Are institutions leveraging their alumni to their full potential? Here’s how they can
Alcino Donadel
December 4, 2024
“Alumni can provide a well of applicants,” says Kelly Dore, vice president of science and innovation at Acuity Insights. “They’re out there in the world and in the culture, and they can feed folks to your program.”
Alumni love their school, and they regularly show it by contributing greatly to their alma mater’s fundraising campaigns. Just ask Boise State University and Furman University (S.C.) about their recent successes.
As important as an alumni’s role has traditionally been in boosting an institution’s financial campaigns, colleges and universities that aren’t exploring new avenues where alumni can maximize their success are selling themselves short, says Kelly Dore, vice president of science and innovation at Acuity Insights, an edtech platform focused on post-college success.
“Schools are missing this huge opportunity if they’re not leveraging it,” says Dore, who’s also a part-time associate professor at Canada’s McMaster University. “When a school actually works with their alumni, it allows the programs to highlight their success organically. It shows applicants you’re interested in more than a seat in a lecture hall and that you care about their long-term success.”
