As part of a series of initiatives to better engage alums, the Adler University Alumni Association relaunched its Alumni Council, which held an initial meeting on Jan. 26 — its first in about five years.
The 8-member Council’s primary goal was to discuss revisions to old Alumni Association bylaws, which were last amended in 2015. Changes discussed included becoming more inclusive of all alums, expanding representation requirements to include the Online Campus, and removing language that was focused specifically on alums following clinical career paths.
“The initial meeting was productive and a great opportunity to get the ball rolling,” said Jeremiah Stevens, director of Institutional Advancement (OIA).
Reconvening the Council is among the initiatives set by Adler University President Raymond Crossman, Ph.D., that would revamp the University’s engagement with its past graduates — beginning with the hiring of Christopher Toft as vice president for Institutional Advancement in March 2022.
“The rationale is simple: Our alums are part of our community,” said Stevens. “They are our best and strongest advocates across multiple areas of making Adler successful from student recruitment to internships to financial support. Their support and engagement are directly tied to our efforts to keep them engaged.”
Along with updating its bylaws, the Council also seeks to work on engaging more alums on an individual level and capturing stories and feedback on what they want to see from Adler as a member of the community.
In addition, the Alumni Council is planning its first big fundraising effort, the University’s inaugural “Giving Day,” a one-day event that will engage alums at multiple levels this spring.
“I think this event will allow us to come together and show that through collective effort, we can make a difference for Adler’s students, faculty, staff, as well as the communities we serve,” Stevens said.
The Council is scheduled to meet again on March 10.