Alumni Networks at the Rochester Institute of Technology – US
Alumni Networks at the Rochester Institute of Technology – US 1
(by Petr Adamek, Czech Republic)
Description of the approach
The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the seventh largest private university in the US, is
located in city of Rochester, State of New York, the home town of EastmanKodak, Xerox and
Boushe&Lomb. RIT has over years successfully established an alumni network that consists today of
95 000 members from 50 US states and over 90 countries. Close contacts are maintained between
alumni and actual RIT students. For example the University Magazine, a regular newsletter issued by
RIT, contains a dedicated section on alumni with the aim of involving alumni that have become
successful entrepreneurs in the daily University life. This is considered also a valuable contribution to
entrepreneurship programmes in the University network.
The alumni network provides as well a substantial source of revenues for RIT. Alumni and friends
of RIT can make donations for scholarships and student activities, as well as financially contribute to
premises and buildings, including research facilities. A glance on some figures shows that the system
Works well: young Alumni classes of 2004 and 2005 donated more than USD 10 000 each, with an
average donation of USD 50 per alumni. The total number of graduated in the academic year 20052006 was 3 874; first-time alumni donors increased by 14% to 789. In 2006, total alumni participation
was 7 479, including 670 alumni, who are currently faculty and/or staff members. Given the world-wide
outreach of RIT alumni the system of online donation is facilitating financial contribution. The
fundraising campaign at RIT collected over USD 250 million over the period of few years and exceeded
initial objectives.
The alumni outreach and communication system at RIT is a complex mechanism that provides a
number of opportunities for former students, their families and their firms, to interact with the University
community. These include:
•
Alumni recognition, as an important tool for building strong and lasting linkages with the
University, including life-long email accounts and an up-dated contact database;
•
Identity enhancing visual elements, such as the brick city, an identification with the
University campus, and the tiger as the mascot of the University that plays an important role
in RIT activities;
•
Fundraising and a campaign driven approach with numerous opportunities for donations;
•
Free circulation of RIT's regular newsletters, and access to events (social, cultural, and
educational) organised for students, alumni, sponsors and other partners; and,
•
RIT Credit Card and discounted access to other RIT financial and cultural services for
alumni (insurance, travel club, internet access discount, etc.) offered by RIT partners.
The fundraising and donation component of the alumni-University interactions does not only
generate additional revenues for the University, it also constitutes a strong tie between former and
actual students of RIT. Alumni are offered opportunities to donate offering financial contributions, time,
expertise and experience in exchange of an involvement in professional and scientific activities at the
University. The alumni network offers students and graduates opportunities for career development.
Each alumnus also contributes to the extension of the network. There are numerous examples of firms
that, having RIT alumni amongst their staff and management, decided to become business partners of
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Source: Discussion Paper " Entrepreneurship Environment and Policies: Exploiting the Science and
Technology Base in the Region of Halle", in: OECD LEED Local Entrepreneurship Series, January 2007.
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Alumni Networks at the Rochester Institute of Technology – US
RIT and thus contribute in various ways to the activities.
Why the approach is relevant to East Germany?
In the US it is natural to build long term philanthropic and communicative relationships with
Universities and HEIs. In Europe, and in particular in Central Eastern European countries, this tradition
needs to be established. Students who create successful start-up firms or help their employers
increase productivity and build competitiveness on knowledge and skills developed during their studies
represent an endless resource not only for the firm, but also for their home universities. This is not only
a monetary resource, but also a professional and a personal one.
It can be said that successful alumni indicate successful programmes. There is an opportunity cost
associated with universities ignoring their alumni. The University community in Halle is in the process of
building a strategy to increase contacts with and exchange between university alumni in order to benefit
from positive and intense relationships with former students and built on their success. The access to
regular information in the form of newsletters and mailing lists and the organisation of regular meetings
on specific themes, similar to the RIT approach, may help to maintain contact. The involvement of
those alumni that have become successful entrepreneurs could be a valuable contribution to
entrepreneurship programmes in the university network. It could significantly enrich and enlarge the
pool of knowledge and financial resources available for support and development of the well started
local/regional innovation system.
Contact details and website for further information
Rochester Institute of Technology
One Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623-5603
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT): www.rit.edu/
RIT's alumni network: www.rit.edu/alumni.html
Fundraising and donation: www.rit.edu/~giving/
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