Student Alumni Associations for Community Colleges: Offering Opportunity and Creating Affinity

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Student Alumni Associations for Community
Colleges Offering Opportunity and Creating
Affinity
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Joliet Junior College
Established in 1970, Joliet Junior College Alumni
Association benefits from a long-standing
tradition of good relations with graduates.
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• In October of 2006, Joliet Junior College
  chartered the Student Alumni Association. What
  started out as a vehicle for affinity, developed
  into so much more

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The Impulse

• A session at the 2006 Council for Resource
  Development Alumni Workshop peaked my interest
  about Student Alumni and opportunities for
  creating affinity.

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Inner Circle of Influence

• It is not enough that students begin in an
  inner circle of influence what is important is
  maintaining that inner-circle status as they
  transition, grow and change throughout their
  lives.

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Students are Stakeholders

• Students are future alumni who are stakeholders
  in their organizations as voters, parents of
  future students, employers, advocates, role
  models/mentors, curriculum advisors, and donors.

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Begin Where You Are

• Surround yourself with energetic, supportive
  people.
• Enthuse students. Encourage them to view the
  Student Alumni Association as an opportunity.
• Show them how they can make a difference.
• Empower them, nurture them and watch over them.
  Students are the orchestra. Give them the
  instruments, so that they can play their own
  music.

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Whats in it for the Student?

• We captured the attention of students by telling
  them about the benefits they would enjoy as
  members of our association
• Being a part of a supportive network.
• Getting to know fellow students better.
• Gaining a greater understanding of the college,
  its history, faculty and administration.

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Social Network

• A Student Alumni Association functions as a
  social network that creates loyalty and lasting
  memories.

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Offering Opportunity

• Student Alumni are making a difference on our
  campus, in the community and on their resumes.

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On Campus

• Scholarship Application Event, Main Street
  Student Expo, Alumni Comedy Night, Alumni Brunch,
  Commencement, etc.

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In the Community

• Student alumni participated in
• Gift wrapping at local shopping center at
  Christmas,
• On-air interview with former JJC student, Tony
  Ray of WJOL radio,
• Field trip to visit JJC alumnus, John Williams
  (79) at WGN Radio.

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On their Resumes

• Leadership, Community Service, Mentoring, Job
  Shadowing and more.

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Engage, Enable and Involve

• The more we engage our students, the greater
  opportunities they will have. We must make
  ourselves accessible to answer their questions
  and support their needs.

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Create Memories

• A Student Alumni Association is a social network
  that introduces the student to networking,
  mentoring, job shadowing, and community service.
• As students learn about the opportunities they
  have as student alumni, they begin to transform
  themselves through shared experiences and
  teamwork.

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Offering Increased Opportunity

• Introducing students to alumni who are leaders in
  their field and/or the community
• Support
• Guidance
• Direction

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College Leadership

• Introduce students to college leadership
• Make students feel valued
• Interaction with administration, Board of
  Trustees, Foundation Board of Directors, Alumni
  Board of Directors, Student Government.
• Understanding of the structure of the
  institution.
• Greater ownership in the institution.
• Clearer vision of opportunities that can be
  gained through networking.

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Student Promotion

• Student Alumni promoting their association and
  their school
• Public radio appearances.
• On campus awareness friend raising.
• Student expos and college nights (sharing their
  experiences with high school students).

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Mentoring Opportunities

• Utilize Alumni.
• Partnerships with Professional Groups.
• Alumni Board of Directors involvement (alumni and
  students both benefit).

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Career Services

• Establish a relationship with your Career
  Services Department
• Resume building
• Referrals
• Guidance

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Fundraising

• Group decisions.
• Collaboration with other clubs/groups.
• Greater understanding of philanthropy.

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Campus Innovations

• Promotion of Community College.
• Students learn to work as a team to identify the
  legacy they want to leave for future students to
  enjoy.
• Naming opportunities.
• Scholarships.
• Signature Fundraising Events.

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Collaboration with Alumni Relations Foundation

• In the past year Student Alumni have
• Attended the Foundation Scholarship Recognition
  Event.
• Sold raffle tickets at Alumni Comedy Night
  (earning money for their earned income fund).
• Ushered at the Alumni Scholarship Application
  Event.
• Manned the 50/50 cash raffle at the Alumni
  Brunch.
• Attended Alumni Success Story Series.

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Corey
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Big-D (Daniella)
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Char (the Connector) and Annie
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To affinity and beyond!

• Student Alumni Associations allow students the
  opportunity to enrich their college experience at
  your institution and beyond.

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Questions?

• Kelly Myers
• Assistant Director of Institutional Advancement
  Alumni Relations
• Joliet Junior College
• [phone]
• kmyers_at_jjc.edu