Alumni Relations Coffee Chat: Alumni Mentoring Programmes that Scale-CASE

CASE - Coffee Connect Presentation

Pdf Summary

Coffee Connect is a twice-yearly programme, launched in September 2020, that matches students with alumni for informal conversations. Participants register, are matched, meet, and provide feedback.<br /><br />As sign-ups declined, a review identified several challenges: limited mentor numbers, staff capacity constraints, low programme visibility, and outdated branding. The programme was redesigned through six changes: a comprehensive communications plan, a streamlined delivery model, a longer registration period, broader mentor recruitment, refreshed branding, and an improved participant experience.<br /><br />These changes increased participation by 81% without significant new investment. The programme made use of existing technology, partnerships, and staff resources, supported by more effective communications.<br /><br />Coffee Connect offers students more than mentoring: participants can build confidence, improve career readiness, expand professional networks, and discover new opportunities. One student described the conversations with alumni as rewarding and said the experience helped strengthen their professional connections.<br /><br />The programme’s key lessons are to focus on a clearly defined challenge, plan targeted communications that highlight volunteer stories, use existing technology to create flexible and accessible opportunities, and repeat the cycle by learning, improving, and reaching new audiences.

Keywords

Coffee Connect

student alumni matching

informal mentoring

programme redesign

participant engagement

communications plan

mentor recruitment

career readiness

professional networking

higher education