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© SCHOOLINKS INC. • 2023
The Power of Building Alumni Networks and How To Make It Happen
May 8, 2023
May 8, 2023
Schools and districts spend years readying students for college, career, and postsecondary life. They structure classes and course sequences, build executive functioning and critical thinking skills, teach financial literacy, create opportunities for students to practice collaboration, offer first-hand learning experiences, and provide a plethora of support to ensure that students are capable of meeting the challenges that await them beyond high school.
Despite these incredible efforts preparing students for postsecondary life, most schools and districts lose touch with students after graduation. Because of this, schools and districts rarely get authentic and meaningful measures of whether their CCR planning and approach are actually successful. They must use inadequate proxies for metrics to assess CCR success–such as acceptance rates to colleges, career placements, and graduation rates–not whether students are actually able to fully participate, complete their next steps, and reach their postsecondary goals.
Tracking student progress after graduation is incredibly challenging and robust and active high school alumni networks are not commonplace. Sustaining connections with alumni is difficult with the mobility of alumni and human resource limitations at a school or district level as counselors and administrators are already overwhelmed with current student work and caseloads. Despite these challenges, schools and districts should consider investing time, efforts, and resources into building these networks in order to amplify the impact and reach of their CCR efforts.
Alumni Networks are Beneficial for ALL
Building an alumni network can provide enormous benefits to current students, alumni, and school and district staff–both in the short- and long-term.
Schools & Districts
If schools are able to stay connected with alumni beyond graduation, they have access to much better information to gauge the efficacy of their CCR plans and processes. They have data on whether students who were accepted to their college of choice were sufficiently prepared to matriculate and graduate on time. They have feedback on whether support for financial aid and scholarship applications and financial literacy planning appropriately prepared students for their next step. They have measures for whether students who participate in career preparation programs successfully find consistent employment and whether those programs lead to opportunities to earn a living wage. This information allows schools and districts to identify what works, what areas need improvement, and refine their planning and processes to best meet the needs of students about to graduate. This constant cycle of assessment and improvement allows CCR programs to align to the current and evolving needs of students.
Current Students
Alumni can be a powerful resource for current students as they make their postsecondary goals and plans. Having someone who once walked the same high school halls share advice, inspiration, and lessons learned is much more relatable as these alumni can speak to very personalized components of a student’s experience. This relatability also provides elements of hope and inspiration for current students as they see that someone who shares their background was able to realize a particular dream or goal. Alumni are also often more willing to give of their time and energy to students in a school they attended. They provide great resources for industry partnerships, job shadowing, and mentorships for current students interested in similar college or career paths.
Recent alumni are able to provide advice that is more relevant for students than parents or educators who are older as the context and variables for decision-making reflect the current reality. Hearing the lived experience of recent graduates can increase motivation and commitment during high school as the advice is not simply theoretical but based on first-hand experience. And, connecting with recent alumni at a similar school or in the same company creates a built-in support network for students, increasing the odds for a more successful transition to the next stage.
Alumni
Alumni, themselves, benefit from remaining connected to their high school community.
In an era when finding high quality employees can be particularly challenging, alumni connections can be vital for workforce development efforts. When alumni stay connected to different magnet or career and technical education programs, they can partner with school staff to identify talent and create a channel to recruit future high quality individuals to their business or industry.
These networks can help alumni to feel part of a community beyond just their days in high school. They can provide opportunities to connect with other alumni–who may have never overlapped with them in school–in a particular field or at a particular college to support their career efforts as they develop into adulthood. When schools make efforts to stay in touch with alumni, it communicates to them that they are part of a community that values their experiences and insights and wants to celebrate their continued success.
Getting Started: Cultivating Alumni Networks
Use the tips below to begin the process of building an active alumni network. With limitations of time and energy from school staff, educators, counselors, and administrators should consider utilizing a CCR platform to automate many of the steps required to maintain an up-to-date database of alumni; forge channels for communication and collaboration; and, ultimately, create a thriving alumni network that is a vital part of a CCR culture.
Collect email addresses before students graduate.
The best time to get future alumni contact information is when students are still physically at school. You might consider building into a class or advisory period the steps to create a new email address that is not associated with the school or district as those will expire upon graduation. Find ways to incentivize students registering as part of an alumni network prior to graduation. You might condition the sale of prom tickets or the distribution of graduation tickets on this registration. Or, you might run a raffle with prizes for students who register.
Find ways to reach out to those who have graduated.
When beginning to build an alumni network, it can be difficult to know how to reach past graduates of a school and connect. You might partner with groups planning class reunions to help connect with alumni or use the school’s social media to communicate out a general call for alumni to register to become part of the network. You might also use school events or activities such as high school sports games, art showcases, theater performances, or music concerts and specifically invite alumni in the hopes of connecting with them–providing free admission for those who register with the network. As part of these efforts, you might spotlight teachers, coaches, directors, or school leaders who have had a big impact at the school as a draw for alumni. These events provide positive experiences for alumni to connect with one another and a model for students to return back to school for events upon graduation.
Invite alumni to participate in college- or career-related events and programs.
Those who have lived experiences–either at a particular school or in a specific field or profession–can provide some of the most helpful guidance and advice to students as they plan their postsecondary life. Regularly prompt alumni to update information about their education, professional careers, and job roles, in addition to their personal contact information. You might invite alumni to join college fairs as representatives of their colleges and universities. Alumni can also be a great resource for a school’s pool of industry partners. When planning a career fair, establishing internships, or setting up company tours, specifically reach out to alumni who are in particular fields and invite them to participate. Even alumni newer to a particular job or role might join their company’s booth at a career fair or host a student to job shadow. These connections can help current students see different paths as possible and provide a contact or mentor as they move past high school.
Find ways to survey or get feedback from recent alumni.
