The article now online and featured in the March 3 issue takes an in-depth look at how the university has used an innovative approach to build relationships with its newest graduates.
A recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education holds up Elon University as “an example of new thinking around alumni affairs” and highlights the university’s efforts to be “hands on and personal” with its young alumni.
From the article:
Of those 1,000 graduates in their portfolios, the AEOs have identified the 200 who are the most engaged and connected. The AEOs are expected to be up on the lives of those alumni. When Ms. Teter travels once a month for work, she schedules five meetings with young alumni each day for coffee and conversations about their lives and interests.
“They want to feel known and appreciated by their alma mater,” Ms. Teter says.
The article also highlights the history of Elon Day, a one-day event to encourage and celebrate small gifts to the university that is scheduled for March 7 this year. Efforts such as Elon Day have helped drive the university’s alumni-participation rate from 16 percent to 22 percent, with Elon’s most recent strategic plan setting the goal of hitting 32 percent.
“This is a long play for Elon,” Jim Piatt, vice president for university advancement, told The Chronicle. “We are making an investment here.”