Strategic Objectives
Five strategic objectives emerged from the vision, mission and goals. For each objective, we have identified key initiatives to execute within the next three years, all focused on achieving the goals. The selected initiatives intentionally include successful existing programs with opportunities for enhancement or a new approach, as well as new programs.
Volunteer leadership is integral to the plan, which relies on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Alumni Relations team to work together to drive initiatives through a task force dedicated to each objective. In addition, the strategies require cooperation across the Brandeis community, which include the Institutional Advancement team, Provost’s Office, Academics, Heller School, International Business School, faculty, Alumni Board, Central Communications and the Administration. In some cases, as noted, there are specific opportunities to partner with other areas as well.
To make the plan dynamic and effective, there must be accountability for each initiative. The plan proposes metrics to assess the progress and success of each concept on a quarterly basis, which are intended to be considered in the context of the costs of the effort. We expect that the programmatic components will evolve and grow as the strategic plan unfolds, with additional elements to emerge as we leverage the volunteer base and adopt better technologies.
Objective 1: Elevate and advocate Brandeis’ prestige and global impact.
Brandeis continues its storied history by providing an education that adheres to the highest academic and ethical standards that emphasize open inquiry, cultural diversity, equal access to opportunity, and freedom of expression. The alumni can be a significant voice in building awareness of Brandeis beyond the campus borders to attract applicants, potential partners, and future supporters, as well as strengthen the alumni network by sharing the success stories of faculty and alumni.
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Share the stories of alumni, though not necessarily notable in the public eye, with interesting accomplishments or experiences, or those who have made significant impacts on society to demonstrate the prestige and of the alumni network.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Identify 10 notable alumni through various channels including the Alumni Board
- Update the Notable Alumni website page
- Share 3 or more alumni profiles and achievements via social media
- Publicize identified alumni in publications such as the Brandeis Magazine
Year 2
- Implement a system for identifying notable alumni
- Make this a regular feature of communications by sharing alumni profiles every other month
- Expand communication channels to the website, newsletters, press releases
- Leverage Regional leadership to share these stories
Year 3
- Create programs leveraging featured alumni, such as a webinar series
- Develop In Good Company newsletter dedicated to social justice and alumni who have made an impact in this area
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Identification of “unknown” alumni achievers
- Increase in content communications
- Increase in open rates and readership of communications
- More engagement by the alumni achievers on-campus and with other alumni
In coordination with Program 1.1, publicly recognize and communicate broadly, including through alumni-driven channels, the accomplishments and achievements of faculty, alumni, and other members of the community to build the Brandeis reputation.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Create the concept and scope of a recognition program including at least one BOLD award
- Establish the structure within the Alumni Board to take responsibility for the nomination process and awards management
- Confer at least one award at Alumni Weekend in 2021
- Develop the necessary communications plan to publicize the award(s)
Year 2
- Create an interview format to generate content around the award recipients’ stories
- Establish a video or webinar concept around the award recipients
- Establish an on-campus presentation or interaction-with-students component to the awards
- Confer at least two awards, one for BOLD, at the ceremony
Year 3
- Continue to build the prestige of this program through spotlights during on-campus events and through media
- Work with Regional Associations to determine how to publicize recipients in their local community
- Implement a broad solicitation for nominations
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Development of a well-formatted nomination and awards process
- Number of nominations for awards
- Increase in content communications
- Increase in open rates and readership of communications
- Increase in engagement by the award recipients on-campus and with other alumni
- Increase in gifts from the award recipients
Engage alumni in the ongoing life of Brandeis University and provide them with the resources and tools needed to serve as ambassadors in ways that will enhance and disseminate news of campus happenings through a variety of channels. An essential element of this concept is to leverage and increase the number of alumni volunteers in class, regional club and shared interest organizations, connecting them with their personal networks and encouraging their peers to do the same. Identification of alumni with diverse affiliations will provide a broader base resulting in increased impact.