Alumni can provide invaluable feedback on a high school’s college and career readiness efforts. Asking alumni at various points in their post-secondary path for information and guidance can help to ensure that a high school’s programming is current, relevant, and meaningful. You might survey recent high school graduates about their transition to their first year of college or their first year at a career development program, asking which programs or classes set them up for success and if there were any additional opportunities or skill development that would have been helpful to experience in high school. As students graduate from these programs, you might survey to track persistence and success or to ask questions related to job preparedness. Beyond providing information and data that can help future iterations of CCR programs, this information can also be useful to CTE educators and counselors making the case for the importance of their programs and efforts, providing a basis for further investment.
Express gratitude for alumni’s time, talents, and support.
Alumni can offer tremendous value and insights to a school community. In order to maintain a dynamic and mutually supportive alumni network, it is essential to regularly express gratitude for their efforts. When alumni feel that they are valued and able to make a difference for students in the school they attended, they are more likely to stay connected and seek out ways to support and mentor students. And, when current students see this cycle of contribution modeled, they are more likely to look for ways to connect and engage once they, themselves, transition into valued alumni.
Schools and districts spend years readying students for college, career, and postsecondary life. They structure classes and course sequences, build executive functioning and critical thinking skills, teach financial literacy, create opportunities for students to practice collaboration, offer first-hand learning experiences, and provide a plethora of support to ensure that students are capable of meeting the challenges that await them beyond high school.
Despite these incredible efforts preparing students for postsecondary life, most schools and districts lose touch with students after graduation. Because of this, schools and districts rarely get authentic and meaningful measures of whether their CCR planning and approach are actually successful. They must use inadequate proxies for metrics to assess CCR success–such as acceptance rates to colleges, career placements, and graduation rates–not whether students are actually able to fully participate, complete their next steps, and reach their postsecondary goals.
Tracking student progress after graduation is incredibly challenging and robust and active high school alumni networks are not commonplace. Sustaining connections with alumni is difficult with the mobility of alumni and human resource limitations at a school or district level as counselors and administrators are already overwhelmed with current student work and caseloads. Despite these challenges, schools and districts should consider investing time, efforts, and resources into building these networks in order to amplify the impact and reach of their CCR efforts.
Alumni Networks are Beneficial for ALL
Building an alumni network can provide enormous benefits to current students, alumni, and school and district staff–both in the short- and long-term.
Schools & Districts
If schools are able to stay connected with alumni beyond graduation, they have access to much better information to gauge the efficacy of their CCR plans and processes. They have data on whether students who were accepted to their college of choice were sufficiently prepared to matriculate and graduate on time. They have feedback on whether support for financial aid and scholarship applications and financial literacy planning appropriately prepared students for their next step. They have measures for whether students who participate in career preparation programs successfully find consistent employment and whether those programs lead to opportunities to earn a living wage. This information allows schools and districts to identify what works, what areas need improvement, and refine their planning and processes to best meet the needs of students about to graduate. This constant cycle of assessment and improvement allows CCR programs to align to the current and evolving needs of students.
Current Students
Alumni can be a powerful resource for current students as they make their postsecondary goals and plans. Having someone who once walked the same high school halls share advice, inspiration, and lessons learned is much more relatable as these alumni can speak to very personalized components of a student’s experience. This relatability also provides elements of hope and inspiration for current students as they see that someone who shares their background was able to realize a particular dream or goal. Alumni are also often more willing to give of their time and energy to students in a school they attended. They provide great resources for industry partnerships, job shadowing, and mentorships for current students interested in similar college or career paths.
Recent alumni are able to provide advice that is more relevant for students than parents or educators who are older as the context and variables for decision-making reflect the current reality. Hearing the lived experience of recent graduates can increase motivation and commitment during high school as the advice is not simply theoretical but based on first-hand experience. And, connecting with recent alumni at a similar school or in the same company creates a built-in support network for students, increasing the odds for a more successful transition to the next stage.
Alumni
Alumni, themselves, benefit from remaining connected to their high school community.
In an era when finding high quality employees can be particularly challenging, alumni connections can be vital for workforce development efforts. When alumni stay connected to different magnet or career and technical education programs, they can partner with school staff to identify talent and create a channel to recruit future high quality individuals to their business or industry.
These networks can help alumni to feel part of a community beyond just their days in high school. They can provide opportunities to connect with other alumni–who may have never overlapped with them in school–in a particular field or at a particular college to support their career efforts as they develop into adulthood. When schools make efforts to stay in touch with alumni, it communicates to them that they are part of a community that values their experiences and insights and wants to celebrate their continued success.
Getting Started: Cultivating Alumni Networks
Use the tips below to begin the process of building an active alumni network. With limitations of time and energy from school staff, educators, counselors, and administrators should consider utilizing a CCR platform to automate many of the steps required to maintain an up-to-date database of alumni; forge channels for communication and collaboration; and, ultimately, create a thriving alumni network that is a vital part of a CCR culture.
Collect email addresses before students graduate.
The best time to get future alumni contact information is when students are still physically at school. You might consider building into a class or advisory period the steps to create a new email address that is not associated with the school or district as those will expire upon graduation. Find ways to incentivize students registering as part of an alumni network prior to graduation. You might condition the sale of prom tickets or the distribution of graduation tickets on this registration. Or, you might run a raffle with prizes for students who register.
Find ways to reach out to those who have graduated.
When beginning to build an alumni network, it can be difficult to know how to reach past graduates of a school and connect. You might partner with groups planning class reunions to help connect with alumni or use the school’s social media to communicate out a general call for alumni to register to become part of the network. You might also use school events or activities such as high school sports games, art showcases, theater performances, or music concerts and specifically invite alumni in the hopes of connecting with them–providing free admission for those who register with the network. As part of these efforts, you might spotlight teachers, coaches, directors, or school leaders who have had a big impact at the school as a draw for alumni. These events provide positive experiences for alumni to connect with one another and a model for students to return back to school for events upon graduation.
Invite alumni to participate in college- or career-related events and programs.
