Alumni Relations During a Campaign: Strategies for Engaging, Measuring and Advancing Institutional Success December 11, 2014 Patrick E. Auerbach Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations University of Southern California Elise M. Betz Executive Director, Alumni Relations University of Pennsylvania THE INSTITUTIONAL BACKDROPS Academic Impressions 1
POLL QUESTION #1 How many of you are in a comprehensive campaign? Planning Silent/Nucleus Phase Public Phase Wrap-Up THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Urban Ivy League Research 1 institution with 290,000 living alumni globally Four undergraduate schools, twelve graduate and professional schools 22,000 students Alumni Relations Mission: Seeking to engage all Penn alumni in a mutually beneficial, lifelong connection to each other, their school, and the University, and encourage alumni support and guidance to advance Penn's eminence for future generations. Academic Impressions 2
PENN S ALUMNI RELATIONS SHOP Hybrid model, central/unit Central staff of 35 Budget $4M Non-dues paying structure (Penn Alumni membership automatic) Sweeten Alumni House PENN S ALUMNI RELATIONS TEAMS Alumni Interview Program (4.5 FTE) Classes and Reunions (6 FTE) Communications and Marketing (3 FTE) Alumni Education and Career Networking (1.5 FTE) Regional Clubs(8 FTE) Multicultural Outreach (2.5 FTE) Alumni Travel (1.5 FTE) Penn Traditions (student, young alumni engagement) (1.5 FTE) Alumni Magazine (6 FTE) Academic Impressions 3
USC Alumni Relations The USC Alumni Association (also known internally as the Office of Alumni Relations) is a department of USC s Division of University Advancement The mission of USCAA is to engage all alumni, lifelong and worldwide, build a culture of philanthropy among the Trojan Family and serve as a representative voice for all USC alumni USC Alumni Relations The function of Alumni Relations at USC is delivered centrally by the USC Alumni Association (USCAA) and decentrally by USC s 18 Schools, Athletic Department, and other University offices and units The USCAA Board of Governors meets quarterly, includes nearly 70 members representing all USC Schools and advises the USCAA Academic Impressions 4
USCAA Membership The USCAA was founded in 1885 and in 1991 became non-dues paying All 360,000 degreed USC alumni, including bachelor s, master s and doctoral degree holders, are automatically USCAA members Nearly two-thirds of all USC alumni live in Southern California USCAA Membership The largest clusters of USC alumni outside of Southern California are the San Francisco Bay Area (~25,000), Texas (~7,500), the New York City metropolitan area (~7,000), and Washington state (~7,000) USC has over 10,000 alumni outside the U.S., led by China (~3,000 including Hong Kong), Taiwan (~1,600) and India (~1,500) Academic Impressions 5
Alumni Engagement Strategies Signature Events Alumni Organizations Volunteer Recognition Programs Regional & Generational Programs Reunions Communications Benefits & Services ALIGNING YOUR METRICS AND VALUES Academic Impressions 6
WHY? WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS? GENERAL A validation of the investment in AR? Quantification of the work? A way to monitor staff performance? Vehicle to reward stars outside the norm? An incontrovertible release mechanism? SPECIFIC To change a culture? To assist development? Comprehensive campaign goals USCAA FY15 Priorities 1. Expand online and virtual alumni engagement via mobile and web-based technology 2. Promote and support scholarship initiative of The Campaign through via all appropriate alumni channels and communities 3. Expand undergraduate Reunions program to six classes by adding 20 th reunion in Fall 2014 and continue building towards quinquennial model (5 th through 50 th ) Academic Impressions 7
USCAA FY15 Priorities (continued) 4. Fine-tune and refresh USCAA Signature Events to maximize audience participation and Campus Partner collaboration 5. Enhance Business Partnerships program in accordance with IEG valuation and net new partnerships yielding an additional $100,000 in annual corporate support 6. Launch up to three new Alumni Industry Networks USCAA FY15 Priorities (continued) 7. Focus on developing metrics to assess alumni engagement and volunteer leadership 8. Identify and activate, where feasible, opportunities to build alumni affinity among graduate and professional students and alumni Academic Impressions 8