Three Year Timeline
Year 1
- Work with Alumni Board (Committee) to develop the Alumni Ambassador job description, including appreciation program and expected term of a Social Media Alumni Ambassador—preferably from the BOLD cohort (by July 1, 2020)
- Develop a training program that includes a consistent institutional vision
- Identify and invite 5 alumni, possibly Board Members, to serve as Social Media Ambassadors
Year 2
- Develop a training program for Alumni Ambassadors
- Identify and invite 5 alumni, possibly Board Members, to serve as Ambassadors
- Expand the Social Media Ambassador program
- Develop success metrics for the Ambassador program based on individual performance as well as impact
Year 3
- Expand the Ambassador program
- Refine training program
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Analysis of social media/website hits and brand awareness
- The pipeline of alumni interested in becoming ambassadors and how many are new volunteers
- Opportunities for Ambassadors to perform their role
- Effectiveness of training based on Ambassador and internal review
- The number of Social Media and Alumni Ambassadors
Campus Partnerships
The Office of Admissions can call on the Ambassadors (especially those who are interviewers as well) to represent Brandeis at college fairs and local schools.
This initiative is to affirm and ensure that the entirety of Brandeis, including all the schools, the Institutes, and the Centers, are fully integrated into all aspects of the alumni engagement effort and that their alumni participate in communicating and elevating the prestige and global impact of Brandeis. In addition, alumni stories from a wide array of programs that provide a strong showcase for the impact of a Brandeis education, highlighting their global presence, their successes and their contributions to society. This effort will be driven by the professional development, alumni relations, and communications teams in the schools and other entities working with Central and IA Communications and by alumni leadership. All entities are likely to continue to have independent alumni programming and communications for their own alumni as well.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Professional teams establish mechanisms for sharing information and alumni success stories across schools
- Alumni Boards tasked with creating representative structures that include representation from different entities
- Identify and invite representatives from schools, Institutes, and Centers for Alumni Weekend 2020
- Include alumni from a range of programs as Ambassadors
- Establish general alumni communications “corners” dedicated to different areas of campus
Year 2
- Continue to build connections among alumni from the different schools and programs through shared programming and communications
Year 3
- Continue to build connections among alumni from the different schools and programs through shared programming and communications
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Alumni representation of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), International Business School, Heller, Institutes and Centers on organizational boards
- Inclusion of a breadth of alumni news in general alumni communications,
- Brand awareness of Institutes, Centers, GSAS, International Business School and Heller among alumni
- Effective sharing of information on campus to ensure coordinated efforts
- Gifts to targeted entities on campus
Objective 2: Spark a culture of volunteerism and philanthropy across the alumni base.
Alumni engaged as volunteers and leaders are a powerful resource for the institution. Productive and appreciated volunteers will have a strong and deep commitment to Brandeis and to each other. As we work to change the culture at Brandeis so that alumni become part of the delivery of programs and services, we must also make sure that the structure of all volunteer programs reflects the Alumni Association’s purpose and are positioned to accomplish our newly created, vision, mission and strategic objectives. Opportunities for meaningful engagement supported by volunteer training and recognition are the key components in creating a culture of alumni volunteerism and philanthropy.
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With this initiative, Brandeis will provide a well-organized, curated volunteer experience for alumni that reflects the One Brandeis concept. Alumni Relations will manage a centralized system of volunteer engagement working with campus partners to identify, train, recognize, “promote” up the ladder and sunset volunteers. With consolidated relationship management, our aspiration is to build a stronger volunteer pipeline based on an understanding of volunteer interests and expertise, which in turn will provide a more fulfilling volunteer career for alumni. Alumni will benefit from a clear understanding of volunteer role responsibilities and better stewardship whether as leaders of an alumni club, hosts for development events, admissions volunteers, supporters of student life or participants in academic programs.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Develop comprehensive list of volunteer activities within IA
- Implement new leadership structure in at least 2 organizations
- Write job descriptions for key AR volunteer roles.
