AlumniAcademy: Launching Smarter Alumni Strategies

Join us for the official launch of AlumniAcademy – the go-to learning platform for alumni program professionals.

Whether you're starting from scratch or scaling a mature program, this webinar will introduce the structured, evidence-based curriculum designed to help you build, manage, and grow a high-impact alumni network.

Thank you to our guest speakers

• Dr Ali Dachner, founder of AcademEx and co-creator of AlumniAcademy
• Dr Erin Makarius, founder of AcademEx and co-creator of AlumniAcademy
• Jennifer Cunningham, former AVP of Alumni Relations at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania

Q&A

Emma Sinclair: Why is 2025 the right moment for an alumni-orientated academic program?

Erin Makarius: Corporate alumni programs have been gaining prominence for the past couple of years. The questions we most often get asked are: how do we learn more? Are there any certificates or online programs? AlumniAcademy was developed to take a comprehensive look at designing and implementing corporate alumni programs, and really answer this call.

Who will benefit the most from the AlumniAcademy courses?

Alison Dachner: AlumniAcademy was designed to help at multiple levels. The introductory course is for the alumni curious who are just getting into it. The professional course details how to design the corporate alumni program in a systematic way. The expert course deals with leveraging alumni for business impact, and navigating issues like how to engage with alumni of multiple companies. AlumniAcademy is for people who never realised that corporate alumni existed, all the way up to season professionals.

What can people expect in Course 1 – Alumni 101: Achieving Positive Value With Corporate Alumni?

Erin: Course 1 is focused on the positive value of alumni programs. Module 1 focuses on why companies should care about people who left, and how a corporate alumni program can provide value for both former employees and the company. Module 2 looks at why alumni stay engaged with former employers and what’s in it for people who've left to stay connected. Module 3 focuses on alumni program management, so the role of a corporate alumni program leader, and how these programs have evolved to become a strategic necessity. Module 4 delves into company strategy and participation, so who should be involved with developing and promoting a corporate alumni program.

What can people expect in Course 2 – Alumni Pro: Designing a Corporate Alumni Program for Success?

Erin: Module 1 delves into designing an alumni program, establishing objectives and the need for the program. What kind of resources do you have available? What are your vision and goals? Module 2 walks through the different options of a corporate alumni program that are most appropriate for different situations. Module 3 looks at sustainability – how do you integrate the corporate alumni program into your existing talent management structure? What kind of human, financial and technical resources are needed? How can it be branded and marketed and really sustain over time? Module 4 looks at when it should be introduced, who should be included, what kind of activities and events should take place at the launch of the alumni program, and what those first 30 days really look like.

What can people expect in Course 3 – Alumni Expert?

Alison: This is the expert level. So things like strategically managing the program, integrating it into talent management, dealing with challenges such as hiring more people as the program matures. We talk about how to engage with alumni who might be part of other corporate networks, what people really want out of their alumni programs, and managing these global programs with different laws, taxation, and business impacts.

What are your tips for the alumni curious, who are just beginning to explore alumni programs?

Jennifer Cunningham: Talk to your senior leaders to make sure they understand the value of your alumni staying involved.

Alison: I would ask: what value does it bring to your alumni or your organisation? You should do this before you try to get buy-in, as it will hold different value for the various stakeholders.

Erin: I would say: reach out. Alumni communities are welcoming and interested in connecting. Sometimes a simple phone call or Zoom can be all that's needed to open a door, make a decision, or create a path that will lead to an alumni program.

What are your tips for more experienced alumni managers, who have got to grips with their alumni programs?

Jennifer: Stick together as a community. Your best resources are each other, even if no one's doing it exactly the same. As you're learning, share with the community. Don’t just participate – be a leader when you're learning.

Erin: Demonstrating the success of boomerangs, recruitment and reputation in other companies alumni programs can help get the buy-in.

Alison: Focus on data and relationships. If alumni feel connected to a organisation, they're more likely to go to events or attend a webinar if they know the people doing it, or if they know other alums will be there who they were friends with.

What are your tips for emerging leaders, who are aspiring to cultivate the highest performing alumni communities?

Erin: Think about what aligns well with your culture. What are your objectives? How can they add to the culture of your organisation? And then: just don't try to do everything all at once.

Alison: Align with the strategy and culture. Have objectives. Know what you're doing. Don't just decide: this month. I'm going to do a newsletter, let a month pass by, and think: oh, wait, we should have an event! Map it out. Have a plan.

Jennifer: Use your alumni as a sounding board. Be in touch with your alumni and what they are looking for, be that newsletters, in person events or education. Empower your most engaged alumni as a little advisory board.