WHAT DROVE PENN? CAMPAIGN AND OVERALL GOALS Campaign Goals: Total dollars raised Dollars raised for university priorities Non-financial and engagement goals THE NON-FINANCIAL/ENGAGEMENT GOALS Strengthen campus and regional activities that engage alumni, students, parents, and friends and provide increased access to Penn s vast academic resources. Build on the success of alumni class and affinity group programming, creating new ways for alumni to connect with each other. Expand career networking opportunities for alumni and students. Grow the number of alumni who support Penn s commitment to educational excellence through their annual gifts. Increase the number of individuals who create lasting legacies at Penn through their planned gifts and Harrison Society participation. Deepen student awareness and involvement in the full range of development and alumni relations activities. Academic Impressions 9
WHAT DROVE PENN? CAMPAIGN AND OVERALL GOALS Overall Goals: Add critical alumni relations and development goals to the campaign and beyond, with a university-wide approach Answer this question specifically for alumni volunteers and program participants: What is my role in the campaign? Broaden the scope of what we do for and with all alumni - validate alumni relations and engagement in advancement WHAT DROVE PENN? Metrics guide programming and management decisions. We are measuring the action that alumni take. Staff are, in large part, responsible for that action. Academic Impressions 10
METRICS METHODOLOGY Measurement buckets: Volunteer leadership Programming and attendance Contacts and meetings Communications Giving (participation) Quantitative and qualitative measurements Focus on data simplicity and sustainability Let the numbers tell a story Avoid measurement for the sake of measurement ENGAGEMENT MATRIX Starting point Group exercise Identify what you want to measure Determine owner for each area Establish a timeline Academic Impressions 11
Group Exercise Review of the engagement construct (matrix) Developing the As Is assessment (base line) Refining your reporting mechanisms (data tracking) How will you reach your goals? ENGAGEMENT MATRIX 1. Class Regional Affinity/Diversity 2. Annual Giving 3. Harrison A. Reunion B. Non-Reunion A. Large B. Other Increase undergraduate annual giving participation Add 1,000 new Harrison Society Members Volunteer Leadership Increase number of active volunteers by 20 40% Increase number of active volunteers by 20 40% Increase number of active volunteers by 20 40% Increase permanent undergraduate alumni donor base by 8,000 new donors Programming/Attendance Increase Alumni Weekend attendance by 25% Increase Non-Alumni Weekend class-based activity - Standardize model (small, mid to large events) - Up to 50% increase Up to 100% increase Increase Young Alumni Giving % add 4,000 new donors Increase University wide annual giving participation - School and Center goals Communications Qualitative Qualitative Qualitative Giving Achieve volunteer giving participation rate of 75% Achieve volunteer giving participation rate of 75% Achieve volunteer giving participation rate of 75% Online Communication/Participation Academic Impressions 12
METHOD & MEETING RESULTS Goals to be reached by fiscal year 2012 Staff were evaluated on goals beginning in FY 2010 appraisals and are responsible for data input and tracking Translate goals to behavior Alumni Relations Evidence Based Practice: A questioning approach to practice leading to, experimentation, observation, enumeration, and analysis, enhancing anecdotal decision making. METHOD & MEETING RESULTS Don t discount surveys Would I recommend this (program, event, volunteer experience) to a fellow alum? Net promoter score Academic Impressions 13
Questions? USC s Current Campaign The Campaign for the University of Southern California a $6 billion multi-year effort to advance USC's academic priorities and expand the university's positive impact on the community and world At the time of its public launch (September 2011), the Campaign was the largest fundraising campaign in the history of American higher education Academic Impressions 14
