Alumni Engagement and Affinity Reaches New Levels
In her 2023 Flagship Address, UT Chancellor Donde Plowman spoke about taking the university from good to great, and the Office of Alumni Relations has helped enhance that vision through events, programming, and communication aimed at fostering strong relationships between alumni and the university.
“In a recent polling, as part of the Alumni Attitude Study, we were able to confirm some notions we’ve long held about what our alumni value most,” said Duane Wiles, associate vice chancellor for alumni relations. “UT alumni are invested in the value of their degree. They want to know how it holds up over time and, as can be seen in the many examples of UT on the rise, can rest assured it is appreciating in value and we are proactively working to amplify that trend.”
Alumni Value:
Pride in the University
Community Connection
Involvement and Networking
UT’s Reputation
of alumni feel affinity for UT, up from recent years and higher than other large land-grant institutions
of alumni say attending UT was a good or great life decision
of alumni say value and respect for a UT degree is critically or significantly impactful
The Alumni Attitude Study has been running for over 20 years with the participation of more than 320 institutions and provides a comprehensive snapshot of how alumni perceive their alma maters. It calculates an affinity index that measures alumni’s likelihood to engage with the university, taking into account factors such as whether alumni are willing to promote the university to others. UT recently scored 85 percent in alumni affinity, up from recent years and higher than other large land-grant institutions.
In the survey, alumni wrote they valued feeling pride in the university along with a connection to campus and current students. Networking with local alumni chapters gives them a sense of community and belonging, and enjoying a shared experience increases their desire to participate.
With more than 275,000 alumni across the nation and in more than 140 countries, the UT alumni network grows every year and is bound together by a mutual love for Rocky Top and enthusiasm to share the Volunteer spirit with the world.
