Evaluative statements from alumni have legitimacy with both internal and external stakeholders. Thus, alumni studies can provide valuable evidence of institutional effectiveness and lend themselves to both locally designed and commercial survey instruments for data collection. Under ideal conditions, the results of alumni studies equip faculty and…

In a time of decreasing institutional resources, the ability to refine and target donor campaigns is more critical than ever. Using examples from analyses of donating patterns and behaviors of Binghamton University (SUNY) alumni, this chapter demonstrates how geographic information systems (GIS) can be used to better understand where alumni are…

As institutions increasingly turn to alumni to provide services to their alma maters in such areas as volunteering, donating, networking, and lobbying, alumni research becomes a high priority in academic administration. The term alumni is defined, parameters for alumni research are proposed and uses of such research are described. (MLW)

Striving for a standardized alumni research terminology should parallel future research efforts in such areas as measurement of donor potential, modeling alumni giving patterns, and examination of involvement in alumni activities. A taxonomy and a strategy for achieving standardization are described. (MLW)

Coordinated planning and management are critical ingredients of any successful alumni information system. The initial exercises in developing an effective alumni information system are to recognize any limitations, commit the institution to overcoming them, use existing resources effectively, plan for the acquisition of additional resources, and…

Both routine monitoring reports and special studies contribute to effective fund-raising efforts and the provision of services to alumni of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A long-range strategy committee was established to determine market-research needs and approaches and to establish long-term alumni-relations priorities. The alumni…

Using empirical research methods to segment alumni markets, profile donors, prioritize prospects, and project realistic budgets becomes more important as fundraising goals expand. Projecting alumni growth and its impact on program and budget planning, profiling donors and nondonors, and ranking prospects are discussed. (MLW)

Evaluates the success of the Cornell Tradition Program, designed to encourage current undergraduate aid recipients to give back to the university after graduation. Results indicate institutional efforts can have a positive impact on the long-term giving behavior of alumni. The Input-Commitment-Environment-Output model used shows promise as a tool…

A review of some alumni research conducted at Stanford University (California) and the ways the findings have been used indicates the range of development and alumni-relations issues for which market research can be valuable. It also demonstrates the value of ongoing, rather than occasional, research. (Author/MSE)

Graphics, survey research, and multivariate statistical techniques were applied at a private liberal arts college to help development professionals better understand and predict alumni giving behavior, on both an aggregate and an individual basis. (Author)

Launching an alumni survey requires consultation with many campus constituencies, thoughtful decisions about intent and content, careful planning of all operational procedures and proper promotion. Census surveys, telephone versus mail surveys, decisions on data entry, timelines, costs, publicizing, etc. are discussed. (MLW)

This chapter addresses the opportunities and challenges of using alumni research in Spain.

Sophisticated computers and statistical software offer expanded opportunities for elaborate data analysis but also require careful preparation of data and thoughtful selection of analytical techniques. Data preparation, organization of data analysis, and dissemination of the results are discussed. (MLW)

This chapter discusses applications of alumni research at the University of Kassel and key results from the CHEERS study: Careers After Higher Education--a European Research Study. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

Describes the Collegiate Results Instrument (CRI), which measures a range of collegiate outcomes for alumni 6 years after graduation. The CRI was designed to target alumni from institutions across market segments and assess their values, abilities, work skills, occupations, and pursuit of lifelong learning. (EV)