Alumni Engagement

The University engages its alumni fully in the life of the institution as valued supporters, advocates, and lifelong learners who contribute to and benefit from connections to each other and to the University.

Education is the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.
 G. K. Chesterton

They are volunteers and partners. Ambassadors, advocates, and donors. Mentors to current students and lifelong learners. They live in Vancouver and Kelowna, across Canada, and all around the globe, and they work in every field imaginable. More than a quarter million in number, they embody the values, the knowledge, and the passion of the University, and its commitment to serve the world. They are UBC alumni, and they seek an even closer relationship with their alma mater. UBC is honoured to oblige.

The University increases its capacity to involve alumni in meaningful ways. Through partnerships with faculties, student groups, and service providers, and with the support of individuals and communities worldwide, UBC develops programs for grads of every era. UBC builds connections between alumni and current students to foster a sense of community and continuity between generations.

UBC is committed to a relationship of mutual contribution and benefit, confident that its effect will extend beyond any of our lifetimes.

Actions

  • Implement interactive communications, outreach and programming so that alumni, as core constituents, are well informed and have an influential voice and stake in the university

Outcomes

  • This past year alumni UBC undertook a major research project to identify the Value Proposition for alumni to engage with their Alma Mater.  Our data showed that Lifelong Enrichment is what drives alumni to stay involved with UBC.   With this in mind, a new engagement framework has been created.  Programming will be focussed around these four pillars:
    1)    Empowering Personal Growth
    2)    Enabling Contribution
    3)    Supporting Professional Development
    4)    Nourishing Pride
  • Your evolution2.0 –Following the successful launch last year, this spring we once again invited alumni to tell us about the socially beneficial projects they are involved in – both through partnership with UBC and out in the broader community. More than 200 projects have been submitted.

Actions

  • Demonstrate and reinforce to both the university and the alumni audience that UBC’s aspiration to be globally influential and foster positive change is realized in large part by alumni through their engagement in the world

Outcomes

  • 58,670 alumni engaged with UBC in a countable way in 2014-2015.
  • More than 17,000 alumni attended our programs held throughout the year.  3,400 alumni supported UBC by volunteering their time.
  • The Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre will open its doors May 1, 2015.  Currently, more than 140 alumni UBC and DAE directed alumni engagement programs are scheduled in the Centre over the next year and that number will continue to grow through marketing efforts.  The main floor will feature a Welcome Centre where all visitors to UBC will be encouraged to begin their visits and will feature a dynamic interactive wall featuring all of our 300,000+ alumni and other interesting facts and figures about UBC and alumni UBC.