Those who have lived experiences–either at a particular school or in a specific field or profession–can provide some of the most helpful guidance and advice to students as they plan their postsecondary life. Regularly prompt alumni to update information about their education, professional careers, and job roles, in addition to their personal contact information. You might invite alumni to join college fairs as representatives of their colleges and universities. Alumni can also be a great resource for a school’s pool of industry partners. When planning a career fair, establishing internships, or setting up company tours, specifically reach out to alumni who are in particular fields and invite them to participate. Even alumni newer to a particular job or role might join their company’s booth at a career fair or host a student to job shadow. These connections can help current students see different paths as possible and provide a contact or mentor as they move past high school.
Find ways to survey or get feedback from recent alumni.
Alumni can provide invaluable feedback on a high school’s college and career readiness efforts. Asking alumni at various points in their post-secondary path for information and guidance can help to ensure that a high school’s programming is current, relevant, and meaningful. You might survey recent high school graduates about their transition to their first year of college or their first year at a career development program, asking which programs or classes set them up for success and if there were any additional opportunities or skill development that would have been helpful to experience in high school. As students graduate from these programs, you might survey to track persistence and success or to ask questions related to job preparedness. Beyond providing information and data that can help future iterations of CCR programs, this information can also be useful to CTE educators and counselors making the case for the importance of their programs and efforts, providing a basis for further investment.
Express gratitude for alumni’s time, talents, and support.
Alumni can offer tremendous value and insights to a school community. In order to maintain a dynamic and mutually supportive alumni network, it is essential to regularly express gratitude for their efforts. When alumni feel that they are valued and able to make a difference for students in the school they attended, they are more likely to stay connected and seek out ways to support and mentor students. And, when current students see this cycle of contribution modeled, they are more likely to look for ways to connect and engage once they, themselves, transition into valued alumni.
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Schools and districts spend years readying students for college, career, and postsecondary life. They structure classes and course sequences, build executive functioning and critical thinking skills, teach financial literacy, create opportunities for students to practice collaboration, offer first-hand learning experiences, and provide a plethora of support to ensure that students are capable of meeting the challenges that await them beyond high school.
Despite these incredible efforts preparing students for postsecondary life, most schools and districts lose touch with students after graduation. Because of this, schools and districts rarely get authentic and meaningful measures of whether their CCR planning and approach are actually successful. They must use inadequate proxies for metrics to assess CCR success–such as acceptance rates to colleges, career placements, and graduation rates–not whether students are actually able to fully participate, complete their next steps, and reach their postsecondary goals.
Tracking student progress after graduation is incredibly challenging and robust and active high school alumni networks are not commonplace. Sustaining connections with alumni is difficult with the mobility of alumni and human resource limitations at a school or district level as counselors and administrators are already overwhelmed with current student work and caseloads. Despite these challenges, schools and districts should consider investing time, efforts, and resources into building these networks in order to amplify the impact and reach of their CCR efforts.
Alumni Networks are Beneficial for ALL
Building an alumni network can provide enormous benefits to current students, alumni, and school and district staff–both in the short- and long-term.
Schools & Districts
If schools are able to stay connected with alumni beyond graduation, they have access to much better information to gauge the efficacy of their CCR plans and processes. They have data on whether students who were accepted to their college of choice were sufficiently prepared to matriculate and graduate on time. They have feedback on whether support for financial aid and scholarship applications and financial literacy planning appropriately prepared students for their next step. They have measures for whether students who participate in career preparation programs successfully find consistent employment and whether those programs lead to opportunities to earn a living wage. This information allows schools and districts to identify what works, what areas need improvement, and refine their planning and processes to best meet the needs of students about to graduate. This constant cycle of assessment and improvement allows CCR programs to align to the current and evolving needs of students.
Current Students
Alumni can be a powerful resource for current students as they make their postsecondary goals and plans. Having someone who once walked the same high school halls share advice, inspiration, and lessons learned is much more relatable as these alumni can speak to very personalized components of a student’s experience. This relatability also provides elements of hope and inspiration for current students as they see that someone who shares their background was able to realize a particular dream or goal. Alumni are also often more willing to give of their time and energy to students in a school they attended. They provide great resources for industry partnerships, job shadowing, and mentorships for current students interested in similar college or career paths.
Recent alumni are able to provide advice that is more relevant for students than parents or educators who are older as the context and variables for decision-making reflect the current reality. Hearing the lived experience of recent graduates can increase motivation and commitment during high school as the advice is not simply theoretical but based on first-hand experience. And, connecting with recent alumni at a similar school or in the same company creates a built-in support network for students, increasing the odds for a more successful transition to the next stage.
Alumni
Alumni, themselves, benefit from remaining connected to their high school community.
In an era when finding high quality employees can be particularly challenging, alumni connections can be vital for workforce development efforts. When alumni stay connected to different magnet or career and technical education programs, they can partner with school staff to identify talent and create a channel to recruit future high quality individuals to their business or industry.
These networks can help alumni to feel part of a community beyond just their days in high school. They can provide opportunities to connect with other alumni–who may have never overlapped with them in school–in a particular field or at a particular college to support their career efforts as they develop into adulthood. When schools make efforts to stay in touch with alumni, it communicates to them that they are part of a community that values their experiences and insights and wants to celebrate their continued success.
Getting Started: Cultivating Alumni Networks
Use the tips below to begin the process of building an active alumni network. With limitations of time and energy from school staff, educators, counselors, and administrators should consider utilizing a CCR platform to automate many of the steps required to maintain an up-to-date database of alumni; forge channels for communication and collaboration; and, ultimately, create a thriving alumni network that is a vital part of a CCR culture.
Collect email addresses before students graduate.
The best time to get future alumni contact information is when students are still physically at school. You might consider building into a class or advisory period the steps to create a new email address that is not associated with the school or district as those will expire upon graduation. Find ways to incentivize students registering as part of an alumni network prior to graduation. You might condition the sale of prom tickets or the distribution of graduation tickets on this registration. Or, you might run a raffle with prizes for students who register.
