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Alumni leisure interests | % |
Reading | 45 |
Travel | 20 |
Gardening | 15 |
Movies | 10 |
Attending concerts | 9 |
Attending plays | 9 |
Volunteering | 7 |
Cooking | 6 |
Team sports | 6 |
Time with friends | 6 |
Religous activities | 5 |
None/no answer | 2 |
Other | 56 |
The last pair of questions asked what the alumni association could do to better serve alumni, and what the association could do to increase alumni participation. This is the kind of soft data that the board of management needs in order to prioritize its planning. Of the 280 or so responses to the first question, 24 percent want us to facilitate the connection of alumni. Suggestions such as a web site or electronic directory and career networking were prevalent. Also requested was an expanded version of the class notes section of the Reed magazine. Another 18 percent suggested that the association facilitate more regional events, and 10 percent asked for some format for career networking and counseling. Projects are presently under way addressing the web site, career networking, and other ideas mentioned.
The follow-up question about what the alumni association could do to increase participation was more ambiguous. Nearly half of the answers indicated "nothing" in various forms. This could reflect a spectrum of thought running from "you are doing things right" to "nothing comes to mind" to "nothing you could do would get me to increase my participation." Frequently, other answers reflected requests for more activities in the area where the respondent lives, and most of these seemed to reflect a feeling of isolation by reason of living in a place without significant numbers of alumni. As with the previous question, a few waxed whimsical: "send money," "make an old man young again," or "get me a grant."
Alumni interest in volunteering | % |
Admission | 39 |
Career counseling | 23 |
Local alumni chapter | 21 |
Student Hosting | 18 |
Alumni board involvement | 12 |
Reunions | 11 |
Fund raising | 5 |
Other | 6 |
Recently we have begun to look at how the data differs among chapter areas, and the last article in this series will discuss our findings. The regional information will help the alumni association chapter organizers arrange programs to fit interests. This information will also help the association to include more of the 38 percent who do not live in areas served by chapters. There is thankfully no way to overcome the "fiercely individualistic nature of Reed students," but understanding our common interests, needs, and desires will help the alumni association appreciate this quality while serving the group as a whole.
Jim Carpenter '83
Alumni activity interests | % |
A Reed summer picnic | 66 |
Informal social get-together with Reed alumni | 57 |
An organized hike or nature walk | 54 |
Continuing education opportunity for alumni | 54 |
Receiving a Reed bookstore catalog | 54 |
Participating in a group volunteer activity | 53 |
Interacting with a new or current Reed student | 52 |
Going on a museum, play, or film outing | 50 |
Participating in a reading group | 43 |
Subscription to the Quest student newspaper | 42 |
Taking a trip abroad with Reed alumni | 29 |
Career counseling assistance | 27 |
Attending a local sports event | 20 |
Participating in a gardening club | 17 |
Participating in team sports | 12 |
Participating in a bridge group | 10 |
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