5 minute read
TVS FOR LIFE: THE FUTURE OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
LISA GRIDER, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
The pictures that television and movies paint of alumni are not terribly inspiring, and they certainly are not accurate. Images of stodgy senior citizens who drop by campus to harangue current students or force their will upon their alma mater through their checkbook are outmoded caricatures of life as an alumnus of an independent school.
Trinity Valley School, like colleges, universities, and independent schools throughout the United States, benefits tremendously from the enthusiasm, advocacy, and support of alumni of all generations. Graduates of TVS – and many who attended TVS but did not graduate – proudly demonstrate their Trojan pride through a wide range of activities and projects. These efforts are created and guided by the TVS Alumni Association Board, whose mission seeks to “support the mission and philosophy of Trinity Valley School by encouraging alumni participation in the life of the School, with the intent of fostering strong relationships among members of the TVS family.”
Director of Alumni Relations Kathryn Davis ’89, a full-time member of the TVS staff, is charged with managing the work of the Alumni Association, coordinating all aspects of alumni events and programs, and ensuring that alumni programming is well aligned with TVS’ overall goals. According to Kathryn, the Alumni Association and the School are pursuing three strategic objectives related to alumni engagement:
• Increasing the value / benefit of being an engaged TVS alumnus;
• Providing relevant and useful programming for young alumni in order to foster lifelong connections; and
• Offering alumni opportunities for the evolution of their engagement, based on ever-changing life stages.
“The needs and interests of our alums who are currently in college are, obviously, quite different than those of our ‘Golden Trojans’ (alums who graduated 50 years or more ago),” Kathryn said. “We are striving to make sure that wherever you are in your life’s journey and wherever you live, there is a place for you as a TVS alum.”
Efforts to increase the value of being a TVS alumnus include a regular schedule of regional and national alumni gatherings. In the past year, alums have gathered not only in Texas cities but also in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Another such effort is TrojansConnect, TVS’ exclusive digital platform that allows alumni to make career network connections, find old friends, and meet up with classmates around the country and around the world. Another robust information source for TVS alumni is the Association’s dedicated social media channels on Instagram (@TVSAlumniAssociation) and Facebook (@trinityvalleyschoolalumni).
Young alumni are being offered ample opportunities to continue their TVS journey through a schedule of activities, both fun and focused. The relatively new and very popular Friday-after-Thanksgiving Young Alumni party in Fort Worth takes care of the fun, while a January lunch-and-learn type program brings TVS college-aged alums back to campus for lunch with their favorite faculty members followed by life-skill workshop sessions on topics like stress management and early career financial tips.
According to Kathryn, those who become engaged as alums shortly after graduation are most likely to reap the long-term benefits of being a part of the TVS community. “TVS alumni are incredibly loyal – to the School and to one another,” Kathryn said. “Whether someone is looking for a job, getting settled in a new city, or just eager to gather with old friends, there is always an alum who is ready to step up for another Trojan.”
As life is ever changing, so are opportunities for TVS alumni. For those busy with career building and starting a family, one-and-done activities like Homecoming or volunteering at other TVS events works well. For alums in mid or late careers, opportunities to share their expertise with current students, mentor younger alums, or host a turn-key alumni gathering at home are appealing. And, for those who have always enjoyed working with others to tackle large goals, service on the Alumni Association Board is worth considering.
One form of engagement that is open to all alumni every year is supporting the TVS Annual Fund. This year, several alumni have decided to turn their own gift to the Annual Fund into a challenge to the other members of their graduating class. Gifts to the Annual Fund support all aspects of the upcoming year’s TVS operating budget, including the budget for increased alumni programming!
Historically, TVS (and all other independent schools) used only one metric – annual giving – to evaluate alumni engagement. Such a one-dimensional tool does not provide a complete picture of the depth and breadth of the TVS alumni experience. In response to that, TVS has recently adopted a new evaluation tool created by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE.org), which measures alumni involvement in four key areas as seen below.
By recording the various forms of engagement for every active member of the TVS alumni community, TVS can now quantify alumni engagement annually and use the overall alumni engagement number to determine the success of programming. Over time, tracking the trends of alumni involvement will help the Alumni Board determine how to refine programming to more accurately meet the needs and interests of the alumni population, which will boast close to 3,400 members with the addition of the Class of 2023.
Step into the alumni fold and enjoy all of the activities designed for you!
Volunteer
Formally defined and rewarding volunteer roles; endorsed and valued by institution
Philanthropic
Opportunities to make meaningful investment; interest of donor and institutions goals are met
Experiential
Experiences that inspire; relevant/ timely: "beyond traditional series of special events"
Communication
Interactive, meaningful, informative; amplify and support institution's mission, goals, reputation
