John Grant, Director, Alumni Relations, Simon Fraser University
Categories: Special events, Alumni relations
Long-standing events are not sacred artifacts, says John Grant. To engage target audiences – especially younger alumni – advancement staff need to re-examine the purposes, goals and formats of events that may have become stale. Then, innovate to match event style and timing to the audience. The reward can be increased engagement and a refreshed purpose.
Top Tips
Assess when and how to transform an event and strategize timing of the revitalized event’s launch. Choose a significant occasion such as a school or alumni association anniversary.
Analyze current / recent attendees at your event versus your target audience.
Gather data about the purpose, value, goals and target audiences of the event through analytics plus surveys of current stakeholders.
Set realistic yet ambitious new goals for participation (through attendance, sponsorship, social media and other vehicles) versus past numbers.
Seek champions of change among your constituents and engage in “fierce conversations” about revamping the event to guide both transformation and continuity.
Solicit sponsorships to maximize reach and value of the event while providing “win – win” benefits for your school and sponsor(s).
Change a staid sit-down dinner (with a hefty price tag) to a lower-cost, stand-up event and reception to attract a wider, younger audience.
Shake up the format from “grip and grin” or talking head to glitz, glamour and novelty. SFU transformed its traditional dinner to a TED Talks-style evening that featured bold graphics and brisk pacing.
Match recognition to your target audience demographics. SFU added a “Rising Star” award in its Outstanding Alumni categories to include younger alumni awardees who bring fresh voices.
Include young alumni and students (at SFU, termed “future alumni”) in your target audience, and price the event accordingly.
Assess, measure, analyze and adjust yearly. Be nimble and results oriented.
Ry Moran, Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), University of Manitoba
Ry Moran, Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), University of Manitoba lead CCAE NC 2018 attendees through an enlightening discussion about shifting the language, servicing, and creating a space inside our institutions for indigenous relations and reconciliation efforts.
CCAE eLearning Archive
Christine Szustaczek, Sheridan College
On October 16, 2017, the longest academic strike in Ontario college history began. Watch this case study that shares Sheridan’s blueprint for real-time, two-way communication during a five-week long academic strike that cancelled classes for 23,000 students, before switching gears to help ease our community’s transition back to class and work. January 2019
Kay Dass, Student and Young Alumni Program Officer, Alumni Relations, McGill University
Chelsea Bell, Student and Young Alumni Programs Associate, Alumni Relations, McGill University Advancement
In the face of an increasingly “disrupting” job market, millennials are choosing universities that, in addition to a stellar education, provide the resources needed to prepare them for the world beyond the classroom. Spearheaded by McGill’s Alumni Relation unit in University Advancement, in partnership with a variety of campus units, Life After Your Degree, or LifeAYD incorporates both existing and original career exploration, job preparedness and life transition activities and events that are delivered to students by career professionals and alumni, on campus, in key regions and virtually. Learn how students, alumni, and – your engagement metrics! – can reap the benefits of alumni contributions to your student-future-readiness programs.
Sue Porter, Senior Associate Director, Ceremonies and Events, Simon Fraser University
Ron Johnston, Pro-Tem Director of Simon Fraser University’s Office for Aboriginal Peoples
In this session Sue Porter and Ron Johnston share some of the challenges, barriers, opportunities and lessons learned as Simon Fraser Univeristy moved forward on it’s reconciliation journey with indigenous peoples. They sincerely hope that this will inspire other organizations to support Indigenization of their events and their institutions in their own unique ways and will provide them with some innovative ideas to do so.
CCAE eLearning Archive
Mark Tilbury, Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement Director, Lakehead University
In 2018, Lakehead University won a Prix d’Excellence in the category for Best Alumni Initiative for their varsity engagement program. Learn about a tried and proven new strategy to engage alumni (and potential donors!) using distance to your advantage!