- Create formal onboarding and training for IA volunteers
- Establish volunteer tracking policies within Brandeis’ customer relationship manager (CRM)
Year 2
- Develop a comprehensive list of volunteer opportunities throughout Brandeis
- Support other areas on campus in implementing sustainable volunteer structures
- Determine lead IA liaisons to campus partners and establish information sharing through the CRM
- Promote volunteer opportunities across campus departments
- Establish stewardship responsibilities for leadership volunteers
Year 3
- Create a “catalog” of all campus volunteer opportunities with job descriptions
- Support volunteer training and stewardship across campus
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Adoption of new leadership structures
- Smoother leadership transitions
- Number of engaged alumni
- Number of alumni leaders – new and returning
- Satisfaction of campus partners
- Alumni satisfaction
Alumni Weekend, Brandeis’ largest single alumni program, has the potential to connect and engage more alumni more deeply than ever before. Alumni Weekend promotes engagement beyond one’s graduating class and attracts attendance of alumni who have not been connected with their class in the past. The program evolved three years ago, from a traditional model based solely on class reunions to a more expansive program that includes class reunions, Shared Interest Group (SIG) reunions, and special anniversary events (i.e., the 70th anniversary of The Justice and the 60th anniversary of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management). Now is the time to assess the success of Alumni Weekend with alumni leadership and the professional team working together to determine its direction for the next three years.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Benchmark Alumni Weekend programs and volunteer structures at peer institutions
- Create formal onboarding and training for Alumni Weekend volunteers
- Create formal “moves management” process for outgoing Alumni Weekend volunteers
- Align Alumni Weekend programming with Framework priorities
Year 2
- Call on campus partners in creating Alumni Weekend programs
- Recruit and steward volunteers
- Establish information sharing for campus partners on Alumni Weekend
- Promote Alumni Weekend volunteer opportunities across campus departments
Year 3
- Create a “catalog” of campus-wide Alumni Weekend volunteer opportunities with job descriptions
- Support volunteer training and stewardship across campus
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Satisfaction of Alumni Weekend volunteers and their experiences, including post-Alumni Weekend surveys
- Increased participation in Alumni Weekend
- Satisfaction of Alumni Weekend participants, including post event surveys
- Analysis of volunteer strengths and opportunities for new volunteer recruitment
The creation of a strategic plan for both Alumni Relations and the Alumni Association gives us the opportunity to look at the current structure of the Alumni Board and determine if it reflects the association’s purpose and if it is set up to accomplish our newly created vision, mission and strategic objectives. After 20 years of the current structure, now is a natural time to evaluate the role of the Board and to make Board membership a meaningful experience. Board members should be true working partners with the Alumni Relations staff in accomplishing our goals.
In parallel with the Board restructuring, this rebuilding of the alumni relations effort is an opportunity to work with Regional Associations and Shared Interest Groups to develop sound, sustainable governance structures.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Benchmark peer institutions on their Alumni Board and organizational structures
- Comprehensive review of Alumni Board structure
- Identify a consistent structure for alumni organizations for sustainable success
- Define the purpose of the Board and the role it will play in achieving strategic objectives over the long term
- Work with leadership including the Board president, VPs and governance co-chairs to determine structure, committees, and organizations needed going forward and specifically to execute on strategic objectives
- Define roles and responsibilities of committee members
Year 2
- Review Rules of Association and draft revised documents based on new structure
- Adopt new structure and rules
- Phase in new Board and organizational structures
- Convene regional and SIG leadership for a discussion comparable to that of the Alumni Board
Year 3
- Create comprehensive volunteer opportunity portal for alumni
- Continue phase-in of new organizational structures
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Satisfaction of Alumni Board members and their experiences, including post-meeting surveys
- Assessment of Alumni Board task forces and their alignment with key strategic objectives and initiatives
- Analysis of volunteer strengths and opportunities for new member recruitment
- Adoption of new organizational structures
A weekend long program to celebrate and educate all alumni volunteers who are engaged with the University leading to better alumni leadership and a more fulfilling volunteer experience. Each year, the convocation would be organized by a partnership of Alumni Board members, IA staff and select campus partners to develop the content and sessions. Programming will include sessions with students, faculty and senior administrators with the goal of inspiring, educating and energizing our volunteer base to further engage and continue to make a difference in the life of the University.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Benchmark with peer institutions on their volunteer training and engagement programs
- Database cleanup of volunteers to make sure we are tracking those who are engaging with the University (so they can be included on the invitation list)
- Identify AR staff who will take the lead on program
- Work with the Alumni Board on planning a soft launch of the program in year 2
- Draft a general program concept and outline
Year 2
- Set date for soft launch pilot program possibly coordinated with the Alumni Board meeting in the spring
- Plan the pilot program including volunteer co-chairs and committee, content for sessions, possible speakers, marketing plan and pricing
- Determine best technology for volunteer resource portal
- Pilot volunteer convocation event and follow up with survey
Year 3
- Develop sustainable volunteer convocation program
- Determine coordination of convocation with other alumni initiatives such as award ceremony, etc.
