1. The Effectiveness of Alumni Engagement in the
Recruitment Process: How Alumni Make Your School
“Shine”
Presented by:
Mr. Stanley J. Kania III, MBA
Marywood University

2. If You Would Like a Copy of this Presentation…
 Please e-mail me at stankania@marywood.edu

3. About Me
 Academic Background
 PhD Candidate, Human Development (Concentration in Higher Education
Administration), Marywood University
 MBA General Management, Marywood University
 BA Political Science/Law, Marywood University
 Professional/Volunteer Background
 Graduate Admissions Counselor, Marywood University
 Vice-President, Marywood University Alumni Association Board of Directors
 Research Interests
 Alumni engagement in recruitment, education policy, rising higher education costs
and student debt, and leadership in post-secondary institutions.

4. About Marywood
 Founded in 1915 by the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary
 Started off as an all-women college
 Gained “University” status in 1997
 Men were first enrolled in 1970
 Gained full co-ed status in 1988
 International students first enrolled in 1917
 Began offering graduate study in 1921
 Started conferring MA degrees in 1922

5. About Marywood
 Currently has approximately 3,400 enrolled students
 1,200 are graduate and doctoral students
 Offers over 60 undergraduate programs and 36 graduate programs, including
the Ph.D in Human Development, Psy.D in Clinical Psychology, MArch in
Architecture, EdS in School Psychology, and a low-residency MFA Program
 Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
 Athletics
 9 Men’s Sports and 10 Women’s Sports
 Member of the CSAC (Colonial States Athletic Conference)

6. Student Recruitment Process
 Traditional Recruiting
 Web inquiries/applications
 University Admissions events
 Student Panels
 Open Houses
 Faculty Appointments
 Campus tours
 Individual student appointments/ “walk-ins”
 Marketing Materials
 Mailings, website, e-mails, viewbooks, graduate catalogs

7. What About Alumni???
 Let’s Discuss!!
 What are your thoughts on alumni engagement in recruiting students?
 Helpful? Not quite? Why or why not??
 Why do you use alumni in recruiting students? Why don’t you?
Implications (long-term and short-term)?

8. Marwood University Alumni
 Marywood has over 50,000 alumni spanning across all 50 states
and more than 20 countries!
 Active alumni chapters located in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Georgia,
Arizona, Philadelphia, Florida, New York, and Puerto Rico
 800-900 average graduates annually

9. Recruiting Students with Alumni
 Why alumni???
 Prospective students and alumni share common views
 Why did they chose this school? How did it help educate them to enter the job
market and professional careers?
 Presents opportunities for parents to ask questions to alumni
 How did their education set them up for success? Would they do it all over again at
the same institution?
 More prospective graduate students bring parents to open houses and Graduate
Admissions event
 Starts the networking process between students and alumni early

10. Student Benefits of Alumni Recruitment
 Better sense of student life
 Life as a student, clubs/organizations to join
 Better sense on academics
 What coursework/degree is needed to enter certain job fields and
internships
 Establish relationships for personal recommendations and future
mentorship
 Opportunity is knocking!
 Engaging students with alumni facilitates networking
 Helps develop the “professional side” of students

11. Alumni Benefits of Alumni Recruitment
 Actively engages alumni with institution
 Knowledge of institutional changes and enhancements (i.e. facilities,
programs, etc.) creates an affinity to the college/university and makes
them a valid, knowledgeable spokesperson
 Provides alumni with satisfaction in giving back to their alma mater
 Keeps alumni knowledgeable about market trends
 Allows for pertinent data to be conveyed to students for their benefit

12. Institution Benefit of Alumni Recruitment
 Cultivating relationships with alumni make them more apt to
increase volunteerism and make philanthropic donations to the
institution
 Alumni referrals go a long way
 Alumni Referral Programs

