This PowerPoint was used to review the findings of the Alumni Attitude Study. It was presented to the Chico State Alumni Association.

1. Alumni Attitude Study
Study Findings and Survey Results

2. About the Study
• Nationally Benchmarked Survey
• CSU Participation
• Survey Distribution and Response Rate
• Survey Results Focus on:
 Demographics
 Communication
 Current and Future Alumni Programs
 Loyalty
 Implications

3. About the Study
Study results should
• assess performance
• emphasize priorities
• identify opportunities with the highest potential
impact
Alumni not only rank the issues most important to them, they
also rank the university’s performance on those same topics

4. Alumni Segmentation Model
Grad Year
ERA
Age
Mature/ContemplaBve
63 and older
Stable/Mid‐Life
45 to 62
LIFECYCLE
Building/Growth
31 to 44
Young Adult/Discovery
26 to 30
Recent Graduates
21 to 25

5. Chico State Alumni Segmentation
Chico State Alumni Database Broken Down by Era: 118,900 Living Alumni
45,000
Prior WWII -1941
40,000
35,000 WWII/ Post WWII 1941-1963
30,000
Woodstock/Vietnam 1964-1973
25,000
20,000 Post Watergate 1974-1980
15,000
Yuppie/End of Cold War 1981-1993
10,000
5,000 Dot.Com 1994-2000
0
Post 9-11 2001-

6. Why Segmentation Matters
 Communications to Alumni
• Magazine
• Web
• Email
• Direct Mail
 Targeted Programs for
Different Interests
 Annual Fund Messages
 Alumni Association Membership Messages

7. Communication
Communication Methods:
Importance and Performance
Importance exceeds performance Performance exceeds importance

8. Communication
Frequency of Communication
Way too much A little too much About Would Not
right welcome nearly
more enough

9. Communication Implications
• Overall, our communication effectiveness is ranked higher by
Chico State alumni when compared to other CSU’s and the
national benchmark
• Email, by far, is the preferred communication method
• Our alumni, especially the younger ones, would welcome more
communications from us
• Younger alumni do not feel that we are as effective as we should
be with our communications to them
• Chico Statements is our most valuable communications tool and
applying segmentation principles will increase its value

10. Current and Future Programming
How important is it for you and alumni in general to do the following
and how well the University does at supporting alumni in doing them?
Importance exceeds performance Performance exceeds importance

11. Events: “Somewhat Unlikely to Somewhat Likely” to attend
WWII/Post Woodstock/ Post Yuppie/End of
WWII Vietnam Watergate Cold War Dot-Com Post 9/11
Class year
reunions such as Cultural Recruiting students to attend
Cultural activities Cultural activities Cultural activities
your 10th, 25th activities Chico State
or 50th
Reunions based Reunions based
Department/
on groups you on groups you Department/club/
club/ team Social event at a bar Department/ club/team event
were involved were involved team event
event
with in college with in college
Recruiting Recruiting
Department/
Cultural activities students to students to Chico Networking event Networking event
club/ team event
Chico State State
Reunions
Alumni event Recruiting based on
Watching a spectator sport with
featuring a students to groups you Networking event Career development event
other alumni
University official Chico State were involved
with in college
Alumni event
Career
Recruiting featuring a
Networking development
students to Chico University Chico State tailgate in your area Social event at a bar
event event in your
State official, such as
area
president
Attending Alumni event in
Mentoring
athletic event your area Reunions based on groups you
Chico State Chapter dinner or picnic
with other featuring a were involved with in college
students
alumni University official
Reunions based on groups you were
Alumni event in your area featuring a involved with in college; Mentoring Chico
University official; Chapter dinner or State students; Recruiting students to
Mentoring Chico picnic; Attend an athletic event in your Chico State; Attending an athletic event
State students; area; Department/school/team alumni in your area; Watching a spectator sport
Social event at a event in your area; Mentoring Chico in your area with other alumni; Class year
bar; Chapter dinner State students; Family-oriented reunion such as 10th, 25th, or 50th;
or picnic; Attend an activities with your children; Class Alumni event in your area featuring a
athletic event in reunions such as your 10th, 25th, or University official; Contributing or helping
your area 50th; Career development event in to raise funds for scholarships; Family-
your area; Contributing or helping oriented events with your children;
raise funds for scholarships Cultural background or gender-specific
events; Homecoming

12. Programming: Barriers to Participation
• Time
• Geographical Distance
• Family or Job Commitment
• Other Barriers

13. Programming Implications
• Segmentation by cohort (-2 +3)
• Develop strategies to engage distant alumni
• Career Service and Career Networking
• Provide opportunities for alumni to give feedback
• Leverage event communication

14. Loyalty
How well did the highest degree from the University
prepare you for each of the following?
Poor Preparation Fair Preparation Good Preparation Excellent
Preparation

15. Loyalty
How would you rate your decision to attend the University?

16. Loyalty
Which of the following best describes your experience as a student?

17. Loyalty
How often do you promote the University to others?

18. Loyalty
How do you rate the California State University System in terms of:
Poor Fair Good Excellent

19. Loyalty
Indicate how much each of the following impacts your
overall current opinion of the University

20. Loyalty Implications
• The longer you are out of college the more you feel
your degree prepared you for life
• Communicate to alumni how the diploma is
increasing in equity—the accomplishments of today’s
students increase the value of their degrees
• Our alums love this place—promote the aesthetics of
the campus in our branding

21. Membership: Reasons to Join

22. Membership: Benefits

23. Membership: Benefits

24. Suggested Areas of Focus
• Communicate to alumni how the diploma is increasing in equity
• Provide opportunities for alumni to provide feedback and engage
in activities
• Job and career-related activities
• Communicate differently with younger alumni (30 under)
• Branding presence on campus
• Engaging alumni who are out-of-state

25. Another Survey?