Find ways to reach out to those who have graduated.
When beginning to build an alumni network, it can be difficult to know how to reach past graduates of a school and connect. You might partner with groups planning class reunions to help connect with alumni or use the school’s social media to communicate out a general call for alumni to register to become part of the network. You might also use school events or activities such as high school sports games, art showcases, theater performances, or music concerts and specifically invite alumni in the hopes of connecting with them–providing free admission for those who register with the network. As part of these efforts, you might spotlight teachers, coaches, directors, or school leaders who have had a big impact at the school as a draw for alumni. These events provide positive experiences for alumni to connect with one another and a model for students to return back to school for events upon graduation.
Invite alumni to participate in college- or career-related events and programs.
Those who have lived experiences–either at a particular school or in a specific field or profession–can provide some of the most helpful guidance and advice to students as they plan their postsecondary life. Regularly prompt alumni to update information about their education, professional careers, and job roles, in addition to their personal contact information. You might invite alumni to join college fairs as representatives of their colleges and universities. Alumni can also be a great resource for a school’s pool of industry partners. When planning a career fair, establishing internships, or setting up company tours, specifically reach out to alumni who are in particular fields and invite them to participate. Even alumni newer to a particular job or role might join their company’s booth at a career fair or host a student to job shadow. These connections can help current students see different paths as possible and provide a contact or mentor as they move past high school.
Find ways to survey or get feedback from recent alumni.
Alumni can provide invaluable feedback on a high school’s college and career readiness efforts. Asking alumni at various points in their post-secondary path for information and guidance can help to ensure that a high school’s programming is current, relevant, and meaningful. You might survey recent high school graduates about their transition to their first year of college or their first year at a career development program, asking which programs or classes set them up for success and if there were any additional opportunities or skill development that would have been helpful to experience in high school. As students graduate from these programs, you might survey to track persistence and success or to ask questions related to job preparedness. Beyond providing information and data that can help future iterations of CCR programs, this information can also be useful to CTE educators and counselors making the case for the importance of their programs and efforts, providing a basis for further investment.
Express gratitude for alumni’s time, talents, and support.
Alumni can offer tremendous value and insights to a school community. In order to maintain a dynamic and mutually supportive alumni network, it is essential to regularly express gratitude for their efforts. When alumni feel that they are valued and able to make a difference for students in the school they attended, they are more likely to stay connected and seek out ways to support and mentor students. And, when current students see this cycle of contribution modeled, they are more likely to look for ways to connect and engage once they, themselves, transition into valued alumni.
Schools and districts spend years readying students for college, career, and postsecondary life. They structure classes and course sequences, build executive functioning and critical thinking skills, teach financial literacy, create opportunities for students to practice collaboration, offer first-hand learning experiences, and provide a plethora of support to ensure that students are capable of meeting the challenges that await them beyond high school.
Despite these incredible efforts preparing students for postsecondary life, most schools and districts lose touch with students after graduation. Because of this, schools and districts rarely get authentic and meaningful measures of whether their CCR planning and approach are actually successful. They must use inadequate proxies for metrics to assess CCR success–such as acceptance rates to colleges, career placements, and graduation rates–not whether students are actually able to fully participate, complete their next steps, and reach their postsecondary goals.
Tracking student progress after graduation is incredibly challenging and robust and active high school alumni networks are not commonplace. Sustaining connections with alumni is difficult with the mobility of alumni and human resource limitations at a school or district level as counselors and administrators are already overwhelmed with current student work and caseloads. Despite these challenges, schools and districts should consider investing time, efforts, and resources into building these networks in order to amplify the impact and reach of their CCR efforts.
Alumni Networks are Beneficial for ALL
Building an alumni network can provide enormous benefits to current students, alumni, and school and district staff–both in the short- and long-term.
Schools & Districts
If schools are able to stay connected with alumni beyond graduation, they have access to much better information to gauge the efficacy of their CCR plans and processes. They have data on whether students who were accepted to their college of choice were sufficiently prepared to matriculate and graduate on time. They have feedback on whether support for financial aid and scholarship applications and financial literacy planning appropriately prepared students for their next step. They have measures for whether students who participate in career preparation programs successfully find consistent employment and whether those programs lead to opportunities to earn a living wage. This information allows schools and districts to identify what works, what areas need improvement, and refine their planning and processes to best meet the needs of students about to graduate. This constant cycle of assessment and improvement allows CCR programs to align to the current and evolving needs of students.
Current Students
Alumni can be a powerful resource for current students as they make their postsecondary goals and plans. Having someone who once walked the same high school halls share advice, inspiration, and lessons learned is much more relatable as these alumni can speak to very personalized components of a student’s experience. This relatability also provides elements of hope and inspiration for current students as they see that someone who shares their background was able to realize a particular dream or goal. Alumni are also often more willing to give of their time and energy to students in a school they attended. They provide great resources for industry partnerships, job shadowing, and mentorships for current students interested in similar college or career paths.
Recent alumni are able to provide advice that is more relevant for students than parents or educators who are older as the context and variables for decision-making reflect the current reality. Hearing the lived experience of recent graduates can increase motivation and commitment during high school as the advice is not simply theoretical but based on first-hand experience. And, connecting with recent alumni at a similar school or in the same company creates a built-in support network for students, increasing the odds for a more successful transition to the next stage.
Alumni
Alumni, themselves, benefit from remaining connected to their high school community.
In an era when finding high quality employees can be particularly challenging, alumni connections can be vital for workforce development efforts. When alumni stay connected to different magnet or career and technical education programs, they can partner with school staff to identify talent and create a channel to recruit future high quality individuals to their business or industry.
