Ask the HAA #5, Engaging Recent Graduates
To hear the recording of the morning call, please click HERE.
To hear the recording of the evening call, please click HERE.
Notes:
Engaging Recent Graduates
Finding ways to engage recent grads has been a tough nut for our Clubs, SIGs, and frankly the HAA, to crack, but it is of vital importance if we want our organizations to grow and thrive. This call addresses successful:
• engagement strategies
• programs
• communications channels
• volunteer recruitment efforts
Defining the term “recent grad” is up to each Club/SIG.
• At the HAA, we consider a recent graduate as anyone who is within five years of graduating from any Harvard school
• Clubs and SIGs should define what being a recent grad means for their organization and make the definition, and any related benefits, explicit on their website.
In regards to engaging recent grads the best advice we can give to Clubs and SIGs is to start building connections early, and by early, we suggest while they are still on campus.
• The earlier and more deeply you can engage an alumnus, the more likely that alum will remain engaged.
• Consider free membership for students
• Clubs and SIGs should think about programming that will connect students to their organizations in a meaningful way.
Examples of Clubs/SIGs that have done this particularly well: Harvard Arab Alumni Association SIG student run conference; Harvardwood’s ‘Harvardwood 101’ program; Harvard Club of Sweden’s student chapter; Harvard Club of Hong Kong’s ‘Conversation with Current Students’ event; student get-togethers when Club/SIG leaders are in town
Getting student email addresses can be difficult, as the HAA cannot release student emails to Clubs.
• Some Clubs work closely with the Schools & Scholarship Committee and Interviewers in their area to get Harvard College admit emails
• Clubs/SIGs can reach out via HAA to Grad schools to extend the newly admitted students an invitation to a send-off event or an invitation to join the Club/SIG even before they arrive at Harvard.
But once you create that connection, how do continue to build engagement as students transition to recent grads?
• Developing programming that speaks to the needs and interests of this community is critically important.
• Young alumni like mixers but also want more substantive opportunities to engage as recent grads.
Things to keep in mind when you are planning events for recent grads:
• No cost/low cost important, free is ideal, but trying to keep pricing under $25 is a must. This is not just important for recent college grads but from gradustaes of all schools who may work in the social sector
• Event timing is critical. Recent grads are establishing themselves in their careers and can’t leave the office for a lunch event or something in the early evening. It’s not possible for them to leave at 5, 6 or even 7pm, so a recent grad event before 7/7:30 isn’t going to draw an audience.
• It is helpful if they can bring a friend to events, even if that friend is not an alum
• Young alumni see no intrinsic value in paying to hang out with their peers, they can do that on their own, so events need to give them something special: insider access, connections they wouldn’t otherwise have, etc.
• Sporting or arts events, trivia nights, viewing parties for Harvard basketball and football, things that you would do anyway but with a Harvard wrapper have been very successful, and are not intimidating to people who might be in a new place and not know many people.
Examples: The Harvard Club of Quebec speaker series for young professions focused on leadership in action; Harvard Club of Australia mentoring program between recent grads and more senior members of the community; Harvard Club of France series of career breakfasts; Harvard Club of Beijing speed dating events.
So after you have planned these great events, how do you get the word out to your audience in a way that resonates with them? Social media, email, peer to peer have all been effective tools.
• Choose your tools wisely, and think about where recent grads are already engaging and go into that space.
• Don’t underestimate the value of peer-to-per marketing. As part of a reminder invitation for your events, share a list of who has RSVP’d to attend your events in hopes for recent graduates to recognize someone else they know and decide to join too. (Ask permission on your registration form to be able to show registered guests names on the reminder invitation).
• Have someone who is responsible for your social media sites to keep the conversation active.
• Pick one platform and cross promote networks through that
• Look at who is in your network and who the influencers are and do specific outreach to them for their ideas on programs and communications.
Examples: Harvard Club of Victoria in Melbourne Australia recent grad calling program; Harvard Club of Chicago recent grad Facebook page
Attracting recent graduates is different from involving recent graduates as volunteers in your Club or SIG the Club. Young alumni want to build their networks and give back in a meaningful way.
• Recruit recent graduates to participate in interviews of prospective applicants to the College.
• It feels important to interview
• Great way of meeting others, especially if you are not from the area
a. Example: Harvard Club of Long Island
• Request the name of the “City Captain” from the most recent graduating class and the names of graduate council alumni and invite them to become involved in the Club’s programming and outreach to recent graduates
• Add one to two recent graduates to your board or form a separate young alumni board to encourage participation in the Club’s leadership.
• Example: Harvard Club of Hong Kong, Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs
• Host an undergraduate panel and invite high school students to hear from current undergraduates about their experiences at Harvard