Alumni Annual Report 2016-17

As the data is constantly changing, we closely track alumni demographics, so we can make data-driven decisions about our programming. Currently, 38% of our alumni graduated in the past 15 years and we have alumni in over 130 countries.

*Total excludes duplicates (alumni who have both an undergraduate and a graduate degree from SCU are only counted once) and does NOT include the Class of 2017.

This year our total events and total number of reservations increased substantially (20% and 25% respectively) over the previous year. This increase in event production and reservation processing was accomplished with the same amount of staff (15) as the previous year, a testament to staff efforts and improved systems and processes.

We also conducted 66% more post-event surveys than the previous year and saw an increase in our overall Net Promoter Score to 72. 

• Signature Events = 106
  • (Includes Alumni Board and Other)
• Chapters and Groups Events = 135

*A NPS score of 50 or above is considered good.

Our signature events are larger on-campus events which happen annually or bi-annually. We closely monitor attendance trends which can shift dramatically due to variables such as weather, venue capacity limitations, and conflicting events/holidays.

• This year we had the highest overall attendance ever at Grand Reunion (4,053) as well as the addition of three new identity-based group events to the Grand Reunion schedule (Black Alumni, Chicano-Latino, and LGBTQ+).
  
  
• We used iPads for walk-on registration at the Pasta Feed, which helped the line move quicker and has become a best practice for other alumni event registration processes.
  
  
• Pasta Feed was on President’s Weekend this year, which based on survey feedback, was not ideal for many so we saw a decrease in attendance.
  
  
• The Gianera Society Luncheon had a similar number of reservations as the previous year, but a higher percentage of “no shows.” For future events, we plan to send additional communications to encourage registrants to attend.
  
  
• The President’s Dinner is centered on our award recipients, so the number of attendees is directly correlated to how many family and friends they invite and the number of their Santa Clara connections. Additionally, last year we raised the price of tickets from $75 to $100 for the first time in 11 years.

Based on the results of the 2015 Alumni Attitude Survey, market research, and extensive competitive benchmarking, we revised and expanded our chapters and groups structure to best serve our diverse population and better align with industry standards. 

For our chapters and groups events we’ve started to offer new “special access events” (also known as “Bucket List Experiences”) with the goal of engaging more/new alumni via these once-in-a-lifetime type events. Examples include:

Elisa Fanucchi ’12 and Mritunjay Kumar M.S. ’15 both recently relocated to the Austin area. At the Austin’s New Year Leadership Happy Hour these two not only met new Broncos, but they also realized they were neighbors, living in the very same apartment complex!

Initiated by Board Member Jane Davaransky ’00, this hugely successful volunteer-led, volunteer-driven event brought alumna and POUND Rockout instructor Sonia Li ’00 to campus to lead a free class on the Bannan Alumni House Lawn. Broncos teaching Broncos!

Alumni Programs

Programs offer alumni engagement opportunities outside the traditional event format and allow us to engage alumni no matter where they live.

Student Events & Programs

Our student-focused events and programs – which take place from enrollment through graduation – introduce students to Santa Clara’s robust alumni community and reinforce their lifelong connection to Santa Clara. “Once a Bronco, Always a Bronco.”

• Based on feedback from previous years, we made adjustments to our Life After Santa Clara event series, offering less events (6 instead of 8), eliminating topics that were less popular in the past, and focusing on quality over quantity. Both our overall attendance and our unique attendance increased. In addition, our post-survey response rate, and NPS rose from 58 to 72.

Young Alumni Events & Programs

Our Young Alumni programming engages alumni who’ve graduated in the past ten years through social, educational, and professional events (primarily in the Bay Area).

Alumni are the only lifelong stakeholders in the University and they give back in many ways, not only in dollars, but through their time, resources, connections, jobs/internships, ideas, advice, advocacy, brand influence, word-of-mouth referrals, and many other ways.

• Alumni Participation in Giving: 20.39% (20.13% in 2015-16)
  
  
• Undergraduate Event Attendees and Donors: 58% (60% in 2015-16)

*percent of all undergraduate alumni who registered for a 2016-17 Alumni Association event AND made a gift to the University in 2016-17.

Alumni who feel part of the community give at a rate of 2-3 times our University average. Below are the many ways alumni have engaged with the University compared to the percentage of those that were donors in the 2016-17 academic year.

Marketing & Communications

Our marketing and communications efforts this year focused on creative approaches to engage SCU alumni in new ways across our traditional and social communications platforms.

• Drove engagement and growth on our social media platforms including an increase of shares and comments by 25% and 31% respectively on Facebook; an increase of followers on Instagram by 30%; and 68% more likes on Twitter
  
  
• Early adopters of the 360 camera at SCU, and have shared nine 360 photos or videos, to help people feel like they’re back on campus
  
  
• Implemented more Snapchat geo filters at events (7 total), to appeal to our younger alumni population
  
  
• Set three new Bronco Connect open rate records, including a new high of 33% in June 2017, which means 16,300 people opened that issue
  
  
• Continued our website momentum by launching “Overheard,” a web element highlighting alumni sentiments and stories, conducting user testing and implementing over 34 user recommendations, and completing a comprehensive website audit of 300+ pages

Campus Partnerships

Our Liaison Program, which partners the alumni relations staff members with over 64 schools, centers, departments, and committees on campus, continues to deepen our relationships across campus.