Alumni Relations and The Campaign Alumni Relations was realigned (returned) from the Division of University Relations (1992-2010) to the Division of University Advancement in July 2010 in anticipation of a new University President and the upcoming Campaign Alumni Relations is an integral part of The Campaign and the Division of University Advancement. While the USCAA is held accountable for a variety of annual programmatic and performance metrics, there were not any specific non-financial goals established for The Campaign Alumni Relations and The Campaign The Campaign for the University of Southern California was publicly launched on Friday, September 16, 2011, during the USCAA s annual Alumni Leadership Conference Showcased University s priorities in the presence of more than 300 alumni and volunteer leaders from across institution Positioned alumni as a critical audience for Campaign advocacy and participation Campaign conclusion scheduled for June 2018 Academic Impressions 15
ALL ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Contacts in central alumni database Phone E-mail Letter Face-to-face (individual meeting or meaningful discussion at event) Social media Tweets, Facebook posts, blog entry Description of contact POLL QUESTION #2 Do you have quantitative goals for your Alumni Relations Staff that are reviewed in performance appraisals? Yes No Academic Impressions 16
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REGIONAL CLUB METRICS Increase number of active regional clubs by ~53% (from 65 to 100) Increase total number of regional club events by 25% (from 390 to 488) Increase active volunteers and board members by 25% (from 530 to 663) Add a young alumni board position to very active club REGIONAL GOALS Increase Number of Active Regional Penn Clubs to 100 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 200620072008 20092010 20112012 All recognized Penn Alumni Clubs Active Penn Alumni Clubs Currently have 80 recognized and active Penn Clubs Operating Plan: 1. Better communication 2. More leadership training - Operating Manual - Minimum Standards - Leadership Conference 3. Offer improved on-line tools 4. Better data collection and sharing 5. Focus on international outreach 6. More connection to Interview Program Owner: Penn Alumni Regional Clubs Academic Impressions 19
REGIONAL GOALS Increase Total Number of Regional Club Events by 25% Currently up 19.3% since 2006 Number of Events 640 620 600 580 560 540 520 500 480 460 2006200720082009201020112012 Operating Plan: 1. Increase communication with Clubs to share events and program information 2. Deliver better information on alumni in the region to use as content and for programming 3. Offer improved on-line tools and more alumni educational offering 4. Leverage faculty presence in region 5. Establish second signature regional event, example: Ben Franklin Birthday Bash 6. Continue internal collaboration with AR efforts and across Schools and Centers Owner: Penn Alumni Regional Clubs REGIONAL GOALS SUCCESS Increase Number of Active Regional Penn Clubs to 100 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 200620072008 20092010 20112012 All recognized Penn Alumni Clubs Active Penn Alumni Clubs Currently have 103 recognized and active Penn Clubs Path to Success: 1. Over 500 events annually at least one event per quarter! 2. Training and Resources a. Regional Clubs Advisory Board Mentoring b. Ivy Plus Conferences c. Annual Leadership Retreat d. Presidents Corner on-line 3. Alumni Interview Program Partnership 4. University Partners 5. International Outreach Owner: Penn Alumni Regional Clubs Academic Impressions 20
ALUMNI ED/CAREER SPECIALIST METRICS Increase number of faculty and staff speaking engagements by ~35% (from 270 to 365 annually) Increase online/virtual alumni education offerings and participation by 25% (30 to 38; from 672,000 to 840,000) Increase number of alumni serving as online career advisors by ~40% (from 1,800 to 2,500) Increase number of online career advisor searches by~60% (from 31,000 to 50,000) Get 500 listings in Alumni Yellow Pages COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST METRICS Increase number of valid e-mail addresses by ~20% (from 135,000 to 160,000) Increase number of registered online community users by ~20% (from 72,000 to 85,000) Publish 365 blog posts on new Penn Alumni blog Tweet a minimum of 1,500 tweets a year Survey readers of flagship publications Proudly Penn and Gazette for satisfaction and usability Track e-mail and web analytics year over year Academic Impressions 21
