Thursday, August 16, 2018

How To Be A Top Performing Alumni Relations Officer

By Michael Johnson


Students take pride in their former learning institutions. These institutions use alumni relations officers and offices to keep in touch with their former students. This relationship is highly beneficial to the students and institution as well. However, this mutual relation does not come automatically. It requires the office and persons involved to use certain tactics.

Value all students without paying attention to their social progress or economic status. The most socially mobile and economically endowed persons find it easier to respond to invitations. This is likely to blind you into ignoring those not in the limelight. This causes you to miss incredible opportunities to involve them in your activities. You limit their participation in your future activities when their statuses have also changed.

Organize regular activities for the former students. In fact, it is advisable to create a routine that allows them to participate in school activities or events organized exclusively for the former students. Do not tire them with too many activities though. One or two activities in a year are enough to keep them interested in the progress of their former school.

Cluster the members depending on their years of leaving school. Students who left in the same year have memories to share. It is these memories that they come to reminisce whenever they meet. Students who were not in the same year feel like strangers to each other. This will interfere with free interactions.

They also have concerns that need to be addressed. It is common to view alumni associations as being exclusive for helping the institution to gather resources and enhance its learning environment. However, some former students require recommendations from the school. Others need certificates to be released or their social welfare addressed. When such concerns are ignored, students feel exploited and will ignore your invitations.

Modern technology and communication channels will make it easier to get in touch. The phone numbers they issued while in school could have belonged to older siblings and parents. New media is a convenient way to keep in-touch and update them on what is happening in school. It is cheap and reaches all students in the shortest time possible. Students also embrace such channels when communicating. This makes it easier to reach them.

Delegate some of the mobilization and planning to the alumni. They have ideas of what should happen to spice the school and events where they are involved. They take pride in giving back to the school or institution. Should they feel that their ideas are not being considered, they will keep away from the event. This affects its impact.

Think beyond your locality when tapping into the alumni network. Students spread to all ends of the world upon graduation. By focusing on your area only, you will be leaving out a very big chunk of them. Consider activities and involvement of these former students in areas away from the institution.




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