Every institution with membership in the CCCU has ideas about how and with whom they will interact among
their alumni constituency for reasons of loyalty, fundraising, and influence. A few appropriately believe that
developing relationships with specific groups of their alumni can have a Kingdom-impacting effect that may
be initially more important than underwriting their alma mater’s annual fund. They also understand that those
objectives are not necessarily mutually exclusive if they change the name of the process to "friend-raising."
With that notion in mind, Cedarville University has been involved in a four year program in the District of
Columbia that has a main focus of encouragement, evangelism and expansion, within the body of its
graduates plying their various trades in multiple government agencies and offices. Of primary focus is
developing relationships within those various departments through the reputations of its Cedarville alumnae.
Determining who is in the list of decision makers and influencers within those departments and agencies has
a significant impact on where to invest time, personnel, travel monies, and other incidental resources.
One very significant impact has been achieved through a comprehensive program, combining the efforts ad
resources of the alumni, career, development, and admissions offices, a part of which is the "Lew Does
Lunch" program. (By the way, not only lunch, but dinners, as well.) While these initiatives don’t always take
the more traditional alumni services route, this Career Services Office program has proven very effective.
The idea is to have the career office be the "first breath" response for alums finding out that there is a
position opening up at their place of employment. It is understood that taking these actions is not for the
purpose of a career services placement "notch in the gun handle." It is about balancing a worldview playing
field thru getting Christian young people into key opportunities within this area of influence. It is about
Advancing The Kingdom. Therefore, prior to each trip to the D.C. area, a very critical e-mail goes out saying,
"Lew’s doing Lunch at Tortilla Coast - Tuesday at 12 noon. Be there!"
That event then becomes that catalyst for networking among alums, updating them on institutional progress
and initiatives, and ensuring the accuracy of important demographic contact information. Further it becomes
a great platform to invite non-institutional guests that may have a role of influence or decision making
capacity within organizations that can assist the Kingdom efforts of the group. Meaningful relationships can
be established with personnel from the various conservative "think-tanks," lobbyists, and peripheral public
service organizations - as well as the more traditional congressional support organizations.
Examples of the effectiveness of this four year long program for Cedarville are evident in the growth of both
the number of alum in permanent, influential public service positions and the students involved in summer
internship experiences. While there is no such thing as a free lunch, (especially in DC!) the benefits to the
institution are in building positive alumnae impressions, expansion of their thinking in terms of the traditional
"win-win" objectives of the development or advancement office, and impacts for Christ upon the
organizations that establish public policy for our American culture.