This particular blog post, The Importance of Alumni Participation by Dan Allenby, struck close to home because, as an alum myself, I was not aware of some of these reasons why my participation mattered so much to my alma mater. It’s important for development professionals to communicate these points not only to alumni but to students that are currently enrolled as well. Here are some main highlights from the post:

• Broad alumni participation establishes a culture of philanthropy
• A community is only as strong as the people who support it
• Alumni participation is often used to decipher alumni satisfaction
• Corporations and foundations consider alumni participation when making funding decisions
• Parents and students consider alumni participation rates when deciding where to enroll
• Alumni participation is a key factor in determining college and university rankings

Do you think your alumni have a solid understanding of these points? They play a very important role in motivating alumni to both participate and donate.