Intro to Multimedia Storytelling - Final Project
Lost Connection: Why Should University Alumni Return to their Campus?
Most colleges are concerned about their students feeling a sense of belonging while on campus, but is it just as important for students to feel a sense of belonging after they graduate? Many have a transactional relationship with their college, just having a desire to get their degree and never return. Indiana Wesleyan University’s Alumni Association is determined to help students stay connected, but many students do not take advantage of the resources they have to offer.
Jaclyn Gidley is now IWU’s Director of Alumni and Church Relations. She stepped into this role nearly one year ago, and has a vision for what IWU’s Alumni Association could be in the future, and also for what it needs to improve on.
A big part of the IWU Alumni Association’s vision for alumni to remain connected is the fact that many older alumni have a desire to pour into the lives of younger alumni. The hope is that IWU alumni would share a sense of kinship, and this is especially evident through legacy families. However, when it comes to staying connected, many students don’t see it as a necessity, especially if they are a first-generation IWU student.
I interviewed students around IWU’s campus about the likelihood they would stay connected to the university after graduation. While I got varied answers, many of the students did not see alumni events as being a compelling reason to return and stay connected to the university.
IWU students explaining the likelihood of their return to campus after graduation.
Homecoming is the main event that most alumni return for, and with the addition of football, even more alumni have begun to attend in recent years. The IWU Alumni Association gives awards to distinguished alumni, organizes an Alumni Brunch and other Homecoming events, and even gives out old yearbooks to alumni as they arrive. Most of the other alumni events have had less attendance in recent years, but Homecoming remains an extremely popular way for alumni to remain connected and re-engage with the university.
Alumni returning for Homecoming 2023 (All photos used with permission from the IWU Alumni Association)
While the Alumni Office does provide useful connections and resources for alumni to stay connected with the university, they cannot control who decides to return for events. Many who had bad experiences with the university or simply just wanted to leave with a degree would have little to no interest in coming back for alumni events, except possibly Homecoming. It all comes down to whether or not the alum felt a sense of belonging at the university as a student, because if they did not connect while attending, they would have barely any chance of reconnecting after graduation. With some real plans to engage with students while they are still attending the university, the Alumni Association has a better chance of making lasting connections.
