FEATURE
We’re All Young Alumni Header Based upon extensive research, the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation analyzes how to keep alumni brothers engaged. By Travis Smith (Indiana) and Brad Hawse (Cincinnati)
T
he time has come for Lambda Chi Alpha to
invest in our current and future leaders. Lambda Chi Alpha is focusing on our young alumni as they will be the generation to carry the weight later on in our organization’s lifecycle. However, does it need to rely on only one generation? The answer is simple. We are ALL young alumni and it is our responsibility to secure the future of our great fraternity.
Achieve, and his team, which published the “Millennial Impact Report” that has gained national recognition for its influence on millennial research. In this article we highlight some key points from this year’s report and how those have influenced Lambda Chi Alpha’s research on our own young alumni. For young alumni and how they would like to connect with nonprofit organizations, websites are still the number one way of learning about the organization, looking for volunteering opportunities, and giving a donation. Although the website is still the number one way of learning about the organization, this generation is accessing the website by different means than in the past. Seventy-seven percent of young alumni surveyed said they owned a smartphone and used the device to find out more information about organizations and ways to be involved. More individuals are using smartphones and tablets that use mobile technology to view websites and receive communication. Although the website is the best place for learning about your organization, email is still a preferred method of communication to learn about news, events, and volunteer opportunities.
The Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation has conducted research over the last eight months, particularly focused on young alumni giving and engagement. It has concentrated on learning and developing strategies for connecting with young alumni, learning why they like to become involved, and learning more about why young alumni give to important causes. As a basis for our research we referred to Derrick Feldmann (Southeast Missouri State 2001), CEO of www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
On an involvement level, young alumni are generous with their time and volunteer to organizations that inspire them. Long-term volunteering opportunities will ultimately turn into larger gifts and increased involvement amongst their peers. The continuum for involvement with this generation is: micro-volunteering, one time volunteering, group volunteering, and leadership roles. Young alumni want to leverage their knowledge, expertise, and backgrounds to help lead nonprofits. Giving is something this generation is not scared to do. According to the Millennial Impact Report, three-quarters
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Cross & Crescent December 2012