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed based on:
- Attendance at the event
- Caliber of programming at the event
- Quality of interactions with students, alumni, and administration during convocation
- Increased level of volunteer engagement motivated by convocation
- Increased number of alumni interested in engaging with the University
- Effectiveness of alumni leadership
- Alumni satisfaction with convocation
Improve the program of recognizing, celebrating and stewarding our volunteers. The creation of a formalized volunteer recognition program will support efforts to retain current talent pipelines and inspire new volunteers to get involved. By recognizing volunteers and creating a heightened sense of pride and engagement, this initiative will strengthen the relationship between the volunteer community and Brandeis.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Rebuild the Alumni Board Awards Committee and have it develop an Awards program based on service to and for Brandeis such as the Service to Association and Young Leadership awards
- Formalize process to solicit and review nominations for the awards including creation of website, nominations forms and timeline for work of committee
- Determine when awards will be presented, perhaps during Alumni Weekend
- Present at least two awards in Year 1
- Develop marketing plan for awards
- Benchmark with peer institutions to brainstorm how we can strengthen our volunteer recognition efforts overall
Year 2
- Continue the work of the committee for next recipient(s) of awards - make sure these awards are now presented on an annual basis
- Reach out to campus partners to identify other opportunities to recognize alumni volunteers in other areas
- Implement “quick win” volunteer recognition such as profiles/shout outs on website and social media, peer to peer congratulatory notes, formal thank you notes from VP/AA President
- Determine formal process for documenting recognition in CRM
Year 3
- Implement a more robust volunteer recognition program that acknowledges long time volunteers, honor roll, etc.
- Develop organizations award program for recognition of Club of the Year, Class of the Year, SIG of the year, etc.
- Develop a volunteer impact tracking system to support award nominations
Assessment
A formal and effective volunteer appreciation program is a necessary component for proper stewardship of volunteers. The metrics of success have to take the necessity of a recognition program into account. The success of this initiative will be assessed based on:
- Increased level of volunteer engagement motivated by award/recognition program
- Increased number of alumni interested in engaging with the University
- Increase in nominations for awards
- Surveys of volunteers for feedback on the program and sense of being appreciated
- Increased giving by award recipients and their friends
Objective 3: Enable lifelong learning opportunities that reinforce the unique value of a Brandeis education.
The impetus and purpose for lifelong learning is to increase the affinity of alumni to Brandeis and to build and maintain a lifelong relationship with Brandeis. This strategic objective both showcases the world-class faculty at Brandeis and fosters connections for them with alumni (and parents and friends) resulting in the creation of a vibrant lifelong learning community.
