Student engagement and the student experience

Clare Gordon, Alumni Events Officerc.h.gordon@bham.ac.uk, +44 (0)121 414 8904

In the next 30 minutes….

Why student experience is such a hot topic

Why engage with students

Why you shouldn’t be afraid to jump in!

Shaping our Future: Birmingham 2015

5 key strategic goals, one of which is to:– “Provide our students

with a distinctive, high quality experience”

How can alumni relations help?

Alumni have so much to offer students Broader themes of employability and global

impact give us an opportunity to be relevant to other parts of the University

Fundraising can enhance the student experience

Engaged students become engaged alumni

Why engage with students? Great opportunity Dispel myths Educate Promote students as ambassadors for your

institution Connect with campus life and issues Steward/cultivate alumni The beginning of a lifelong relationship

Staff resources Started in October 2007 as Alumni Projects

Officer Tasked with developing and implementing

DARO’s student engagement strategy Joined in 2008/09 by CARMs who help to

implement strategy at a College level My role now includes the delivery of the

alumni events programme (12-15 per year)

Student survey – December 2007 Only 20.8% knew about DARO One third of respondents were aware of alumni

financial support 71.6% wanted to know more about the career paths of

alumni from their departments 57% wanted to know more about prominent alumni

who have reached the top of their professions 70% of respondents wanted access to careers advice

after graduation

MBA research – Summer 2008

Recommendations included:1. Students need to be made more aware of

impact of alumni donations2. Birmingham should be an early (UK)

adopter of a student alumni association

Where we started Increased presence at student events across

campus

Increased involvement with careers events Poster campaign across campus

Involved with HoneyPot Overhauled presence at graduations

Established in September 2009 51 members in 2009/10, 60 so far in 2010/11 6 committee members Open to all students £5 membership fee – includes t-shirt and £1

donation to Circles of Influence campaign

Goals

Raise the profile of DARO Transfer DARO-organised events to students,

providing them with skills Introduce students to the benefits offered to alumni

before they graduate Cultivate future alumni leadership Opportunities for students to network with alumni Encourage students to develop a lifelong relationship

with the University

Recruitment events

Table for Ten

Students v Alumni Pub Quiz

Networking Workshop

Fab ‘n’ Fresh nights

Attending alumni events

The 3 year plan 80 members by the end of 2010-11. Annual Giving tag campaign this summer 120 members by the end of 2011-12, with a 50%

retention rate of 2010-11 members. All 7 committee members elected by September

2011. By start of 2011-12, committee members to be

planning all aspects of BFL events Create more opportunities for student/alumni contact

Student Life Survey 2010/11 16% have heard of DARO

– Higher for PGR and final year students– Advertising/publications/emails

7% have heard of Birmingham. For life. 37% feel that DARO’s most important function is

fundraising (UG), 35% that it is keeping in touch with alumni (PGR & PGT)

51% would like the opportunity to network with alumni

Where we are now Birmingham. For life. Student communications strategy

– Student e-newsletters– Presence on student portal– Welcome Week messages– Annual Giving messages

More focussed careers events including Table for Ten

Greater presence at graduations– Graduation goodie bags and data collection– Arts & Law yearbook– Good Luck email– 2013 graduation gift

Greater sense of identity among scholarship recipients

Greater understanding of the value alumni can add to the student experience

Resources

Student Alumni Association Forum– Warwick Connective– OxSAS– Aberdeen Student Alumni Club– Manchester and Southampton have initial

ideas CASE ASAP – www.case.org/asap

Now it’s over to you!

Clare’s top tips:– Start small but keep it broad– Keep it fun - the less corporate the better!– Let your students come up with the ideas– Demonstrate that you are relevant to them

now

Student engagement and the student experience

Clare Gordon, Alumni Events Officerc.h.gordon@bham.ac.uk, +44 (0)121 414 8904