The lack of engagement of Black alumni at Cornell University in university-sponsored alumni association events may be caused by the campus environment that Black alumni experienced while attending as students. These university sponsored alumni events are meant to engage all alumni, however several Black alumni have stated that as students, they did not feel part of the campus culture and therefore have had no interest in participating in events that do not represent their particular interests. Typically, these Black alumni choose to only be engaged with their affinity organizations or not at all.
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to investigate how Black alumni from Cornell University make sense of and explain their undergraduate …show more content…
He also noted that alumni were more likely to contribute financially if they were involved as alumni with their alma mater (Gaier, 2005). There is scant literature on the motivation behind alumni engagement. Very few researchers have looked at the impact of various factors on Black students experiences and its relation to future alumni engagement. Often, alumni engagement is considered in relation to its impact on giving but rarely considered independently. Although it is obvious why universities would be more concerned with giving than engagement, it is important to note that alumni engagement can contribute to the university in other positive …show more content…
It is important to consider the personal relationships that alumni have with their alma mater and how those relationships greatly impact the individual and the institution. That particular view will dictate the level of support they will provide (McDearmon, 2013). The author also states that in the past universities relied on alumni to initiate personal involvement, but now the initiation of involvement must be with the institutions themselves. He states that research on alumni involvement and giving focuses on characteristics of the individual such as age or characteristics of the institution such as national rankings, which help determine the individual 's interest in giving. Although these characteristics are important, McDearmon (2013) states that it does little to help determine how alumni identify with their alma mater upon
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to investigate how Black alumni from Cornell University make sense of and explain their undergraduate …show more content…
He also noted that alumni were more likely to contribute financially if they were involved as alumni with their alma mater (Gaier, 2005). There is scant literature on the motivation behind alumni engagement. Very few researchers have looked at the impact of various factors on Black students experiences and its relation to future alumni engagement. Often, alumni engagement is considered in relation to its impact on giving but rarely considered independently. Although it is obvious why universities would be more concerned with giving than engagement, it is important to note that alumni engagement can contribute to the university in other positive …show more content…
It is important to consider the personal relationships that alumni have with their alma mater and how those relationships greatly impact the individual and the institution. That particular view will dictate the level of support they will provide (McDearmon, 2013). The author also states that in the past universities relied on alumni to initiate personal involvement, but now the initiation of involvement must be with the institutions themselves. He states that research on alumni involvement and giving focuses on characteristics of the individual such as age or characteristics of the institution such as national rankings, which help determine the individual 's interest in giving. Although these characteristics are important, McDearmon (2013) states that it does little to help determine how alumni identify with their alma mater upon