These networks can help alumni to feel part of a community beyond just their days in high school. They can provide opportunities to connect with other alumni–who may have never overlapped with them in school–in a particular field or at a particular college to support their career efforts as they develop into adulthood. When schools make efforts to stay in touch with alumni, it communicates to them that they are part of a community that values their experiences and insights and wants to celebrate their continued success.
Getting Started: Cultivating Alumni Networks
Use the tips below to begin the process of building an active alumni network. With limitations of time and energy from school staff, educators, counselors, and administrators should consider utilizing a CCR platform to automate many of the steps required to maintain an up-to-date database of alumni; forge channels for communication and collaboration; and, ultimately, create a thriving alumni network that is a vital part of a CCR culture.
Collect email addresses before students graduate.
The best time to get future alumni contact information is when students are still physically at school. You might consider building into a class or advisory period the steps to create a new email address that is not associated with the school or district as those will expire upon graduation. Find ways to incentivize students registering as part of an alumni network prior to graduation. You might condition the sale of prom tickets or the distribution of graduation tickets on this registration. Or, you might run a raffle with prizes for students who register.
Find ways to reach out to those who have graduated.
When beginning to build an alumni network, it can be difficult to know how to reach past graduates of a school and connect. You might partner with groups planning class reunions to help connect with alumni or use the school’s social media to communicate out a general call for alumni to register to become part of the network. You might also use school events or activities such as high school sports games, art showcases, theater performances, or music concerts and specifically invite alumni in the hopes of connecting with them–providing free admission for those who register with the network. As part of these efforts, you might spotlight teachers, coaches, directors, or school leaders who have had a big impact at the school as a draw for alumni. These events provide positive experiences for alumni to connect with one another and a model for students to return back to school for events upon graduation.
Invite alumni to participate in college- or career-related events and programs.
Those who have lived experiences–either at a particular school or in a specific field or profession–can provide some of the most helpful guidance and advice to students as they plan their postsecondary life. Regularly prompt alumni to update information about their education, professional careers, and job roles, in addition to their personal contact information. You might invite alumni to join college fairs as representatives of their colleges and universities. Alumni can also be a great resource for a school’s pool of industry partners. When planning a career fair, establishing internships, or setting up company tours, specifically reach out to alumni who are in particular fields and invite them to participate. Even alumni newer to a particular job or role might join their company’s booth at a career fair or host a student to job shadow. These connections can help current students see different paths as possible and provide a contact or mentor as they move past high school.
Find ways to survey or get feedback from recent alumni.
Alumni can provide invaluable feedback on a high school’s college and career readiness efforts. Asking alumni at various points in their post-secondary path for information and guidance can help to ensure that a high school’s programming is current, relevant, and meaningful. You might survey recent high school graduates about their transition to their first year of college or their first year at a career development program, asking which programs or classes set them up for success and if there were any additional opportunities or skill development that would have been helpful to experience in high school. As students graduate from these programs, you might survey to track persistence and success or to ask questions related to job preparedness. Beyond providing information and data that can help future iterations of CCR programs, this information can also be useful to CTE educators and counselors making the case for the importance of their programs and efforts, providing a basis for further investment.
Express gratitude for alumni’s time, talents, and support.
Alumni can offer tremendous value and insights to a school community. In order to maintain a dynamic and mutually supportive alumni network, it is essential to regularly express gratitude for their efforts. When alumni feel that they are valued and able to make a difference for students in the school they attended, they are more likely to stay connected and seek out ways to support and mentor students. And, when current students see this cycle of contribution modeled, they are more likely to look for ways to connect and engage once they, themselves, transition into valued alumni.
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Schools and districts spend years readying students for college, career, and postsecondary life. They structure classes and course sequences, build executive functioning and critical thinking skills, teach financial literacy, create opportunities for students to practice collaboration, offer first-hand learning experiences, and provide a plethora of support to ensure that students are capable of meeting the challenges that await them beyond high school.
Despite these incredible efforts preparing students for postsecondary life, most schools and districts lose touch with students after graduation. Because of this, schools and districts rarely get authentic and meaningful measures of whether their CCR planning and approach are actually successful. They must use inadequate proxies for metrics to assess CCR success–such as acceptance rates to colleges, career placements, and graduation rates–not whether students are actually able to fully participate, complete their next steps, and reach their postsecondary goals.
Tracking student progress after graduation is incredibly challenging and robust and active high school alumni networks are not commonplace. Sustaining connections with alumni is difficult with the mobility of alumni and human resource limitations at a school or district level as counselors and administrators are already overwhelmed with current student work and caseloads. Despite these challenges, schools and districts should consider investing time, efforts, and resources into building these networks in order to amplify the impact and reach of their CCR efforts.
Alumni Networks are Beneficial for ALL
Building an alumni network can provide enormous benefits to current students, alumni, and school and district staff–both in the short- and long-term.
Schools & Districts
If schools are able to stay connected with alumni beyond graduation, they have access to much better information to gauge the efficacy of their CCR plans and processes. They have data on whether students who were accepted to their college of choice were sufficiently prepared to matriculate and graduate on time. They have feedback on whether support for financial aid and scholarship applications and financial literacy planning appropriately prepared students for their next step. They have measures for whether students who participate in career preparation programs successfully find consistent employment and whether those programs lead to opportunities to earn a living wage. This information allows schools and districts to identify what works, what areas need improvement, and refine their planning and processes to best meet the needs of students about to graduate. This constant cycle of assessment and improvement allows CCR programs to align to the current and evolving needs of students.
Current Students
Alumni can be a powerful resource for current students as they make their postsecondary goals and plans. Having someone who once walked the same high school halls share advice, inspiration, and lessons learned is much more relatable as these alumni can speak to very personalized components of a student’s experience. This relatability also provides elements of hope and inspiration for current students as they see that someone who shares their background was able to realize a particular dream or goal. Alumni are also often more willing to give of their time and energy to students in a school they attended. They provide great resources for industry partnerships, job shadowing, and mentorships for current students interested in similar college or career paths.
