Effective International Alumni Programs at Low Cost: Effective International Alumni Programs at Low Cost European Association for International Education Torino, Italy September 17, 2004


Mount Ida College: Mount Ida College Independent baccalaureate undergraduate college (non-profit/tuition dependent) Newton (Boston) Massachusetts Northeast United States – New England 1300 students from 15 states and 31 countries 92% domestic 8% international 13,000 alumni


Mount Ida College: Mount Ida College 92% domestic Massachusetts – 57% 8% international (down from 15% pre-9/11) Japan – 50% English is second language for 25% of student body Haiti – Russia – Central America – Brazil


Mount Ida College: Mount Ida College Baccalaureate College (4 year course of study) Professional studies with liberal arts foundation Animal Science Arts and Sciences Business Design Funeral Service and Bereavement Studies


Mount Ida College: Mount Ida College 65% of students reside on campus (residence halls) Most international students reside on campus in first year and move off campus in sophomore, junior and senior year. Financial $27,000 annual (tuition, room and board) Net tuition revenue


Mount Ida College: Mount Ida College Boston, Massachusetts, USA America’s College Town Fifty-eight colleges and universities within a 15 mile radius of Boston Harbor. Strong independent college/university market.


Mount Ida College: Mount Ida College Administrative Organization (External Relations) Enrollment Management and Marketing Admissions Financial Aid Marketing and Communications International, federal, state, local relations Development (President’s Office) Alumni relations Fund raising (individual, corporate, foundations, federal grants)


Integrated Marketing: Integrated Marketing Marketing is a way of thinking . . . Larry D. Lauer, Texas Christian University And as a way thinking is not necessarily a way of commercializing The higher education marketplace today is international US market since 9/11 Increased competition from UK, Australia and Europe (non-English speaking)


Integrated Marketing: Integrated Marketing Essential Elements An outward focus Desire to address strategic problems strategically, rather than tactically Strategic, organizational and message integration Active listening to the customer Database dependent


Application of Integrated Marketing to Alumni Relations: Application of Integrated Marketing to Alumni Relations Essential Elements An outward focus Outward focus begins from where you sit. Alumni relations is part of a greater whole.


Application of Integrated Marketing to Alumni Relations: Application of Integrated Marketing to Alumni Relations Essential Elements Desire to address strategic problems strategically, rather than tactically Strategy is why and tactic is how Alumni relations strategy – maintain a lifelong relationship with the graduates (alumni) of the institution Alumni relations tactics – database management, electronic and print publications, chapters and events, volunteer opportunities to support academic development, career networking, fundraising, admissions and in certain cases athletics.


Application of Integrated Marketing to Alumni Relations: Application of Integrated Marketing to Alumni Relations Essential Elements Strategic, organizational and message integration The institution’s message is consistent and coordinated The audiences are different (segmented) and as a result reflect audience needs and expectations Traditional aged student vs. alumnus/alumna


Application of Integrated Marketing to Alumni Relations: Application of Integrated Marketing to Alumni Relations Essential Elements Active listening to the customer Effects event planning and communication vehicles Database dependent How do you measure success Electronic newsletter – number of accurate e-mails Events – attendance/revenue Donations received – participation and revenue Students recruited


International Alumni Relations Strategy: International Alumni Relations Strategy All business is about relationships Desired outcomes – Lifelong relationship with graduates Testimonials – success stories Recruitment pipeline Philanthropy


International Alumni RelationsTactics (Program): International Alumni Relations Tactics (Program) Objectives – relationship, new students, increased donations Staffing – two staff members with words alumni relations in title (also responsible for annual giving) Challenge – how to increase number of staff members developing alumni relations


International Alumni RelationsTactics (Program): International Alumni Relations Tactics (Program) Other college offices who could benefit from good alumni relations and could supply resources (i.e. budget) Faculty (academic affairs) Admissions (enrollment management and marketing)


Coalition Building for Effective Programming: Coalition Building for Effective Programming Alumni Relations Administrative leadership, travel, event planning, database management, publications Admissions Travel, event execution (some planning), relationship cultivation, data gathering, publications Faculty Travel, relationship cultivation, data gathering


Turkey: Turkey Historically important recruitment market (Largest international market for MIC prior to 2000) Business and design 100+ alumni centered in Istanbul and Ankara Large Turkish community in Boston MIC “fell” off approved list Objective – get back on list (effects length of mandatory military service)


