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In 2005, Pepperdine’s Alumni Affairs and Relations Office conducted the most comprehensive survey in its history to learn more about alumni’s current connections with the university and how to meet their needs. More than 30,000 emails and 10,000 letters were sent. Now, that the results are in coordinators across the university have come together to make reforms.
The survey results showed that Pepperdine could have done a better job offering resources to alumni, but also that Pepperdine offered many resources alumni didn’t know about, according to Catherine Kort, executive director of Alumni Affairs. Kort said that a survey had never seen this amount of interest, and that alumni are very curious to be a part of the Pepperdine community.
“The results confirmed what we were already working toward,” Kort said. “We knew how to access it; we just were not structured to meet their needs.”
With more than 70,000 alumni, Pepperdine is quickly developing a presence all over the world. The alumni office is now working to emphasize the strength of the alumni program to new and existing students. The change is university-wide, concentrating on using the resources from all graduate and undergraduate programs, schools and campuses. Many new programs have been implemented in order to bring about a reform in future alumni connections.
The alumni offices work with the Career Development Center to host Career Round-tables, which bring alumni back to campus to answer students’ questions about various career fields.
Kort emphasized the importance in training students to make alumni connections before graduation.
“How can alumni know how to network and be strong if students are not prepared to enter the position?” Kort said.
Chris Sangster, assistant dean of Advancement and Alumni Relations, has used the survey results to restructure his office.
“My office is trying to work on the front end, helping students while they’re here,” Sangster said. “In response to the survey, we are focusing on the students so that they will have had a good experience and will want to give back to the next group. As they are a part of this engagement process, they will learn how to network and to answer their own questions.”
One of the best outlets to reach students is through students themselves. The Student Alumni Organization, the student-run branch of the alumni office, begins to connect with new students during NSO.
“Alumni are eager to be involved with the university,” said Sangster. “In the past, we haven’t done very well giving them the opportunity, but now we’re working on it. We’re all putting in the effort to bring alumni back to campus.”
Students said they expect the same sort of attention when networking for future jobs and internships.
“I’m hoping that Pepperdine will provide me with networking capabilities or a system of contacts,” freshman Liza Gilmore said. “I would like to be able to connect with alumni who have gone into various jobs in my field.”
While Pepperdine is restructuring its resources in order to offer students these connections, it’s also up to the students to learn how to use and find the networks upon entering school, according to Sangster.
“Of those alumni who completed the survey, there wasn’t a high percentage that felt that their careers were not at the level they expected them to be,” Sangster said. “They emphasized that there was more the university could have done, but also that they still found satisfaction and success after graduation.”
Also emphasized in the survey was the level of satisfaction alumni expressed about their Pepperdine experiences, as well as their sentiment to the university.
“We should be the envy of other schools for the level of affinity in our alumni,” Kort said.
Students and directors are enthusiastic about the changes and opportunities brought about by the survey results.
“As we do this for students now, then in the near term we’ll have a group of much stronger young alumni to help new students,” said Sangster. “One of the best ways for students to create these networks now is to keep in touch with those they are going to school with.”
Kort contributes many of the successful efforts and results to President Benton. She said she is looking forward to maintaining the synergy he has started by creating a welcome community for both students and alumni.
The alumni offices plan to track the progress of their reforms by issuing another survey in the future.
Submitted 03-23-2006
MALIBU, CA