Recent alumni are able to provide advice that is more relevant for students than parents or educators who are older as the context and variables for decision-making reflect the current reality. Hearing the lived experience of recent graduates can increase motivation and commitment during high school as the advice is not simply theoretical but based on first-hand experience. And, connecting with recent alumni at a similar school or in the same company creates a built-in support network for students, increasing the odds for a more successful transition to the next stage.
Alumni
Alumni, themselves, benefit from remaining connected to their high school community.
In an era when finding high quality employees can be particularly challenging, alumni connections can be vital for workforce development efforts. When alumni stay connected to different magnet or career and technical education programs, they can partner with school staff to identify talent and create a channel to recruit future high quality individuals to their business or industry.
These networks can help alumni to feel part of a community beyond just their days in high school. They can provide opportunities to connect with other alumni–who may have never overlapped with them in school–in a particular field or at a particular college to support their career efforts as they develop into adulthood. When schools make efforts to stay in touch with alumni, it communicates to them that they are part of a community that values their experiences and insights and wants to celebrate their continued success.
Getting Started: Cultivating Alumni Networks
Use the tips below to begin the process of building an active alumni network. With limitations of time and energy from school staff, educators, counselors, and administrators should consider utilizing a CCR platform to automate many of the steps required to maintain an up-to-date database of alumni; forge channels for communication and collaboration; and, ultimately, create a thriving alumni network that is a vital part of a CCR culture.
Collect email addresses before students graduate.
The best time to get future alumni contact information is when students are still physically at school. You might consider building into a class or advisory period the steps to create a new email address that is not associated with the school or district as those will expire upon graduation. Find ways to incentivize students registering as part of an alumni network prior to graduation. You might condition the sale of prom tickets or the distribution of graduation tickets on this registration. Or, you might run a raffle with prizes for students who register.
Find ways to reach out to those who have graduated.
When beginning to build an alumni network, it can be difficult to know how to reach past graduates of a school and connect. You might partner with groups planning class reunions to help connect with alumni or use the school’s social media to communicate out a general call for alumni to register to become part of the network. You might also use school events or activities such as high school sports games, art showcases, theater performances, or music concerts and specifically invite alumni in the hopes of connecting with them–providing free admission for those who register with the network. As part of these efforts, you might spotlight teachers, coaches, directors, or school leaders who have had a big impact at the school as a draw for alumni. These events provide positive experiences for alumni to connect with one another and a model for students to return back to school for events upon graduation.
Invite alumni to participate in college- or career-related events and programs.
Those who have lived experiences–either at a particular school or in a specific field or profession–can provide some of the most helpful guidance and advice to students as they plan their postsecondary life. Regularly prompt alumni to update information about their education, professional careers, and job roles, in addition to their personal contact information. You might invite alumni to join college fairs as representatives of their colleges and universities. Alumni can also be a great resource for a school’s pool of industry partners. When planning a career fair, establishing internships, or setting up company tours, specifically reach out to alumni who are in particular fields and invite them to participate. Even alumni newer to a particular job or role might join their company’s booth at a career fair or host a student to job shadow. These connections can help current students see different paths as possible and provide a contact or mentor as they move past high school.
Find ways to survey or get feedback from recent alumni.
Alumni can provide invaluable feedback on a high school’s college and career readiness efforts. Asking alumni at various points in their post-secondary path for information and guidance can help to ensure that a high school’s programming is current, relevant, and meaningful. You might survey recent high school graduates about their transition to their first year of college or their first year at a career development program, asking which programs or classes set them up for success and if there were any additional opportunities or skill development that would have been helpful to experience in high school. As students graduate from these programs, you might survey to track persistence and success or to ask questions related to job preparedness. Beyond providing information and data that can help future iterations of CCR programs, this information can also be useful to CTE educators and counselors making the case for the importance of their programs and efforts, providing a basis for further investment.
Express gratitude for alumni’s time, talents, and support.
Alumni can offer tremendous value and insights to a school community. In order to maintain a dynamic and mutually supportive alumni network, it is essential to regularly express gratitude for their efforts. When alumni feel that they are valued and able to make a difference for students in the school they attended, they are more likely to stay connected and seek out ways to support and mentor students. And, when current students see this cycle of contribution modeled, they are more likely to look for ways to connect and engage once they, themselves, transition into valued alumni.
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Schools and districts spend years readying students for college, career, and postsecondary life. They structure classes and course sequences, build executive functioning and critical thinking skills, teach financial literacy, create opportunities for students to practice collaboration, offer first-hand learning experiences, and provide a plethora of support to ensure that students are capable of meeting the challenges that await them beyond high school.
Despite these incredible efforts preparing students for postsecondary life, most schools and districts lose touch with students after graduation. Because of this, schools and districts rarely get authentic and meaningful measures of whether their CCR planning and approach are actually successful. They must use inadequate proxies for metrics to assess CCR success–such as acceptance rates to colleges, career placements, and graduation rates–not whether students are actually able to fully participate, complete their next steps, and reach their postsecondary goals.
Tracking student progress after graduation is incredibly challenging and robust and active high school alumni networks are not commonplace. Sustaining connections with alumni is difficult with the mobility of alumni and human resource limitations at a school or district level as counselors and administrators are already overwhelmed with current student work and caseloads. Despite these challenges, schools and districts should consider investing time, efforts, and resources into building these networks in order to amplify the impact and reach of their CCR efforts.
Alumni Networks are Beneficial for ALL
Building an alumni network can provide enormous benefits to current students, alumni, and school and district staff–both in the short- and long-term.
Schools & Districts
If schools are able to stay connected with alumni beyond graduation, they have access to much better information to gauge the efficacy of their CCR plans and processes. They have data on whether students who were accepted to their college of choice were sufficiently prepared to matriculate and graduate on time. They have feedback on whether support for financial aid and scholarship applications and financial literacy planning appropriately prepared students for their next step. They have measures for whether students who participate in career preparation programs successfully find consistent employment and whether those programs lead to opportunities to earn a living wage. This information allows schools and districts to identify what works, what areas need improvement, and refine their planning and processes to best meet the needs of students about to graduate. This constant cycle of assessment and improvement allows CCR programs to align to the current and evolving needs of students.
