Friday April 6, 2012

 

Note to Business Students 

Professors James Hackard, Josie Sosa Fey and I helped create a separate graduation ceremony for the School of Business. It has bene a rousing success and features a hooding ceremony for the graduate students. We also now feature an alum student who remarks on her or his experiences. 

Written 12/14/03

Word Count 1,323

 

ABSTRACT

 

Universities are under more financial pressure than ever.  The evidence suggests that universities will have to rely more and more on their own development efforts instead of state support.  One of the best opportunities to ensure annual giving by graduates is through well run graduation ceremonies.  Sadly, most universities are missing this opportunity to cement their relationship with graduates.  The author makes the point that this is the best possible day to make a ‘development impression.’  Examples of common graduation mistakes are listed.  A check list of the right way to conduct the reception and ceremony is presented.

 

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The mistake I see most young men and women make is that they quit on the five-yard line.  Yes, they put on a great show marching down the field, but just when real success is within reach, they give up the fight and retire to the sidelines.

Ross Perot to employees of duPont Walston, Fall, 1972

 

Let’s examine how a successful graduation exercise can get everyone off on the right foot.  But, metaphorically speaking, most schools march right to Mr. Perot’s five-yard line, and then leave the field. Most schools have to build their program donor-by-donor and student-by-student.  Where better way to start than on the one-day students, family, and friends are most disposed to feel charitable towards the institution-graduation day!

 

Yet these days, most schools are simply blowing the best opportunity they will ever get.  Anecdotally, let’s compare some recent experiences.  Our real life examples range from a flag ship university to a large regional to a smaller regional to an extension campus.    Names are forgone, as they said in Dragnet, to protect the innocent. 

 

THE WRONG WAY

 

• One flagship university actually excluded the names of the graduates from the program-a footnote stated they were yet to be certified, the name of non teaching administrators were of course prominently displayed
• Pomp and Circumstance may be the song but not the order of the day as a regional university hawks cheese nachos, popcorn and soft drinks to the crowd
• Events are regularly scheduled in venues that are known to not offer enough seating
• Families are often not notified of the event, students are entrusted with this important task
• Receptions featuring faculty, formerly a staple of such events, have been eliminated from all the events I have attended
• While the performance hall may feature an orchestra pit, recorded music is often played in multi million dollar arenas-pomp and circumstance or just plain and cheap?
• The faculty and administrators that do attend are obviously drafted, they usually look bored throughout the event
• Students suspect this is the school’s last shot at making money off them as Ex Student or Alumni associations vie for a property deposit-the effect is to offer a fire sale on membership as though price were the virtue, not bonding with one’s school
• Speakers are often chosen for what they might do for the school at the legislature-the result is often a lengthy recitation of recent legislation
• Worse the speaker may be chosen because he/she is an alum but a boring one at that
• Professors and administrators duck out afterwards or even before the event is finished-as the saying goes, action speaks louder than words

 

It does not have to be this way. This IS the moment they have all been waiting for.  Make the most of it.  With more first generation college graduates than ever, there are more potential college donors than ever.  Here is the short list of what to do and what to avoid.

 

THE RIGHT WAY

 

Do make sure there are enough seats for everyone-no point in making the latecomers stand.  After all, they may have some money too.

 

Do make sure there are names of the graduates in the program. Grandparents still treasure these things. After all, whose name did you think they came to see in the program?

 

Do make sure there is live music.  Most colleges have a music department. If you are not using them now, when will you?

 

Do make sure there is an opportunity for the graduate’s name to be read and some sort of certificate to be received. 

 

Do demand references on the speaker. Better no speaker than one that bores the crowd or presses their personal agenda.  If a speaker is invited it should be because he or she has something to say to the graduates and family, not to promote a personal political or ideological campaign. 

 

Do make sure the event is downsized to not be so long as to bore everyone waiting for the name of their loved one. Churches raise 45% of all the money raised in the country.  Church services last an hour.    Get the connection?   If this means separate ceremonies for each and every college of the university and even separate ceremonies for the graduate school, so be it.  Let’s not forget why people attend-to witness THEIR FAMILY MEMBER GRADUATE.

 

Do make sure there is a reception BEFORE the ceremony.  Heady with the closure of graduation, the student will not want to hang around afterwards. Better to nab the family before the ceremony.  Names, pictures, addresses, e-mails, etc. can be easily obtained as folks enter and receive their ID badge.   This is a great chance to build your information database. 

 

Do make sure to LISTEN!  This is a one on one survey of what stakeholders think of your school.  Most surveys cost thousands of dollars to conduct, this one comes with the graduation, virtually free of charge. You are laying the groundwork for your later contact; ask them what THEY think about the school.  I mean, we all know what YOU think.

 

Do make sure there is a representative number of faculty at the reception.  The students are now being handed over to administrators to follow their progress in life. Like in track, let’s make sure the baton hand off is done well. I still remember my Dad’s beaming smile thirty years ago when one professor complimented him on my college performance at such a reception.

 

Do make sure you have the outgoing faculty present. Faculty sponsors of student organizations would be the first choice.   If someone is not going to willingly participate, find something else for him or her to do.   This is no time for a draft!  

 

Do have a development officer at each reception-do not schedule conflicting reception times for the development officer!

 

Do make sure there are photographers at the reception.  A shot of the graduate with their favorite professor will not be thrown away later.  And make sure the photograph at the ceremony is with someone the graduate can recognize-I was hooded by a total stranger at mine.

 

Do remind the reception attendees that they are now members of the university community.  Many donors are in fact not graduates of their chosen donees. 

 

Do not fail to notify everyone of the reception.  The student’s permanent address is on file; use it to notify family members. 

 

Do not fail to make sure there are plenty of helpful signs AND helpful people to answer questions about the campus.  This is no time for parking snafus.

 

Do not make the reception a big sales pitch.  You should have explained the Century Club and its importance over the last four to five years to the graduate.  Today is their day. Remember Carnegie’s dictum-you will make more friends in two  months showing an interest in them than you will in two years trying to interest folks in you.  

 

Do not fail to have the development officers and faculty and administration compare notes afterwards.  Intelligence gathering only works when it is gathered, analyzed, and conclusions are drawn as to the best future strategy.

 

Graduation should be a time of celebration.  The goal is for all attendees to leave in a pleasant frame of mind, re enforced in their belief that this was the right school and the right decision for their graduate. Anything less is, well, quitting on the five-yard line.

 

Dennis Elam wrote his PhD dissertation on the development process. He is a faculty member at a state university and may be reached at dennis.elam@att.net.