Building an alumni volunteer program

Building a Volunteer Program

Margaret Grabowski, Assistant Director of Alumni RelationsReggie Bustinza, Director of Alumni Relations

About Lewis University

• Private Doctoral-Level University

• Catholic / Lasallian

• Romeoville, IL

• 6,000+ students

• 37,000 alumni

• Alumni Relations Staff of 3

Commitment to Volunteerism

• Hired Margaret in January, 2014

• LUAA has permanent “Volunteer Management Committee”

• Lewis funds some volunteer activities– Thank You Party– All mailings

– Gifts

Agenda

• Purpose of a Volunteer Program

• Volunteer Process

• Program Build Process

• Branding

• How Lewis uses alumni volunteers

• Challenges

• Results

Why Build a Volunteer Program?

• One avenue of engagement– Along with communications, giving, and event

attendance

• Additional (human) resources for the institution

• Cultivation tool

Volunteer Process

Maintain EngagementWith Unutilized

Volunteers

Identifying Opportunities

• How are alumni currently being utilized?– Take an inventory by talking to deans, campus

partners

• Constantly ask yourself: Is this a potential volunteer opportunity?

• Are there new initiatives you’d like to offer?

• Ongoing vs. Recurring vs. One-time

Identifying Volunteers

• Continue your inventory: Who are the current volunteers and what are they doing?

• Add “Are you interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities?” to everything you can!– Door prize slips, sign-in sheets, all surveys

• Engagement Scores / Data mining• Targeted outreach

– Reunions and affinity groups – this is a GREAT method• Development Officers • Website Presence

– Online volunteer interest form– Posting specific opportunities vs. vague categories

• Finally… the marketing push!

Webpage Example

Alumni.lewisu.edu/volunteer

Identifying Volunteers

• Data Management– Volunteer Interest vs. Volunteer Active

Qualification, Training & Placement

• Right volunteer for the job

• Training done on a case-by-case basis– Some opportunities require almost no training,

others are more involved

• Campus partners often do their own training

Thank Volunteers

• An email from Margaret immediately after they volunteer

• Handwritten note from a volunteer committee member

• Recognition in the Biannual Newsletter• Small gift• Annual “Thank You” Party for all

volunteers

Maintaining Engagement with Unutilized Volunteers

• Invitation to “Thank You” Party

• Bi-annual Volunteer eNewsletter

Branding

• Not necessary, but makes life easier• Bradley – BRAVO (BRadley Alumni Volunteer

Organization)• Lewis – FAVS (Flyers Alumni VolunteerS)• Name was decided by the Volunteer Committee,

which is one of the committees of the LUAA Board• Created Logo• All volunteers get a FAVS pin when they volunteer• Working on Mission Statement• Developing Brochure

Branding

Volunteer Program Build Process

Volunteer Opportunity Examples

• Volunteer your Expertise– Classroom / Student Org Speaker– Networking Events Presenter– Your Flight Plan: Life Skills Week presenter– Career Services Resource

– Webinar Host


• Volunteer for Current Students– ICE Class Game Show Host– Dinner for 10– Commencement Weekend Volunteers– Senior BBQ


• Volunteer for the Office of Admissions– Yield Events– Alumni Letter Writing Program


• Join a Committee– Affinity Group boards– LUAA Board & Committees– Department / College advisory boards– BoT

– Celebrating Women in Leadership committee


• April – National Volunteer Appreciation Month– Celebration of Scholarship

– Earth Week– Operation Care Package


• Conspicuously Absent?– Mentoring Program– College Fairs– Volunteering for other organizations

Challenges

• Volunteering for other organizations– #FlyersCare

• Faculty can be territorial with these relationships

• Unfulfilled promises / Unmet expectations– Others promise volunteer opportunities that can’t

be fulfilled– Everybody wants the ego boost of being a

classroom speaker

Results

Results

Volunteer-Independent Engagement Scores

January 2014 January 2015

All Alumni 9.67 10.92

Volunteers 19.23 31.65

Results

Group Giving May 2013 Giving Jan 2015 Change %

All AlumniPopulation: approximately 34k

7.01% 7.88% +0.87%

Results



7.01% 7.88% +0.87%

Existing Volunteerspopulation: 151

66 (43.7%) 117 (77.5%) + 33.8%

Results



7.01% 7.88% +0.87%


66 (43.7%) 117 (77.5%) + 33.8%

New VolunteersPopulation: 244

91 (37.3%) 110 (45.1%) + 7.8%

Results



7.01% 7.88% +0.87%


66 (43.7%) 117 (77.5%) + 33.8%

New VolunteersPopulation: 244

91 (37.3%) 110 (45.1%) + 7.8%

Combined Population: 395

157 (39.8%) 227 (57.5%) + 17.7%

Questions?

Margaret Grabowski(815) 836 – [email protected]

Reggie Bustinza(815) 588 – [email protected]

Building an alumni volunteer program

Education