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Alumni College showcases the academic excellence of our world-class institution and provides access to and dialogue with the University’s thought leaders on a range of topics. As a longstanding program that leads in to Alumni Weekend, the program is an annual affirmation of the benefits of being a Brandeis alumnus/a through the academic content and the social experience.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Work with Alumni Board Committee to benchmark Alumni College with comparable programs at other institutions to identify new ideas
- Incorporate class programs that feature faculty with Alumni College to generate a broader audience
- Feature alumni speakers that are celebrating a milestone Reunion
- Refresh marketing program
Year 2
- Increase affinity group programming to further connect and secure alumni participation and attendance
- Feature In Good Company, alumni and other alumni experts in their fields to increase alumni engagement
Year 3
- Develop alumni volunteer leadership to support the program through programmatic input and marketing support
- Develop programming aligned with the Framework for the Future and other Brandeis priorities
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed based on:
- Attendance, repeat and new, at the event especially for reunion classes
- Caliber of programming at the event
- Satisfaction of alumni attending Alumni College as measured by surveys
- Level of faculty participation and satisfaction
- Engagement of volunteer leadership with the program
- Increased giving as a result of participation in Alumni College
Campus Partners
Alumni College relies on close cooperation with faculty, the Dean of Arts and Sciences, and the Provost.
Anywhere in the world, faculty presenting to alumni showcases the academic excellence of our world-class institution and is a renewal of the affiliation. The longstanding Faculty in the Field (FIF) program continues to be the most popular Alumni Association program. For alumni (and parents) who have not been to campus recently, FIF is our way of bringing Brandeis to them and reminding them of the quality academics they experienced as a student. FIF is a strong and robust program that builds the alumni and friends community including the Brandeis National Committee. As a flagship program, FIF continues to be an area of focus and potential expansion.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Consider opportunities for alumni leadership and formalize hosting role
- Incorporate a University update as part of each event
- Develop programming aligned with the Framework for the Future and other Brandeis priorities
- Develop communication and marketing plan with branded collateral
Year 2
- Refresh and expand branding to include academic programming beyond Faculty in the Field
- Convene faculty for sharing of University update
- Benchmark program (including costs) with other schools that have comparable programs
Year 3
- Develop alumni volunteer leadership to support the program through programmatic input and marketing support
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed based on:
- Attendance, repeat and new, at the events
- Caliber of programming at the event
- Satisfaction of alumni attending events as measured by surveys when possible
- Level of faculty participation and satisfaction
- Engagement of volunteer leadership with the program
- Email opens and click throughs
- Gifts as a result of participation in Alumni College
Campus Partners
FIF or any similar program relies on close cooperation with faculty, the Dean of Arts and Sciences, and the Provost.
A significant opportunity for lifelong learning for alumni comes from other alumni who have a wealth of expertise and knowledge. This initiative encourages alumni to organize regional and shared interest group events with alumni (and parents) as speakers to provide informative and relevant programming that serves a dual purpose of highlighting the breadth and depth of the Brandeis network.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Convene regional and SIG leaders to introduce the concept
- Develop best practices to identify local alumni for this and then how to develop programs around it (written document)
- Identify tools for tracking speakers and attendees
Year 2
- Larger regions / SIGs plan at least one program per semester
- Smaller regions focused on highlighting an alumnus/a in some manner if an event is not practical
- Convene leadership to review experiences
- Update Guidelines based on actual experiences
Year 3
- Support regions and SIGs to expand the program with dedicated leadership for organizing the events and inviting the speakers
- Steward past speakers and look for shared or cross-organization opportunities
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Number of events with alumni as speakers or panelists
- Number of alumni who are speakers or panelists
- Attendance, repeat and new, at the events
- Satisfaction of alumni attending events as measured by surveys, when possible
- Engagement of volunteer leadership with the program
- Email opens and click throughs
- Gifts as a result of participation
Objective 4: Expand and enhance alumni networking opportunities and career support.
Alumni are the most effective connection between Brandeis and opportunities beyond campus. Cultivating a robust alumni network enhances career opportunities that serve the best interests of the alumni and the institution. Whether alumni are interested in advancing their own career, connecting with each other, or helping students, career services can provide a forum. Expanding and enhancing career related programming is key to building a comprehensive, lifelong, and uniquely valuable Brandeis professional network.
