Alumni of Online Programs: Building Engagement and Philanthropic Support-Alumni of Online Programs: Building Engagement and Philanthropic Support

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video webinar presented by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Roxanne Shields and Amber Redmond discuss the field of alumni relations for online programs. They highlight the importance of the online student experience in philanthropy and engagement and share insights from their experiences at Penn State World Campus. The speakers discuss the unique challenges and assumptions surrounding alumni of online programs, such as the belief that they are too busy to get involved or don't make significant donations. They also emphasize the need for more research and exploration of the alumni population of online programs.<br /><br />Shields and Redmond share various initiatives and strategies implemented at Penn State to engage online alumni, including networking events, online book clubs, and collaboration with other institutions. They highlight the success of these initiatives and provide data from a multi-institutional study comparing the giving patterns of online and on-campus alumni. The study found that while online alumni may have lower participation rates, they tend to make larger donations within the first three years after graduation.<br /><br />The speakers emphasize the importance of alumni involvement at all stages of the student experience to reinforce the value of alumni and help students envision their own success. They encourage other institutions to start engaging alumni of online programs and offer resources for further support and discussion through the Case Alumni Relations community.

Keywords

alumni relations

online programs

student engagement

philanthropy

Penn State World Campus

online alumni

donation patterns

alumni networking