During October and November 2018, a survey was distributed by email to 7,823 Colorado College alumni with the purpose of obtaining baseline measurements and gaining an understanding of alumni feelings about engagement with and support for the college.

The group contacted was a representative sample balanced for gender, class decade, and donor status. A total of 1,922 alumni participated for a response rate of 25%. Respondents completed the survey anonymously.

Jerold Pearson, a principal of eAdvancement, a consortium of independent consultants in alumni relations, communications, and fundraising conducted the survey. For 22 years (1994-2016), he also was the director of market research for Stanford University. Pearson has conducted alumni surveys for more than 100 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Colorado College has nearly 23,000 valid alumni email addresses. If you are not receiving regular news and information from the college, email records@coloradocollege.edu to re-subscribe.

Nearly 28,000 issues of the Bulletin are printed and mailed.

More than 3,543 alumni have signed up for Tiger Link, CC’s professional networking platform, which is compatible with LinkedIn. To learn more, visit cctigerlink.com.

Annual Alumni Participation Rate

Colorado College’s alumni participation rate in giving during fiscal year 2018 was 22%. Among the college’s peers, Bowdoin College, Carleton College, and the College of the Holy Cross had a 46% or greater alumni participation rate. For a full list of Colorado College’s peer institutions, visit coloradocollege.edu/offices/ipe/peer-institutions.html

 

64% Believed CC was about the same 22% Knew Colorado College ranked below our peers in annual participation in giving 14% Thought CC alumni give back at a higher annual rate than our peers

36% Colorado College alumni feel connected to CC54% Colorado College alumni have very positive overall feelings about the college today (compared to figures that range from 20-68% elsewhere)73% Colorado College alumni are among the most satisfied with their student experience (compared to 37-75% elsewhere)

Direction CC is Moving

52 % Do not feel informed enough to have an opinion 35 % Believe the college is moving in the right direction 10 % Believe the college is moving in the wrong direction 3 % Believe the college lacks direction

Sources of CC News and Information

82% CC Bulletin; 42% Blockly Bulletin; 24% Events Newsletter; 5% Traditional Media; 11% Faculty/Staff; 41% Friends/Relatives; 20% Social Media; 20% Other Material; 4% Other CC Websites

 

95% Satisfied with the CC student experience81% Positive overall feelings about Colorado College72% Affiliation with CC is important

 

Ways to Stay Involved

When asked about their interest in eight ways to stay involved (listed in chart below), no more than 31% of alumni said that they are very interested in any particular way tested to stay involved. However, 58% of alumni are “very interested” in at least one of the eight ways tested. In other words, while no single form of involvement had universal appeal, almost six out of 10 alumni express great interest in staying involved in some way.

Campus News 22% very interested, 89% somewhat interested; Lifelong Learning 31% very interested, 81% somewhat interested; Intellectual 29% very interested, 79% somewhat interested; Socializing 20% very interested, 78% somewhat interested; Library 28% very interested, 63% somewhat interested; Volunteering 15% very interested, 51% somewhat interested; Sports 10% very interested, 47% somewhat interested; Career Services 12% very interested, 42% somewhat interested

 

We appreciate everyone who took the time to give us feedback.

We are using the information gleaned from the survey as we plan future alumni relations offerings and communications. Please see the following page for opportunities near you.