Current Students
Alumni can be a powerful resource for current students as they make their postsecondary goals and plans. Having someone who once walked the same high school halls share advice, inspiration, and lessons learned is much more relatable as these alumni can speak to very personalized components of a student’s experience. This relatability also provides elements of hope and inspiration for current students as they see that someone who shares their background was able to realize a particular dream or goal. Alumni are also often more willing to give of their time and energy to students in a school they attended. They provide great resources for industry partnerships, job shadowing, and mentorships for current students interested in similar college or career paths.
Recent alumni are able to provide advice that is more relevant for students than parents or educators who are older as the context and variables for decision-making reflect the current reality. Hearing the lived experience of recent graduates can increase motivation and commitment during high school as the advice is not simply theoretical but based on first-hand experience. And, connecting with recent alumni at a similar school or in the same company creates a built-in support network for students, increasing the odds for a more successful transition to the next stage.
Alumni
Alumni, themselves, benefit from remaining connected to their high school community.
In an era when finding high quality employees can be particularly challenging, alumni connections can be vital for workforce development efforts. When alumni stay connected to different magnet or career and technical education programs, they can partner with school staff to identify talent and create a channel to recruit future high quality individuals to their business or industry.
These networks can help alumni to feel part of a community beyond just their days in high school. They can provide opportunities to connect with other alumni–who may have never overlapped with them in school–in a particular field or at a particular college to support their career efforts as they develop into adulthood. When schools make efforts to stay in touch with alumni, it communicates to them that they are part of a community that values their experiences and insights and wants to celebrate their continued success.
Getting Started: Cultivating Alumni Networks
Use the tips below to begin the process of building an active alumni network. With limitations of time and energy from school staff, educators, counselors, and administrators should consider utilizing a CCR platform to automate many of the steps required to maintain an up-to-date database of alumni; forge channels for communication and collaboration; and, ultimately, create a thriving alumni network that is a vital part of a CCR culture.
Collect email addresses before students graduate.
The best time to get future alumni contact information is when students are still physically at school. You might consider building into a class or advisory period the steps to create a new email address that is not associated with the school or district as those will expire upon graduation. Find ways to incentivize students registering as part of an alumni network prior to graduation. You might condition the sale of prom tickets or the distribution of graduation tickets on this registration. Or, you might run a raffle with prizes for students who register.
Find ways to reach out to those who have graduated.
When beginning to build an alumni network, it can be difficult to know how to reach past graduates of a school and connect. You might partner with groups planning class reunions to help connect with alumni or use the school’s social media to communicate out a general call for alumni to register to become part of the network. You might also use school events or activities such as high school sports games, art showcases, theater performances, or music concerts and specifically invite alumni in the hopes of connecting with them–providing free admission for those who register with the network. As part of these efforts, you might spotlight teachers, coaches, directors, or school leaders who have had a big impact at the school as a draw for alumni. These events provide positive experiences for alumni to connect with one another and a model for students to return back to school for events upon graduation.
Invite alumni to participate in college- or career-related events and programs.
Those who have lived experiences–either at a particular school or in a specific field or profession–can provide some of the most helpful guidance and advice to students as they plan their postsecondary life. Regularly prompt alumni to update information about their education, professional careers, and job roles, in addition to their personal contact information. You might invite alumni to join college fairs as representatives of their colleges and universities. Alumni can also be a great resource for a school’s pool of industry partners. When planning a career fair, establishing internships, or setting up company tours, specifically reach out to alumni who are in particular fields and invite them to participate. Even alumni newer to a particular job or role might join their company’s booth at a career fair or host a student to job shadow. These connections can help current students see different paths as possible and provide a contact or mentor as they move past high school.
Find ways to survey or get feedback from recent alumni.
Alumni can provide invaluable feedback on a high school’s college and career readiness efforts. Asking alumni at various points in their post-secondary path for information and guidance can help to ensure that a high school’s programming is current, relevant, and meaningful. You might survey recent high school graduates about their transition to their first year of college or their first year at a career development program, asking which programs or classes set them up for success and if there were any additional opportunities or skill development that would have been helpful to experience in high school. As students graduate from these programs, you might survey to track persistence and success or to ask questions related to job preparedness. Beyond providing information and data that can help future iterations of CCR programs, this information can also be useful to CTE educators and counselors making the case for the importance of their programs and efforts, providing a basis for further investment.
Express gratitude for alumni’s time, talents, and support.
Alumni can offer tremendous value and insights to a school community. In order to maintain a dynamic and mutually supportive alumni network, it is essential to regularly express gratitude for their efforts. When alumni feel that they are valued and able to make a difference for students in the school they attended, they are more likely to stay connected and seek out ways to support and mentor students. And, when current students see this cycle of contribution modeled, they are more likely to look for ways to connect and engage once they, themselves, transition into valued alumni.
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Schools and districts spend years readying students for college, career, and postsecondary life. They structure classes and course sequences, build executive functioning and critical thinking skills, teach financial literacy, create opportunities for students to practice collaboration, offer first-hand learning experiences, and provide a plethora of support to ensure that students are capable of meeting the challenges that await them beyond high school.
Despite these incredible efforts preparing students for postsecondary life, most schools and districts lose touch with students after graduation. Because of this, schools and districts rarely get authentic and meaningful measures of whether their CCR planning and approach are actually successful. They must use inadequate proxies for metrics to assess CCR success–such as acceptance rates to colleges, career placements, and graduation rates–not whether students are actually able to fully participate, complete their next steps, and reach their postsecondary goals.
