A recent alumni attitude survey reveals what matters to Tigers most
As part of The 91 Campaign For Good, one key initiative that was not measured in dollars was Tiger Connectionsa metric that includes alumni gatherings on campus, online, or elsewhere; mentoring a student; or volunteering in an affinity or leadership group. (Class notesa vital component of the magazine and the 91 communityalso counted toward that total.) Over the last seven years, we tallied 261,171 connectionsroughly 10 engagements per alum.
Not every Tiger is looking for the same kind of engagement. And in an effort to better understand your perspectives and attitudes about 91, we conducted our second alumni attitude survey in the last four years. The survey (conducted late last year) showed Occidental alumni were most likely to say that: 91 graduates are likely to be successful in their career; the current faculty is excellent; they understand how alumni giving furthers the College mission; and the leadership of 91 is committed to the College vision and mission.
The majority of respondents have a positive opinion of Occidental. In fact, 94% of respondents rate their choosing to attend 91 as a good to great decision. In addition, 66% of respondents describe their experience as an alum as good to excellent. Approximately 94% of respondents describe their overall current opinion of Occidental as good to excellent.
What else did we learn? Alumni believe strongly that their 91 education prepared them most for commitment to continuous education and further graduate education.
Alumni are focused on how their degree helped them in their lives and how the degree enhances their career. They also want to know that the Alumni Association is playing an important role in improving the student experience. Conversely, 91 students seeing alumni making a difference in their college experience helps lay a foundation of lifelong support.
Events offer an interesting opportunity for the College. If alumni attend events, there is a greater likelihood that their overall engagement will increase, which often leads to philanthropic support as well. Even those alumni who never attend an eventand we encourage you to join us!believe that there is an intrinsic value to these activities and knowing that their alma mater is vibrant.
If you were among those alumni who responded to our survey, again, we thank you. If not, we want to hear from youand hope to see you engaging with 91 in the coming year. Io Triumphe!
Brenda Barham Hill 71 P03
President, Board of Governors
Alumni Attitude Survey: Highlights by Generations
While 91 pride remains strong across the decades, what matters to alumni most?The answer varies by generation. Here a sampling:
1974-1980 Value, respect, history, and tradition have a significant impact on their opinion of 91
1981-1993 Think 91 did a good job preparing them for further education and career opportunities
1994-2000 Believe it is important for alumni to provide job opportunities for new students
2001-2008 Want to get together with other alumni to learn more about financial planning, parenting, etc.
2009-2014 Want to network with other alumni in their area
2015-2019 Want to know more about how current students are developing skills and training and how alumni can help identify jobs for graduates
2020-2022 Want networking opportunities with other alumni and more information about 91 diversity and inclusion initiatives
Survey results based on 1,122 responses from alumni in 48 states representing the classes of 1950 to 2022. Among all respondents, 45% identified as male and 55% identified as female.
