Episode Description
Most schools and nonprofits don’t have an “engagement problem” they have a follow-up problem. If you’ve ever gone to a campus event, felt a quick burst of nostalgia, and then never heard anything meaningful again, you’ve seen the gap firsthand. I sit down with alumni engagement and nonprofit consultant Jennifer Cunningham to unpack what actually turns a one-time attendee into a connected community member who mentors, hires, volunteers, advocates, and eventually gives back.
Jennifer shares how alumni engagement has shifted from planning social gatherings to designing intentional experiences with a clear return for both the institution and the alumni. We talk about building an engagement journey that has logical next steps, why student success and career outcomes make alumni networks more important than ever, and how “lifelong learning” can be the thread that keeps people coming back through webinars, certificates, executive education, and other professional development opportunities.
If you care about community building, alumni relations, nonprofit engagement strategies, or career networking for graduates, this conversation is packed with practical ideas you can apply right away. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review, then tell us: what’s one follow-up you wish your school or organization would send?
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