Repairing Alumni Relations

[LAblondeGPhi]

I agree on tabling the scholarship for now, but I understand that it might be out of your control.

As for alumnae relations:
1) Get creative about getting email and addresses for your chapter's alumnae. See who is following/has liked your chapter's Facebook page and other social media accounts.

Obviously, get a list of the names (and any other info you can get) of all your chapter's alumnae from your organization's HQ and start searching for any information you can on these women: addresses, Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, etc. Even if you just have an FB or LinkedIn profile, you may be able to get in touch with some of your alumnae that way. Maybe you can get a group of sisters together who can help you do the research.

Ask the alumnae who you do get in contact with if they have the updated info for any sisters - I bet a lot of them will be able to point you in the direction of updated emails, married names of women from their era.

I second 33girl's recommendation to go through the school alumni directory, too.

2) Provide programming and information that your alumnae want. Ask not what your alumnae can do for you, ask what you can do for your alumnae. Think basic things like a quarterly (or semiannual) newsletter. As an alumna who now lives far away from my collegiate chapter, I CRAVE info about how my chapter did in recruitment, about how big they are compared to the other chapters on campus, what kinds of things the members are doing on campus, what kinds of accomplishments they're making as a chapter and individually, etc. Have updates been made to the decor of the house, and if so, send me pictures.

Set up annual alumnae events - tea parties, sporting events tailgates, mommy-and-me or family days, etc. Maybe combine alumnae relations with career development and set up a networking mixer - something that they might be able to benefit from as well. Invite them to your volunteer activities and philanthropy events.


I would say that you should focus on having a big alumnae event of some kind, and make a big push - WITH the whole chapter's help and involvement - to kick off a new era of alumnae relations. Use the time to aggressively build up your address book and get in contact with sisters in a way that isn't asking for anything. At the event, ask women what they want from the chapter in terms of future events and contact. For those who can't make it, follow up with a survey or personal note saying how you hope to see them at a future event.

Good luck!

[33girl]

That whole #2!!! I don't know how other groups are, but there is very little in my sorority's national magazine about individual chapter accomplishments any more. I want to know that, and also all the other campus news - like what sorority the homecoming queen was in or if this or that fraternity got a new house. Or if people got lavaliered or pinned. These are the everyday things that alumnae miss the most, not just a list of who got Greek awards.