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Based on the interviews and focus groups, committee members identified the
following key themes that have helped guide planning:
- The need to involve people from diverse constituencies (such as
AHANA) earlier in planning for Alumni Association events
- The importance of personal outreach in getting people to participate
- Confusion about what the Alumni Association is and where the
boundaries are between it and other parts of the University, particularly
Development, Athletics, and Admissions
- A fairly common perception that the Alumni Association really only
serves the Boston area
- Career services are of great interest to alumni and are considered
important
- Community service programs are an important link for alumni to the
University and the Association. This was particularly true for AHANA
alumni, who cited involvement in community service as the main way in
which they connect with BC
- Interest in using e-mail and other technology to reach out to alumni and
bridge to different groups, such as facilitating communication between and
among clubs
- Acknowledging that one's personal experience as an undergraduate
strongly influences one's feelings about the Alumni Association. If
African-American, Hispanic American, or Asian American students felt
isolated when on campus, they may continue to feel that isolation as
alumni. The same may be said for other groups who did not feel a part of
BC when they were students
- Diversity is very important. How does the Alumni Association ensure
participation by diverse constituencies? How can it meet the needs of
these different groups, while still serving the alumni population as a
whole?
- There may be opportunities to educate people about the Alumni
Association while they are still students, so they will appreciate it and be
more likely to participate after graduation: attracting the "unborn
alumni," and doing more mentoring of new grads
- Alumni are busy people, and we must recognize that the Association is
competing for time with many other good causes that people may be
interested in in their communities or with their families
- Many people still do not know what the Alumni Association does or what
opportunities are available to them. While some acknowledge that they
receive the information but just don't pay attention, others would like
more ways of knowing what it going on. The Association must look
creatively at new ways of getting its message out, particularly using
technology and different media, and finding ways to integrate the
information so that it is presented in the most useful and cohesive
fashion
- The cost of Alumni Association activities was cited by several people as a
barrier to participation
- The need to link clubs more closely to the University and the Association
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Club Activities