ON-LINE COMMUNICATIONS GOALS SUCCESS Increase Number of Registered QuakerNet Users to 85,000 Currently 102,837 registered users Registered Users 120000 100000 80000 60000 40000 20000 0 2006200720082009201020112012 Path to Success: 1. Ads in every issue of The Gazette (6 per year) 2. Event registration behind authentication encouraged for all events 3. Facebook application push 4. Outreach to students to join 5. Push for career mentoring requiring QuakerNet registration 6. Develop consistent print and electronic branding; create and implement a long term plan for ads 7. Include give-away contests for first-time registrants and updated profiles. Owner: Penn Alumni Marketing & Communication CLASS & REUNION SPECIALIST METRICS Increase Alumni Weekend attendance by 25% (4,800 in 2007) Increase number of class and reunion volunteers by 25% (varies by class) Increase recent graduate and old guard program participation by 20% Achieve volunteer giving participation rate of 75% (currently 61%) Conduct a minimum of one reunion committee meeting per month Academic Impressions 22
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST METRICS Achieve 75% participation in the Senior Gift Drive (72% in fiscal year 2010) Increase number of identified student leaders by ~70% (from 518 in fiscal year 2008 to 900 in 2012) Increase the number of Penn Traditions participants by ~27% (from 5,927 in fiscal year 2008 to 7,500+ annually) Campaign-inspired Alumni Relations Programs Expansion of Undergraduate Reunions program from three-class (10 th, 25 th, 50 th ) engagement program to six-class (10 th, 20 th, 25 th, 30 th, 40 th, 50 th ) hybrid engagement-fundraising program ($500,000 investment) Presidential Tours of 10 strategic U.S. cities in 2010-11 (prior to Campaign launch) and 10 more in 2013-14 (midway through Campaign) Multicultural alumni organization-specific Campaign initiatives (Asian Pacific Alumni Association, Black Alumni Association, Latino Alumni Association, Lambda LGBT Alumni Association) Academic Impressions 23
Undergraduate Reunions Undergraduate Reunion Program provided by USCAA Expanded in 2011 with new University Advancement resources Currently includes 10 th, 20 th, 25 th, 30 th, 40 th, 50 th class reunions Each reunion class has a leadership committee of 25-30 members Year-round program focusing on annual giving ($1-$24,999 gifts) and leadership annual giving ($25,000-$99,999 gifts and/or pledges) Culminates in Reunion Weekend each fall with USC Homecoming Graduate Reunions are offered by various USC Schools at their own discretion throughout the year Reunions: 2013 Results Item Attendance RW12 Alumni RW13 Alumni % Change RW12to RW13 RW13Classes 5-Year Giving Avg Reunion Giving Goal Reunion Giving Totals 50 th Reunion 109 107-2% $335,469 $605,469 $1,199,471(198%) 40 th Reunion 49 89* +82% $593,973 $898,973 $895,403(99%) 30 th Reunion 122 139* +14% $851,251 $1,201,251 $1,310,300(109%) 25 th Reunion 132 121-8% $400,548 $715,548 $587,432(82%) 10 th Reunion 133 282* +112% $114,198 $274,918 $203,059(74%) Subtotal 545 738 +35% $2,296,159 $3,696,159 $4,195,665(113%) OtherAlumni 103 201 +95% Total Alumni 648 939 +45% Guests(non-alum) 407 616 +51% TOTAL 1,155 1,555 +35% Fundraising Overall attendance increased 35% from previous year 10 th, 30 th and 40 th classes set new records* 20 th Reunion Class being added in 2014 Reunion Giving focuses on Annual Giving (gifts of $1>$25K) and Leadership Annual Giving (gifts and pledges of $25K>$100K) Above totals include pledges of $700K, $220K RW13 Impact Goal: $1.4 MM; Result: $1.9 MM Academic Impressions 24
