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Case study: The shift from in-person to virtual Homecoming and how to create a trending success
Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing,
7
(2),
180-187
(2022)
Abstract
In 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on alumni relations activity and programming in myriad of ways. At Wilfrid Laurier University in 2020, the flagship alumni relations engagement event, Homecoming, risked cancellation in light of current public safety guidelines. Alumni professionals know an event the size of Homecoming takes months to plan. With the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the plans and the vision for Laurier's Homecoming 2020 were quickly derailed. This paper offers insight into how a medium-sized public university in Canada flourishedin its pandemic Homecoming adaptation. We share thoughts on how to rethink, repurpose and reconsider events in different formats.
Keywords: alumni; Homecoming; alumni engagement; alumni relations; virtual events; social media
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Lisa Andreana is an award-winning advancement professional who has worked in higher education for more than five years. Lisa leads the programming strategy for Wilfrid Laurier University's annual Homecoming event. In this role, she brings campus partners together to host Homecoming weekend, engages alumni with the university and works alongside reunion volunteers to celebrate milestones. Lisa thrives while celebrating alumni achievements through events and communications. She holds a BA in kinesiology and physical education from Wilfrid Laurier University and is currently completing her MBA.
Steve Frangakis is an award-winning communications professional who has worked in higher education for four years. In this role, he engages alumni through newsletters, e-mail communications and social media on behalf of Wilfrid Laurier University and its alumni association. Steve holds a BA from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Diploma in public relations from Conestoga College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning. Laurier's advancement team earned gold in the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) 2021 Prix d'Excellence for the Best Alumni Event for the Laurier Homecoming 2020 programme and Lisa and Steve presented on the successful event at the 2021 CCAE National Conference.
