The word “Alumni” symbolizes the long-lasting relationship between the individuals and their alma mater – the institution in which they have pursued their studies of interest. Alumni are defined as “ a collective group of former students graduating from or having some kind of connection with a particular institution who ventured into their own professional and personal aspirations.”
The word “Alumna” means a single female individual. Whereas “Alumnae” describes a group of female alumni. “Alumnus” is the singular version of the word “Alumni” that can be used irrespective of gender.
The concept of “Alumni” dates back to the ancient Rome civilization where this word was used to refer to a foster child or ward. Do bear in mind that it is not synonymous with the word graduates. People can be the alumni of an institution even if they haven’t graduated from it. They need to have some kind of association.
Famous personalities like Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, and Walt Disney are not graduates but are still considered alumni of their colleges/universities. This term is often used to refer to former employees of an organization and former members of associations as well.
Alumni: The Multifaceted Personalities
Many universities/institutions have alumni associations that offer exclusive benefits to the alumni. These associations conduct alumni reunions for their members. Alumni, in return, assist their alma mater in various aspects which leads to the overall enhancement of the institution.
Alumni can be utilized for purposes such as:
- Mentoring: Alumni offer mentoring and guidance to the younger versions. This helps the institutions and students in offering and securing better placements.
- Philanthropy: Many alumni give back to their alma mater through donations, fundraising, and scholarships and offer support for various academic initiatives.
- Brand Ambassadors: Alumni can be leveraged to promote the institution, advocating its successes and improving its visibility across the world.
- Admissions: Alumni can assist the institution in driving its student intake count by interacting with prospective students, sharing testimonials, and campaigning on the Internet on behalf of the institution.
- Rankings: Many accreditation boards across the world consider alumni engagement as an important parameter in awarding accreditations and grades. Your alumni, if engaged properly, can be of much help in securing respectable rankings.
Interested to know more about alumni associations? Learn how alumni association can be formed for your institution!
Alumni Community
The alumni can be from various walks of life. They can be engineers, artists, scholars, teachers, or lawyers. But, sharing a common alma mater can bind them for the rest of their lives. Many alumni groups on social media platforms are very active in posting regular updates about their institutions. To engage alumni effectively, many institutions come up with an alumni management platform that is tailored to benefit both the alumni and the institution.
Alumni, if brought together, will be of massive support to each other. If one of them is struggling to find a job, they can offer a referral to HR. If an alumnus is new to a place, they can help them with accommodations and other essential things. Many location-based alumni groups (called chapters) regularly conduct meetups and outings with their families to strengthen bonds. Alumni forge life-long friendships and strong professional connections through the exchange of ideas, collaboration, and mutual support.
Vaave helps institutions and corporate entities across the globe realize the power of alumni and offers strategies for engaging them. We offer a full-fledged alumni management ecosystem that helps you to leverage alumni to its fullest.
Drop in your details at hello@vaave.com & +91 91006 88850, we will get in touch with you at the drop of a hat!