni relationship executive will never have to worry about managing the alumni database. Build, manage, sort and use your alumni database effectively with the help of Classter.
FAQ’s
Classter offers a comprehensive Student Information System with features specifically designed for alumni engagement, including alumni data collection, targeted communication tools, customizable alumni portals, and seamless integration with other platforms.
Classter’s Alumni Portal provides functionalities such as membership management, career opportunity announcements, scholarship information, event management, integration with social media platforms, and personalized communication channels, ensuring effective engagement with alumni.
Classter prioritizes data security and privacy compliance by implementing robust encryption protocols, regular security audits, and adherence to global data protection standards, safeguarding sensitive alumni information shared through the platform.
