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Monthly Archives: July 2025

Alumni Data 101

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At Wavelength, we work with a lot of schools who have a variety of data types and health scores. While there isn’t one right way to house and report on your data, there are definitely ways to improve your data. In this Round Table, we explore the dos and don’ts of the data space. Some high level practices include:

  • Ensure there are clear instructions for all contributing staff on how to input data. Example: in the class year field, you can’t have “class of ’09,” “2009” and “class of 20xx?” Consistency is key.
  • Reduce duplicate profiles. We often see donor profiles and alumni profiles which should be linked are identified as separate. To ensure you are accurately reporting and acknowledging your alumni, you need to make sure that duplicate profiles aren’t causing confusion. The last thing you want is one person looking up a profile prior to a meeting and missing alumni notes because it was housed on a different profile.
  •  Where is the most up to date data being housed? Old spreadsheets are often referenced and reused even if newer data is being updated elsewhere. Have a version control

We cover a lot more in our discussion- look for resources below!

Slide deck can be found here.

Supporting Young Alumni In Their Careers

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We have previously shared how easy and relevant it is to highlight alumni businesses in an alumni business directory. We now want to focus on how you can turn that directory- and your entire community- into a career resources center for your young alumni base. Whether it is internships, starter jobs, or mentoring advice, you have a local community of engaged parents, administrators, local businesses, and older alumni, who have skills and resources that can propel your graduates into successful careers.

In this round table, we cover how to develop a relevant job board and networking tool that is easy to manage.

Review the slides here and watch the video below!

 

Parents of Alumni and Their Role in Alumni Engagement

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Parents play a pivotal role in their child’s education. Even when their student graduates from your institution, the parents are the ones to have had the most communication with administrators of your k-12 school.  In this Round Table discussion, we discuss what areas parents can continue to contribute in the alumni relationship with their children. This includes:

  • Their connection to young alumni
  • The ability to support in networking and career efforts
  • Fundraising
  • Marketing and Volunteer Opportunities

Want to learn more? Review the slide deck here or view the recording below!

Round Table: Alumni in Sports

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Sports ate a great way for alumni to stay connected with your school. We reviewed how you can loop alumni into your sports world in our monthly Round Table Call. We covered how alumni can continue to attend your sports events, receive updates from coaches, fundraise for team specific needs, and be recognized for their efforts at your school.

As a reminder, our Round Tables cover topics our clients face when trying to engage with their alumni base. We bring in ideas, best practices, and other documents to help you address the challenges in your day to day. Below are a few slides from the presentation. Feel free to listen and view the materials and join our next Round Table!

 

 

Review the Video here

View the Presentation Slides here

The Value of an Alumni Business Directory

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Creating an Alumni Business Directory is one of the simplest and most effective ways to celebrate and support your alumni community. It’s more than just a list—it’s a living network that brings value to alumni, students, families, and the broader school community.

Here’s what an Alumni Business Directory can do:

1. Recognize and Spotlight Alumni
A directory provides a platform to highlight your alumni on their career journeys. Whether they’ve launched a local coffee shop, started a tech company, or lead a nonprofit, this tool gives alumni the recognition they deserve.

2. Market Success Stories
Sharing the accomplishments of your alumni is powerful. It shows prospective and current families the long-term value of your education and builds pride in your community. These real-world outcomes can be an inspiring part of your school’s story.

3. Support Alumni Businesses
From restaurants and boutiques to consulting firms and creative studios, your community can actively support alumni by choosing their businesses. A directory makes it easy to discover and connect with these services, keeping support local and meaningful.

4. Create Career Connections
Students and young alumni can use the directory to explore potential career paths, find mentors, or even land internships and job opportunities. It fosters a sense of connection across generations and helps strengthen professional networks within your community.

In short, an Alumni Business Directory is a win-win: it elevates alumni, connects your community, and builds pride in the success of your graduates. Getting started is easier than you think—and the impact can last for years to come.

Your Alumni Benefit Suite

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It is important to understand what your alumni benefits are to ensure that you are offering a variety of engaging resources and events to your diverse base of alumni. By offering variety, you can be relevant to a wider audience base and allow for engagement across a spectrum of ages, interests, and needs. In a recent Round Table, we discussed the below:

  • What constitutes an “alumni benefit?”
  • What types of engagement opportunities should you be offering to your alumni base?
  • How do your alumni become aware of the benefits you have to offer?
  • Should you sunset any benefits? If so, how do you approach the process

 

The 30 minute recording can be found here. 

The slide deck can be found here. 

If you would like to review your benefit suite with our consulting team, feel free to email info@searchwavelength.com and we’ll be happy to discuss what priorities you may need to focus on!