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Dan Giroux / DJG Marketing Insights

Alumni aren't ungenerous. Institutions are.

Published 4 months ago • 1 min read

Alumni aren't ungenerous.
Institutions are.

That line struck a nerve on LinkedIn this week.

As commencement season wraps up, colleges and universities are celebrating their newest alumni. But what kind of relationship are those graduates actually entering?

New data from the 2026 National Alumni Survey shows alumni are generally satisfied with the education they received. And many are active philanthropists. They give to causes, volunteer, and support organizations they care about.

They’re just not always directing that generosity back to their alma mater.

I wrote about what that means for advancement leaders — and a few of you took it further in the comments. Read the post and jump in if you have a take →​

One thing I didn't put in the post:

The most telling moment in the alumni relationship might be commencement itself. It's the day institutions most visibly and loudly celebrate their connection to students. And also, quietly, the day many stop investing in it. The relationship doesn't end at graduation. But for a lot of institutions, active cultivation does. The majority could tell you exactly how many people attend commencement. Few could tell you what a meaningful first-year alumni experience looks like.

Worth discussing with your teams.

Dan

P.S. Fiscal year-end will soon be behind you, with the fall ramp-up here before you know it. I recently wrote about why summer is the right window for Advancement and MarCom teams to reset. I'm setting aside a few openings this summer for a small number of planning sessions (virtual or in person), built around what your team needs. If that's been on your mind, now's the time to reach out.

Dan Giroux, MBA
Principal / Consultant
DJG Marketing

Connect or partner with me:

Dan is an independent strategic marketing and communications consultant helping higher education and nonprofits amplify their brands and drive meaningful engagement. He's also the host of the Advancement Amplified podcast; Season 1 explored AI for IA, and Season 2 spotlights The IA MarCom Shift.

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Dan Giroux / DJG Marketing Insights

Helping higher education and philanthropic leaders build stronger teams, brands, campaigns — and results.

With 20 years across high-impact agencies and in-house leadership, I specialize in Advancement — aligning brand and philanthropic communications to strengthen reputation, deepen alumni and donor engagement, and drive transformative fundraising results. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter for insights and resources designed to inform, not overwhelm.

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