The benefits offered would be: Networking opportunities,employment opportunities, resuem critics and interview skills practices, volunteership opportunities in the community and on campus.
Jeane,
Good ideas! If you include some graduates on your Advisory Board, they would certainly have some feedback on what would be a draw for them. You could even ask some current students what benefits might draw them in.
Sometimes what we view as a benefit, does provide much attraction to our graduates.
June Gudeman
Some ideas that we would be prepared to offer, are discounted prices in the school spa and retail store. One on one mentoring in business with other graduates with successful business models. Newletters,featuring their particular questions and points of interest. Discounts on continuing educational programs, local discounts on " entertainment". Group travel discounts.
Coryne,
It sounds like you've thought through these ideas and have the graduate's interests in mind.
Good thoughts!
June Gudeman
As we already have a number of idea's in place to help our graduates, I would continue to use them and build on other ideas as I get input from Alumni. These idea's are, as long as we still offer the course and the student has their book, they are allowed to come back and familarize themselfs with the course. We also offer our graduates a job club held once a month at each campus. This is a workshop in which they can have mock interviews, have their resume tweaked to help be short listed. Among being able to talk with other graduates about their job searches, and guest speakers - past graduates, hiring personnel from industry.
Kelley,
Since the number one reason our graduates 'come back' seems to be related to Career Services, I think you are definitely on the right path.
June Gudeman
We are hoping to look into offering workshops on how to apply for jobs online, resume writing and interviewing skills.
We would be able to provide an incentive: cap with discount card. We would also be able to provide the networking opportunities needed for experienced alumni. We can also provide workshops on career coaching topics to include refresher courses for certain topics.
Camille,
Yes, I like you analogy of working on a team at school for a project.
June Gudeman
Yeah, as we all know different views can create some great ideas! I love that. It is like working on a team at school for a project.
Camille,
Great! Why not ask the people you plan to target? Let them provide the ideas for what might be appropriate benefits. It seems to simple - but it's good!
June Gudeman
Right! For one I can think of the school I graduated from. I wish they would reach out to me and start a networking team for the current students and other grads.
For the alumni program now, I think a survey would be helpful in figuring out what people really want. Leaving an area for comments will also be very helpful in improving the association.
Camille,
Great ideas! We have to keep thinking like an alumni -- what would be a benefit? What would get me excited about staying connected or coming back to my institution?
June Gudeman
We already have one at the school. However, putting this to my imagination if I were starting a new Alumni Association. I would definitely have: lifetime job placement, continuing education opportunities, alumni meetings and networking events, sale on school bookstore items and speakers in our classes for the current students.
Lisa,
Certainly, this is probably the BEST thing we can offer our graduates. It seems to be the number one reason alumni come back to their institution - for career assistance. A number of institutions are setting up placement assistance that is designed specifically for graduates who have been out in their field for awhile but are coming back to make a change.
June Gudeman
I would like to offer placement assistance. We inform graduated that we will continue assist them in some level of services as they need it such as career advice, access to job posting, interview practice, creating resume .
Virginia,
You might also consider a way to connect your older employed graduates with those who are still looking for employment? Happy employed graduates from your institution may even also be able to provide job opportunities for your new grads.
June Gudeman
I think the biggest problem right now with grad students is being able to find a career with the degree they studied in. To be able to help with this, I would definately get more resources to find better jobs in the field of the grad, to make sure or help with the efficiency of finding the right job. I feel that there should be job advisors from school for 1-2 years after one graduates, to help with career and job guidance.
Tawny,
I'd like to encourage you to think as a graduate. What would "benefit" you? Continuing education is a great example. Think beyond that. What, for example, would draw you to an alumni website? What would make you want to be involved in an alumni association? We tend to think of things from the perspective of what would benefit our institution. Our "relationship" with our alumni needs to be a mutually benefiting relationship.
June Gudeman
The immediate benefit would be the networking. I think to be able to gather all of our alumni together and teach them how to network better and how many opportunities are out there. For the future I would hope to gain that sense of want from the Graduates to stay connected to our college. I would want the Alumni Association to be known for doing well, great opportunities, great events, networking, employer participation, and overall success.
