When would you say individuals (alumni) are most likely to identify
with their alma mater (university)?
A major component of higher education in both the private and public sectors is alumni donations. Colleges and universities are becoming increasingly more dependant on these philanthropic contributions to meet their financial needs.
The July 29, 2004 issue of The Economist predicts that philanthropy and giving may be at its highest in the coming years. The article attributes this to increased wealth and an aging population. “The combination of increasing wealth and an aging population will inevitably lead to more philanthropy from the living and more bequests from the dead.” (Doing, 2004). The chart below depicts charitable giving through 2003. The figure suggests that although slightly lower from the 2000 numbers, giving is still at an all time high and continues to grow. The full article is available at: http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=2963247
In order to further an institution, fundraising professionals must create a strategic system that helps develop and maintain long term relationships with the institution’s alumni. A study focusing on alumni loyalty to an institution was conducted to better understand alumni giving behaviors. This two-year study of the giving patterns of 732 subjects revealed that the use of personal appeals had a positive effect on the size of the alumni donations. Like other marketing efforts, this suggests that institutions should customize their solicitation programs and try to customize communication to targeted segments. (Quigley, Bingham & Murray, 2002).
Bradley University’s fundraising entity, The Bradley Fund, http://www.bradley.edu/development/bradleyfund/about.shtml solicits students to engage in this personal relationship building with alumni. The student teams are responsible for over 35,000 calls annually. (Bradley, 2005). Bradley University’s Senior Director of the Bradley Fund, Shelly Smith, suggested that one of the most important functions that the student callers perform is updating the alumni on university happenings. “Keeping alumni involved in the university through alumni activities and frequent updates are the keys to then requesting a donation.” (S. Smith, personal interview, January 27, 2005). Student callers must also engage the alumni in the current happenings of the university in order to portray a positive image of the university. Cheney et al. suggest that “We tend to associate more strongly with organizations that have a strong and positive image.” (Cheney, Christensen, Zorn & Ganesh, 2004, p. 112). Research suggests that people are more likely to give to a successful organization.
Two factors that are relatively easy to identify and use in segmenting potential donors into subgroups are the age of the alumni and their history of giving. (Quigley et al, 2002). According to Smith, individuals are most likely to identify with their alma mater when they first graduate. (Smith, 2005). Although this immediate affiliation may not produce the largest donation, encouraging annual giving at an early state, may be beneficial in late years. Research suggests that an alumni with a history of giving, are more likely to give in future years. (Quigley et al, 2002).
Institutions, like Bradley, strive to maintain a positive image of their university and also stabilize traditions that alumni relate to. According to Cheney et al., “We generally define who we are through attachments to organizations we know are keen to protect and affirm positive perceptions of the organizations to which we belong.” (Cheney, 2004, p. 112). University authorities must strive to protect what the alumni feel strongly about. Cheney et al. also notes that “high levels of identification among employees [alumni] can produce a lack of organizational flexibility and creativity…” (Cheney, 2004, p. 115). Bradley experienced this identification first hand when current students made an effort to change the mascot. The alumni made themselves heard by opposing the proposed change. This is a hardship that many institutions face. Alumni become attached to the institution traditions or ideals making it difficult for institutions to implement significant change that may have emotional ties.
A number of resources exist to strengthen and advance professionals with funding careers. Two of the more prominent professional organizations are AFP and CASE. The Association of Fundraising Professional (AFP) serves over 26,000 members in North America. AFP provides resources to assist fundraising professionals in their efforts. The organization has also developed a code of ethics and strives to uphold professional standards. (www.afpnet.org) The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) focuses on fundraising focuses on advancement and support of education specifically alumni relations, communications and emphasis on the fundraising professional. (www.case.org)
References
Association for Fundraising Professionals. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2005 from http://www.afpnet.org
“The Bradley Fund: Training 101.” Retrieved January 31, 2005, from Bradley University, Bradley Fund office.
Cheney, G., Christensen, L. R., Zorn, T. E., & Ganesh, S. (2004). Organizational Communication in an Age of Globalization. Long Grove, Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc.
Council for Advancement and Support. (2005). Retrieved January 30, 2005, from http://www.case.org.
“Doing well and doing good.” (2004, July). The Economist. [Electronic Version]. Retrieved January 30, 2005, from http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=2963247.
Quigley, C.J., Bingham, F. G., & Murray, K. B. (2002, Summer). An analysis of the impact of acknowledgement programs on alumni giving [Electronic Version]. Journal of Marketing Theory & Practice, 10 (3) 75-86.