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November 2007
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ALUMNI NEWS |
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Survey Results Reveal Alumni Preferences
Over the summer, the Alumni Programs staff set out to conduct a comprehensive attitudinal study of AU alumni. The results are in and Alumni Programs will take action based on the feedback we received. A total of 2,620 alumni participated in the survey; 64 percent of respondents received an undergraduate degree from AU, while 28 percent received a graduate degree. The remaining eight percent hold both undergraduate and graduate degrees from AU. The survey was marketed via a mailing, e-mails, and links from both the AU alumni Web site and AU’s inCircle online community. Fifty-three percent of alumni indicated that value and respect for their degree affects their overall opinion of AU. Accomplishments of the university was ranked second most important to alumni. As a result, the Office of Alumni Programs will strive to better communicate with alumni regarding how their diploma increases in value as AU continues to climb in the rankings, and to better highlight the successes of AU faculty. Alumni feel it is important that they identify job opportunities for graduates, mentor students, and recruit students. Alumni Programs will continue to work with the Career Center to create opportunities for alumni to provide job and mentorship opportunities to students. Alumni Programs will also work to market programs such as inCircle which provide alumni opportunities to reach out to students. Alumni indicated they are most likely to attend the following types of events: educational lectures/seminars, cultural events, networking events, and continuing education events. It is apparent alumni feel AU should provide continuing education opportunities to alumni. AU is working to satisfy this need through initiatives such as the Faculty of the Road lecture series, Alumni Audit, and Alumni College. AU’s Faculty on the Road lecture series is designed to facilitate faculty-alumni interaction by bringing AU’s most prominent professors to speak with alumni across the country. The Alumni Audit program allows alumni to audit one nontutorial class per semester at a rate of $100 per class. Still under creation, the Alumni College program will provide alumni with the opportunity to attend classes on campus for a day taught by some of AU’s favorite professors. The most frequently utilized alumni services and communication vehicles include alumni e-mail blasts, American magazine, and the Alumni Update e-newsletter. The majority of alumni believe the university Web site, alumni Web site, American magazine, and the Alumni Update e-newsletter are effective. Eighty-three percent of alumni said they would like to receive communications from AU via e-mail, while only nine percent would like to be contacted by mail. AU will continue to focus on our online presence and use e-mail as our primary communication vehicle. To that effect, please be sure to notify AU if your e-mail address changes! Ninety percent of alumni feel they made a good or great decision when choosing to attend AU and 92 percent had a “good” or “excellent” experience as a student. Eighty-seven percent of alumni agree that “AU has moved in the right direction within the past year.” There is clearly enthusiasm and momentum amongst alumni, and Alumni Programs staff plan to capitalize on that excitement and build a better program. *Please note: results were rounded to the nearest whole number. -Vanessa Yost | |||