Reunions: 2014 Results** Item Attendance RW12-RW13 Average RW14 % Change from RW12-13 Average to RW14 Fundraising RW14Classes Reunion Giving 5-Year Giving Average Goal Reunion Giving Totals 50 th Reunion Alumni 108 91-16% $363,372 $545,058 $1,488,234*(273%) 40 th Reunion Alumni 69 79 +14% $922,257 $1,475,611 $1,416,178(96%) 30 th Reunion Alumni 131 85-35% $748,732 $1,200,232 $920,600 (76%) 25 th ReunionAlumni 127 206* +62% $506,514 $805,357 $698,868 (86%) 20 th Reunion Alumni N/A 126* $430,497 $641,440 $434,658(68%) 10 th Reunion Alumni 208 238 +14% $211,583 $315,258 $139,681 (44%) Subtotal 642 825 +9% without20 th or +29% with20 th $3,182,956 $4,982,956 $5,098,219(102%) OtherAlumni 151 108-29% Total Alumni 793 933 +18% *includes $1MM Gift Guests(Non-Alumni) 512 687 +34% ** as of 12/3/14 TOTAL 1,355 1,620 +20% Overall attendance increased 9% from previous year (comparing apples to apples) 20 th and 25 th classes set new records* Reunion Giving focuses on Annual Giving (gifts of $1>$25K) and Leadership Annual Giving (gifts and pledges of $25K>$100K) Above totals include one $1MM planned gift RW14 Impact Goal: $1.8 MM; Result: $1.9 MM** Trojan Family Receptions featuring USC President C. L. Max Nikias & First Lady Niki C. Nikias 2010-11 Alumni Tour Spring 2011 January 18: Orange County January 19: San Diego January 26: Beverly Hills February 8: Los Angeles March 24: Santa Barbara March 31: San Francisco April 13: Washington, D.C. April 14: New York City April 15: Chicago Academic Impressions 25
An Evening with USC President C. L. Max Nikias & First Lady Niki C. Nikias 2013-14 Alumni Tour Fall 2013 (in conjunction with Weekenders) September 27: Phoenix October 17: Chicago November 7: San Francisco Spring 2014 January 23: Seattle January 29: Santa Monica January 30: San Diego February 5: Pasadena April 9: Sacramento April 29: Washington, D.C. April 30: Dallas Multicultural Alumni Association Initiatives USCAA supports four multicultural associations, each of which has dedicated staff members and are also part of the overall USCAA Each association sponsors alumni engagement and fundraising activities to raise scholarship support for current USC students within each respective community and philanthropic support for additional University initiatives Each of these associations has launched various initiatives within the Campaign in order to engage respective constituencies and broaden alumni participation Academic Impressions 26
Multicultural Alumni Association Initiatives Launching $2 million initiative in Spring 2015 Aiming to triple size of APAA Scholarship Endowment Launched 1,000 for $1,000 initiative in 2013 Planning initiative for BAA s 40 th anniversary in 2016 Multicultural Alumni Association Initiatives Launched $3 million initiative in December 13 Aiming to increase LAA Endowment by 50% by 2018 Celebrated organization s 20 th anniversary in 2012 and raised $400K Planning new initiative for 25 th anniversary in 2017 Academic Impressions 27
TECHNOLOGY, TRACKING AND MESSAGING Campaign Messaging Alumni giving, as a key metric in national university rankings, is a Campaign priority USC s current undergraduate alumni giving rate is 37% (which ranks second in the Pac-12 to Stanford) and the Campaign goal is to reach 40% USC s Campaign website, http://campaign.usc.edu, provides Campaign quick facts and updates, and emphasizes key alumni and giving metrics To date, more than 256,000 Campaign donations have been made, and more than 230,000 of these donations have been for $1,000 or less Academic Impressions 28
45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Alumni Giving at USC Giving Campaign Goal Academic Impressions 29
DATA COLLECTION Central database Data input is critical (event attendance - including grassroots events - and volunteer activity must be captured) Staff responsibility Drive online registration Would we ever think of not collecting, counting, crediting and tracking monetary gifts? Academic Impressions 30
WHERE DO YOU START? Institution-wide support and involvement Engage top level volunteers Educate staff and give them tools and resources needed to be successful Publicly share goals internally and externally in a manner that is understandable and accessible DEVELOP A COMMUNICATION PLAN Discuss in weekly meetings and all-staff meetings Staff can not be successful without alumni engagement Explicit and intentional communication Highlights in all alumni relations/campaign print pieces Add to web sites (Penn People Making History) On-campus and regional presentations Penn Alumni Scorecard Academic Impressions 31
PENN ALUMNI SCORECARD Academic Impressions 32
QUESTIONS? Academic Impressions 33
Thank you Patrick E. Auerbach, Ed.D. Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations University of Southern California patrick.auerbach@usc.edu Elise M. Betz Executive Director, Alumni Relations University of Pennsylvania ebetz@upenn.edu 67 Academic Impressions 34