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From the alumni network to the programs at Hiatt, there are significant career resources for alumni and students, yet they are under-utilized. By increasing awareness of the opportunities, alumni and students can improve their career path as a direct result of the Brandeis community. Career services programs strengthen alumni-alumni and alumni-student connections and boost alumni engagement rates.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Develop a catalog of alumni engagement in career services programs across campus
- Set up (interim) tracking system for alumni engagement to establish a rough baseline of engagement
- Form an advisory committee of alumni and students to benchmark career services at other institutions and work directly with career center to identify knowledge gaps through a survey
- Initiate at least two new communications to alumni about career services and the opportunities for engagement
Year 2
- Create communications plan to address knowledge gaps including virtual tours of career centers, informational videos and updated collateral material
- Advisory committee to undertake personalized outreach with Alumni Ambassadors to educate the broader alumni body
- Alumni support at least two on-campus efforts to increase awareness of career support opportunities
Year 3
- Continue to build awareness through advisory committee and established communications
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Effective communications
- Email open and click rates
- Alumni engagement including advisory committee and survey participation,
- Job postings
- Resource (such as Handshake) usage
Campus Partners
This initiative is dependent on the leadership of Hiatt working with GSAS, Heller and Brandeis International Business School career professionals; Alumni Relations and the Alumni board.
Increase the breadth and depth of opportunities for alumni to build industry connections within and through their Brandeis community.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Engage alumni assistance to increase industry programming, such as career panels, networking nights, industry fairs, etc.
- Collect data on career service programs to establish a baseline of industry specific engagement opportunities and identify gaps
- Establish Advisory Committee
Year 2
- Engage alumni to serve as industry champions in key fields and geographic locations
- Expand Brandeis at Work program by 10%
- Have alumni support at least two off-campus career support programs
- Advisory Committee to work with at least 2 faculty members on programming
Year 3
- Grow industry programming by 10% by developing new events and engaging untapped cohorts of alumni
- Engage 4 faculty and 4 high-profile alumni as partners and ambassadors
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Number of industry events
- Email open and click rates
- Alumni engaged as champions
- Event attendance
- Growth and sustainability of industry circles
- Internship/job postings
Campus Partners
This initiative is dependent on the leadership of Hiatt working with GSAS, Heller, and International Business School career professionals; Alumni Relations; the Alumni board; faculty and employers.
Strengthen and extend the value of career connections and resources for all Brandeis alumni (and students) through the development of an integrated career services effort and an online networking platform. This initiative is dependent on having sufficient resources for new technology.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- With a project steering committee with representation from alumni and all career services across campus, assess current services and undertake an industry benchmarking process
- Develop proposal for organization of comprehensive program and necessary technology
Year 2
- Undertake technology evaluation process with participation of committee in the process
- Determine timeline for technology
Year 3
- Implement new technology
- Key alumni groups must be engaged as early adopters and ambassadors
- Communications will foster a sense of belonging and pride and reinforce the value of a lifelong Brandeis network
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be based on identification of a suitable system, efficient roll out, and usage such as:
- Rate of adoption (user registrations)
- Event registrations
- Job postings
- Mentorships
- Connections made on the platform
Campus Partners
This initiative requires full administrative support and cooperation across campus to elevate the career support provided to students and alumni.
Objective 5: Harness the power of the Brandeis community to strengthen the student experience.
By tapping into the nostalgia and goodwill Brandeis alumni feel for their alma mater and by connecting alumni back to campus and to particular student clubs, teams, organizations, departments and programs for which they have a positive affinity, we strengthen the relationship between Brandeis and its alumni and improve the experience of the current students. Students will benefit from contact with like-minded alumni who can provide networking opportunities, mentor relationships, a greater sense of history and continuity and philanthropic support. Students will consequently experience the benefits of the Alumni Association before they graduate while meeting alumni who are modeling what it means to stay engaged, connected and supportive of Brandeis.
