Survey response rates fall over time and alumni records go stale fast. Steppingblocks gives alumni relations and advancement teams a continuously updated view of your graduates. You can filter alumni by location, employer, job title, salary, major and skills, then download the list with contact information ready for outreach.
Here are six ways partners put that to work.
1. Refresh your alumni database
Use Graduate Insights to update where alumni live and work, then use that foundation to reconnect with people you have lost touch with. For records that stay current automatically, see AlumLink.
2. Build programs around where alumni live and work
Map where your alumni are concentrated, then build engagement and fundraising programs with the top employers in those areas. Hear how Georgia Highlands College used Steppingblocks data to build a scholarship program with Atrium Health, a top employer of its nursing graduates.
3. Reach the right alumni at the right time
Whether a campaign is about giving, volunteering, academics or career connections, the right segment makes the difference. Wayne State University used Steppingblocks to find alumni in Chicago ahead of a donor trip. One visit led to an alum leaving her $1 million estate to the university. "Our database showed she was still in Michigan. Your tool is very up to date and very helpful in identifying donors!" said Carol Hill, Senior Director of Philanthropy.
4. Target fundraising campaigns with industry and salary filters
Combine industry, salary and employer filters to find the alumni most likely to support a specific campaign. You can also find alumni at employers that offer donation matching and tell them about it directly. Watch how partners use industry and salary filters for fundraising.
5. Segment alumni into affinity groups
Blanket outreach does not build community. Group alumni by shared career paths, industries or backgrounds and tailor your messaging to each group, down to the individual. That specificity drives participation. Read how Husson University's advancement team uses Steppingblocks.
6. Connect current students with alumni
In Graduate Explorer you can search alumni by job title, employer or field to find people who can advise students on internships and careers. Western Kentucky University connected finance students traveling to New York City with alumni working in finance or holding finance degrees there.