13. Alumni Recruitment: How is it Done?
 Try to target:
 Younger and more recent alumni
 Fresh perspectives on campus/student life, “the real world”, job market, and
academic advice to aid in increasing potential job opportunities
 Mid-level and senior managers
 What do employers look for in applicants?
 Student internship opportunities
 Alumni board members
 Allows students to gain access to connections across multiple industries and
develop professional networks

14. Alumni Recruitment: How is it Done?
 Affinity group alumni
 Student government, Graduate Student Council, campus ministry/service,
athletic teams, clubs/organizations, etc.
 Former Admissions Student Ambassadors
 Already knowledgeable about the institution, commonly asked questions,
and admissions process

15. Great…But How Do We Find Them???
 Alumni registry
 Alumni records with updated contact information
 Student records and yearbooks
 Academic programs, athletic rosters, student activities records (i.e.
clubs/organizations)
 Social media outlets
 Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

16. Alumni Recruitment at Marywood
 Undergraduate Open Houses
 Educators on Campus Program
 Referral program for high school seniors
 Must be referred by a Marywood alumni educator
 Scholarship money available for qualified students referred by alumni educator
 One weekend a semester presentations to local high school teachers and guidance
counselors
 Grad Finale
 Event before finals where students pick up regalia, pay final bills, submit Senior
Survey
 Alumni help recruit students for employment, internships, graduate school

17. Pacer Alumni Recruiting Team (PART) Program
 The Pacer Alumni Recruitment Team (PART) Program is a group comprised solely of Marywood University
alumni who volunteer their time to further aid the overall recruitment efforts of the Office of University
Admissions.
 Almuni will work closely with the Office of University Admissions to aid in recruiting future Marywood
University students
 The Admissions Counselor will contact alumni with a list of recruiting events in their area that Marywood
University is attending.
 Alumni can volunteer in various ways, such as:
 Attending a college fair/school visit as a Marywood University ambassador in their area;
 Volunteer as an alumni panelist at University Open Houses and Orientation events;
 Reaching out to prospective and accepted students to offer advice on making the most of their time at
Marywood University;
 Attend luncheons or receptions with Admissions Counselors in their area.

18. Alumni Recruitment at
Marywood: Alumni Profiles
 Chris
Undergraduate Degree in Communication Arts
I graduated in 2003 and immediately moved to Los Angeles with my wife to break into the
movie business. (She's a MU graduate as well.) I found my way to DreamWorks
Animation. For nine great years, I worked with amazing teams of artists crafting
entertainment enjoyed by people the world over. I worked on everything from The Croods
to Kung Fu Panda. After finishing The Croods, I left DreamWorks and joined DisneyToon
Studios where I currently handle stereoscopic-camera-finaling on Planes: Fire and Rescue.
I go through every single shot of the movie and not only fine tune the camera work to make
sure it's perfect, I also help creatively drive the 3D version of the movie.
You may be wondering how my time at Marywood helped me get into the field of animation.
With its liberal arts core, Marywood better prepares you for your career than you might
have imagined. It's the foundation that you build upon. You use the smaller class sizes to
your advantage by creating bonds with your professors, who are working professionals in
most cases. For me, it was really exploring the technology and art of filmmaking. This was
a natural introduction into the world of computer-generated animation; an art form I have
always loved.

19. Alumni Recruitment at
Marywood:
Alumni Profiles
 Ryan
Graduate Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics
I have a bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and a master's degree in
Sports Nutrition and Exercise Science from Marywood. After obtaining my
master’s degree, I found a career that was the perfect fit…working for PowerBar!
In my position, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many athletes, novice and
veteran, and teach them the proper recommendations in sports nutrition to help
reach their fitness goals. Over the past eight years, I’ve been fortunate to have
met many talented professional and world-class athletes, including Josh Cox
(Olympic marathoner), Brandi Chastain (World Cup soccer champ, pictured at
right), Peter Reid (three time Ironman World Champion), and Meb Keflezighi
(Olympic silver medalist marathoner). I’ve attended several marathon expos,
including the Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and New York City Marathon
and have participated on expert panels with some of the above mentioned
athletes.
In 2005, I started my own software company, Visual Veggies Software. I created
the company to develop software study materials for other nutrition students
preparing for their national registration exams. The software is used or
recommended by over 80 nutrition departments at various colleges and
universities throughout the nation.

