JMU - Documentation
Alumni Connections Template
Need help?
Read the how-to guide or contact James Carter (carte3je) at x8-5606
More Examples
Department of Anthropology and Sociology
Department of Alumni Relations
Documentation
The stay connected pages are templates that you may use on your departmental websites to better engage alumni and donors. Staff from University Advancement developed the following best practices to support you in your efforts and ensure continuity across campus.
Contacts
We would like to help you with the implementation of the new look to your departmental websites as well as the introduction of alumni connect pages. If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact:
James Carter
carte3je
(540) 568-5606
Assumptions
- You have a Web Manager 2 account
- You have the correct access level to make changes to your departmental website
What is the benefit to my department?
By using simple templates you will be able to direct your alumni to:
- Submit updated contact information
- Easily link to the JMU online giving page with your department and scholarship fund id’s already populated
- Join your departmental social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin)
- Share your news with friends and contacts
- Stay connected to your department through updates, newsletters and alumni events
- Link to Alumni Association website
Time after time, surveys have shown that the number one way alumni stay connected is by reading Madison magazine. Alumni updates sent to you through your departmental website will also be shared with the Office of Advancement Gifts and Records ensuring that solicitations and mailings (including Madison magazine) continue to be sent to valid addresses.
What do we need to do?
Firstly find out if you have a departmental inbox. We strongly recommend that you establish one if you do not already have one. The staff and students that administer your site will change over time. A departmental inbox means that updates will be taken care of regardless of who is in the office.
Secondly you need to decide if you wish to change the style of your departmental website to match that of the new look JMU homepage. This is a clearer design that can easily be implemented by completing the form HERE and requesting that they make this change for you. Your existing content will remain in place, and you should only need to make minor alterations to your layouts.
Do you have a social media presence?
If so we can help you link your Facebook pages with your department sites so that comments can be made, Alumni can “like” pages and so on.
What to Promote?
Now you are ready to create content for your site. This is the most essential part of your website and you should ensure that you have a plan in place to keep it regularly updated. Relevant and frequently updated content will give your alumni a reason to keep coming back to your site and remain connected. Examples of the content you should provide are illustrated HERE.
Finally you need to decide upon your fundraising strategy. Which of your department's foundation accounts do you wish to highlight on your site? These include scholarships, faculty support programs, program support, general expenditure, and so on. You should put together a description of the fund and detail the impact of giving. Too often, giving pages are difficult to find and then lack a compelling story of why an alumni should support. For compelling examples, see Madison for Keeps, Forbes Center seat naming campaign, or UREC,
Final Step
Once you have your sites up and ready for inspection simply email James Carter and he will provide you with customized giving links for your selected JMU Foundation funds along with the code you need to enter onto your “Update your details” page. This simple piece of code will need to be added to the HTML code of your site and will populate a form on that. We can assist you with this if you are uncertain.