Turkey: Turkey Interested offices on campus Admissions – international student affairs – academic affairs (school of business) – finance and administration – alumni relations – president


Turkey: Turkey Admissions (enrollment management and marketing) Project coordination Travel to New York, Washington, Istanbul and Ankara Host education attaché from Turkey’s UN consulate President and vice president visit to Turkey’s Embassy in Washington


Turkey: Turkey Alumni Relations and Admissions Admission staff travels to Istanbul and Ankara for college fair, agency and school visits Alumni relations sponsors Istanbul reception for alumni, parents of current students, perspective students, agents and school representatives Meetings with individual alumni and friends


Turkey: Turkey The “ASK” Advocate for reinstatement on YÔK (higher education ministry) list WHO – alumni, parents, and friends RESULTS Pending but promising


Turkey: Turkey Cost factors Travel – admissions regular schedule – no impact on alumni relations budget Washington and New York initiatives – normal course of contacts in Washington and New York by president and vice president – no impact on alumni relations budget Alumni, family and friends reception - $1,200 impact on alumni relations budget and another $500 for individual meetings


Turkey: Turkey Cost factors E-invitations – normal course of alumni relations staff time Formal invitations – stock MIC card – laser imprint ($50) admissions included in couriered mailings shipped to Istanbul for College Fairs and then mailed in country


Japan: Japan Largest international market for MIC post 2000 - Design and business (hospitality) 300+ alumni centered throughout Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) Large Japanese presence in Boston (branch of Japanese women’s university in city) Objective – continue to develop recruiting potential and initiate philanthropy program


Japan: Japan Interested offices on campus Admissions – international student affairs – academic affairs (school of business and school of design) – finance and administration – alumni relations – development


Japan: Japan Admissions (enrollment management and marketing) Project coordination Travel to Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto (fall and spring) Meetings with agencies and schools/colleges with articulation agreements Meetings with individual alumni and friends Shipping of all materials to Japan for college fairs and meetings


Japan: Japan Alumni Relations Event planning, coordination and invitation vis email to alumni volunteers in Japan Alumni Relations Director travels to Tokyo in spring Alumni relations sponsors reception for alumni, parents of current students, perspective students, agents and school representatives Meetings with individual alumni and friends


Japan: Japan Faculty Maintain contacts with former students throughout the year via e-mail Travel to Tokyo in spring for reception and individual visits with alumni, friends, and partner institutions.


Japan: Japan Program Alumni volunteers to plan reception, speak with parents of current students, and prospective students and their families Annual Fund Solicitation in Japan New Student Referral


Japan: Japan Results 14 new students who enrolled in fall 2004 were part of Japan program Anticipated revenue - $1.2 million (over four years) First annual fund donations received from Japan (largest gift - $3,000)


Japan: Japan Actively listen Japanese alumni asked that we make the program more American and less Japanese Hard Rock Café vs. traditional Japanese reception


Japan: Japan Cost factors Travel and hospitality– fall trip - admissions regular schedule – no impact on alumni relations budget ($10,000 for entire Asia trip – 7 countries) Spring trip – about $5,000 airfare, hotel, reception and individual meetings


Japan: Japan Cost factors E-invitations – normal course of alumni relations staff time Formal invitations – stock MIC card – laser imprint ($50) admissions included in couriered mailings shipped to Istanbul for College Fairs and then mailed in country plus translation costs ($500)


Integrated Marketing: Integrated Marketing Essential Elements An outward focus Desire to address strategic problems strategically, rather than tactically Strategic, organizational and message integration Active listening to the customer Database dependent


Bibliography: Bibliography William H. Berquist, The Four Cultures of the Academy, Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1992 Tom Connellan, Inside the Magic Kingdom, Bard Press, 1996 Larry D. Lauer, Competing for Students, Money, and Reputation – Marketing the Academy in the 21st Century, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), 2002 Valeria Gennaro Lerda (ed.), Which “Global Village”? – Societies, Cultures, and Political-Economic Systems in a Euro-Atlantic Perspective, Praeger Publishers, 2002 Myron W. Lustig and Jolene Koester, Intercultural Competence, Addison Wesley Longman, 1999 David L. Kirp, Shakespeare, Einstein, and the Bottom Line: The Marketing of Higher Education, Harvard University Press, 2003 Robert A. Sevier, Thinking Outside the Box, Strategy Pub. , 2001