20. EXAMPLES OF ALUMNI RECRUITING
AND EVENTS

21. Graduate Open Houses
 Host Open House events around university events/traditions
 Ex. Homecoming, board meetings, alumni reunions (i.e. Reunion/Alumni
Weekend), on-campus alumni events, athletic events
 “If you build it, they WILL come”
 Effective utilization of alumni at Open Houses will increase the amount of
Alumni Admissions Ambassadors
 Alumni get a sense of appreciation and importance in aiding the institution
recruit students

22. Connect-the-Dots
 Networking event during Graduate Open House or Graduate
Orientation
 Alumni from different industries speak and network with students
according to program of interest
 Offer with resume reviews, mock interviews, professional/academic
advice, internship/job opportunities

23. Alumni Mailings and Phone Calls
 Mailings
 E-letters or mailings sent to prospective students from the alumni about their
experiences at the institution.
 Highlight academics, extra-curricular activities, professional development
opportunities, etc.
 Successes of alumni through personalized mailings to students help create
strong bonds to the institution
 Usually sent to inquiries after initial contact is made by the counselor.
 Highlight 2-3 different alumni across different backgrounds within the specific program
of interest.

24. Alumni Mailings and Phone Calls
 Phone Calls
 Alumni from specific programs will call accepted students prior to their
semester of entry
 Further establishes an affinity to the institution and program of study
 Sense of feeling part of “an exclusive club”

25. Alumni Mentorship Program
 Alumni serve as professional industry mentors to students.
 Aid in advice about the job market, available positions, internship
opportunities, etc.
 “Professional-Side vs. Academic-Side” of students.
 Excellent resources for access to recommendations and other
professional networks.

26. Student-Alumni Social
 Accepted/Confirmed students attend an informal social gathering
with alumni on campus.
 Added avenue of networking and displaying the benefit of education from
the particular institution.
 Turn accepted students into confirmed students!
 Could also be an event for a Graduate Orientation

27. What Have We Learned?
 Takeaways
 Benefits of alumni engagement in the recruitment process
 How to engage alumni in recruiting students
 Admissions events to increase alumni engagement and recruitment
 Your Task:
 Develop a strategy to engage alumni recruitment at your institution
 Coordinate with necessary Admissions and Office of Alumni personnel.
 “Baby steps…”
 “Test the Waters”

28. Bibliography
Dolbert, S.C. “Alumni Admissions Programs.” In J.A.
Feudo (ed.), Alumni Relations: A Newcomer’s Guide
to Success. New York: Council for the
Advancement and Support of Education, 2000
McAlexander, J.H., and Koenig, H.E. “University
Experiences, the Student-College Relationship,
and Alumni Support.” Journal of Marketing for
Higher Education, 2001, 10(3), 21-43

29. Bibliography
Pastorella, M.J. “Keeping in Touch: Alumni Development
in Community Colleges.” In M.D. Milliron, G.E.
de los Santos, and B. Browing (eds.), Successful
Approaches to Fundraising and Development. New
Directions for Community Colleges, no. 124.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003
Singer, T.S. and Hughey, A.W. “The Role of the Alumni
Association in Student Life.” In M.B. Snyder (ed.),
Student Affairs and External Relations. New
Directions for Student Services, no. 100. San
Francisco: Joseey-Bass, 2002

30. Contact Information
Stanley J. Kania III, MBA
Graduate Admissions Counselor
Marywood University
2300 Adams Avenue
Scranton, PA 18509
E-mail: stankania@marywood.edu
Phone: 570-340-6002 Ext. 2271