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Enhance the student experience by creating opportunities for alumni to mentor undergraduate students in areas of personal development. This will connect students to the lifelong Brandeis community while they are on campus and provide meaningful engagement for alumni.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Establish an Alumni Board Mentoring Program with board members offering guidance and mentorship to 1st and 2nd year undergraduate students. See Note.
Year 2
- Expand the alumni-student mentoring program beyond the Alumni Board, based on the lessons learned from the pilot and from the Athletics Mentoring program. The scale of the program is dependent on available resources as well as the level of success of the pilot programs
Year 3
- Increase resources for the program sufficiently to continue to grow the program
- Expand alumni student mentoring as broadly as resources allow
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed quarterly based on:
- Number of participants (and growth rate over time)
- The number of meaningful contacts between mentor and mentee
- Program completion rates
- Results of a satisfaction (net promoter) survey for alumni and students
Campus Partners
This initiative is a cooperative effort heavily dependent on Hiatt and Student Life working with the Alumni Relations team.
Alumni Relations and Career Services staff will develop a framework, share best practices and guide conversation questions. The structure of the relationship will ultimately be decided by the mentor and mentee. The initial pilot program will run approximately one semester and will culminate with an in-person meet and greet.
Note: The Alumni Board Mentoring Program that begins January 2020 will serve as a pilot for the broad alumni student mentoring effort. Board members will be asked to volunteer, with a goal of 75% participation. Underclass students will be invited to attend an information session where they can hear about the initiative and learn about participation parameters. The initial invitation would be cast broadly, however, there will be targeted marketing pushes to first years and sophomores. Alumni Relations and Hiatt staff will facilitate students selecting mentors on a first-come first-served basis.
Increase student awareness and appreciation of the Alumni Association by having alumni representation and visibility at significant campus events such as orientation, commencement, performances, games and presentations. Alumni will deepen their understanding and appreciation of student life.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Formalize a calendar of opportunities for alumni presence
- Work with Student Life and an alumni committee to formalize program of events
- Identify opportunities to create new events such as Moving Up for sophomores, possibly alumni sponsored, to showcase the Alumni Association
- Alumni participation in Orientation, Mid-Year Connection Orientation, 100 Days to Graduation
Year 2
- Expand the initiative by promoting the opportunities for alumni-student interactions during the events
- Identify additional opportunities for alumni participation such as SciFest and Bernstein Festival of the Arts
Year 3
- Continue to market all possible chances for students to interact with alumni on campus in order to solidify a coherent sense of alumni presence and opportunity for students
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed based on:
- Number of events with alumni presence
- Student awareness of the Alumni Association
- Alumni enjoyment of the opportunities
- Giving
Campus Partners
This initiative is already underway and requires partnering with Student Activities; Student Affairs; the Department of Orientation; the President’s, Provost’s and Deans’ offices and the faculty, so that a comprehensive calendar of events and programs can be created.
Stewardship
This is a significant alumni stewardship opportunity.
Alumni can bring valuable support and a unique perspective to student groups as advisors and mentors through on-campus and virtual meetings. While strengthening the student groups, alumni will be connecting or reconnecting to their own area of interest.
Three-Year Timeline
Year 1
- Work with Student Life and an alumni committee to develop the programmatic concept
- Identify student groups that would benefit from or are interested in having alumni interaction
- Develop cohort of alumni advisors based on interest (from a survey or email)
Year 2
- Build the network of alumni who are willing to advise clubs
- Promote the program to student groups
- Formalize the program guidelines
Year 3
- Continue to build the program and rotate alumni advisors
Assessment
The success of this initiative will be assessed based on:
- Number of group advisors
- Student awareness of the program
- Benefits to the student groups
- Alumni enjoyment of the opportunities
- Giving to student groups and other areas
Campus Partners
This initiative requires partnering with Student Activities and Student Affairs.
Stewardship
This is a significant alumni stewardship opportunity.