University of Dallas Strategic Plan
Student and Alumni Experience Goal The students and alumni both seek to be fully engaged in the aims of the University. They believe that their engagement engenders a sense of loyalty and school spirit unified by a common understanding of what defines the University, as expressed in its Mission. An ideal engagement situation would provide to students and alumni the benefits of membership similar to a large, widely known, and well regarded university. The means of engagement would include university-facilitated access to other students and alumni through participating in programming such as membership directories, mentorship programs, and community building events. The University seeks to fully engage students and alumni. Its primary mode of engagement for students is to provide a rigorous classroom education aimed at preparing them to make a difference in the world through their lives. Its engagement of alumni is through events, mentoring opportunities, the National Alumni Board, and communications such as Tower Magazine. The University hopes to engage both students and alumni fully through their time, treasure and talents. It desires to have student and alumni members who volunteer, support their peers socially and professionally, and support the university through funding and sharing of expertise. Challenges and Opportunities The primary challenges to successful engagement that were identified by alumni included their geographic dispersion, a perception of inconsistent messaging at the institutional level, overemphasis on Constantin alumni at the expense of business, ministry, and Braniff alumni, inadequate support through University offices such as Career Services, a perception that there is an overemphasis on engaging younger alumni, and a lack of correct or full information about alumni. In the engagement of students, challenges facing the University are the diversity of student demographics and interests across the colleges and schools, the commuter and online status of the graduate students, and the competing demands for student time and attention, especially among working adults with families. An opportunity for improving the students’ and alumni’s experiences is to address one of their primary concerns: when the alumni and students speak of engagement, a theme they express is support of their professional aspirations. A career-centered engagement initiative is fitting at this time in the University’s history, as its Quality Enhancement Program for its SACS reaffirmation is career-oriented. Pursuit of Goals Serving Both Alumni and Students 7.09
The University will enhance the benefits of being a UD student and alumnus.
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