Tracking student progress after graduation is incredibly challenging and robust and active high school alumni networks are not commonplace. Sustaining connections with alumni is difficult with the mobility of alumni and human resource limitations at a school or district level as counselors and administrators are already overwhelmed with current student work and caseloads. Despite these challenges, schools and districts should consider investing time, efforts, and resources into building these networks in order to amplify the impact and reach of their CCR efforts.
Alumni Networks are Beneficial for ALL
Building an alumni network can provide enormous benefits to current students, alumni, and school and district staff–both in the short- and long-term.
Schools & Districts
If schools are able to stay connected with alumni beyond graduation, they have access to much better information to gauge the efficacy of their CCR plans and processes. They have data on whether students who were accepted to their college of choice were sufficiently prepared to matriculate and graduate on time. They have feedback on whether support for financial aid and scholarship applications and financial literacy planning appropriately prepared students for their next step. They have measures for whether students who participate in career preparation programs successfully find consistent employment and whether those programs lead to opportunities to earn a living wage. This information allows schools and districts to identify what works, what areas need improvement, and refine their planning and processes to best meet the needs of students about to graduate. This constant cycle of assessment and improvement allows CCR programs to align to the current and evolving needs of students.
Current Students
Alumni can be a powerful resource for current students as they make their postsecondary goals and plans. Having someone who once walked the same high school halls share advice, inspiration, and lessons learned is much more relatable as these alumni can speak to very personalized components of a student’s experience. This relatability also provides elements of hope and inspiration for current students as they see that someone who shares their background was able to realize a particular dream or goal. Alumni are also often more willing to give of their time and energy to students in a school they attended. They provide great resources for industry partnerships, job shadowing, and mentorships for current students interested in similar college or career paths.
Recent alumni are able to provide advice that is more relevant for students than parents or educators who are older as the context and variables for decision-making reflect the current reality. Hearing the lived experience of recent graduates can increase motivation and commitment during high school as the advice is not simply theoretical but based on first-hand experience. And, connecting with recent alumni at a similar school or in the same company creates a built-in support network for students, increasing the odds for a more successful transition to the next stage.
Alumni
Alumni, themselves, benefit from remaining connected to their high school community.
In an era when finding high quality employees can be particularly challenging, alumni connections can be vital for workforce development efforts. When alumni stay connected to different magnet or career and technical education programs, they can partner with school staff to identify talent and create a channel to recruit future high quality individuals to their business or industry.
These networks can help alumni to feel part of a community beyond just their days in high school. They can provide opportunities to connect with other alumni–who may have never overlapped with them in school–in a particular field or at a particular college to support their career efforts as they develop into adulthood. When schools make efforts to stay in touch with alumni, it communicates to them that they are part of a community that values their experiences and insights and wants to celebrate their continued success.
Getting Started: Cultivating Alumni Networks
Use the tips below to begin the process of building an active alumni network. With limitations of time and energy from school staff, educators, counselors, and administrators should consider utilizing a CCR platform to automate many of the steps required to maintain an up-to-date database of alumni; forge channels for communication and collaboration; and, ultimately, create a thriving alumni network that is a vital part of a CCR culture.
Collect email addresses before students graduate.
The best time to get future alumni contact information is when students are still physically at school. You might consider building into a class or advisory period the steps to create a new email address that is not associated with the school or district as those will expire upon graduation. Find ways to incentivize students registering as part of an alumni network prior to graduation. You might condition the sale of prom tickets or the distribution of graduation tickets on this registration. Or, you might run a raffle with prizes for students who register.
Find ways to reach out to those who have graduated.
When beginning to build an alumni network, it can be difficult to know how to reach past graduates of a school and connect. You might partner with groups planning class reunions to help connect with alumni or use the school’s social media to communicate out a general call for alumni to register to become part of the network. You might also use school events or activities such as high school sports games, art showcases, theater performances, or music concerts and specifically invite alumni in the hopes of connecting with them–providing free admission for those who register with the network. As part of these efforts, you might spotlight teachers, coaches, directors, or school leaders who have had a big impact at the school as a draw for alumni. These events provide positive experiences for alumni to connect with one another and a model for students to return back to school for events upon graduation.
Invite alumni to participate in college- or career-related events and programs.
Those who have lived experiences–either at a particular school or in a specific field or profession–can provide some of the most helpful guidance and advice to students as they plan their postsecondary life. Regularly prompt alumni to update information about their education, professional careers, and job roles, in addition to their personal contact information. You might invite alumni to join college fairs as representatives of their colleges and universities. Alumni can also be a great resource for a school’s pool of industry partners. When planning a career fair, establishing internships, or setting up company tours, specifically reach out to alumni who are in particular fields and invite them to participate. Even alumni newer to a particular job or role might join their company’s booth at a career fair or host a student to job shadow. These connections can help current students see different paths as possible and provide a contact or mentor as they move past high school.
Find ways to survey or get feedback from recent alumni.
Alumni can provide invaluable feedback on a high school’s college and career readiness efforts. Asking alumni at various points in their post-secondary path for information and guidance can help to ensure that a high school’s programming is current, relevant, and meaningful. You might survey recent high school graduates about their transition to their first year of college or their first year at a career development program, asking which programs or classes set them up for success and if there were any additional opportunities or skill development that would have been helpful to experience in high school. As students graduate from these programs, you might survey to track persistence and success or to ask questions related to job preparedness. Beyond providing information and data that can help future iterations of CCR programs, this information can also be useful to CTE educators and counselors making the case for the importance of their programs and efforts, providing a basis for further investment.
Express gratitude for alumni’s time, talents, and support.
Alumni can offer tremendous value and insights to a school community. In order to maintain a dynamic and mutually supportive alumni network, it is essential to regularly express gratitude for their efforts. When alumni feel that they are valued and able to make a difference for students in the school they attended, they are more likely to stay connected and seek out ways to support and mentor students. And, when current students see this cycle of contribution modeled, they are more likely to look for ways to connect and engage once they, themselves, transition into valued alumni.
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