Retaining Sycamore fans/allegiance after graduation

[Jason Svoboda]

Spent the last day cleaning up the member database, purging users with invalid email addresses, people that had 0 posts and were inactive for over 18 months, so on and so forth. Not surprisingly, 40% of those individuals were students or registered with indstate.edu email addresses. Also found it interested that the average number of posts by someone with a State email address was 8 posts.

Granted, a lot of those registrations came before Lynch kicking the door in with the Forest, but I'd imagine it's pretty representative of a young graduate's relationship with the University post graduation. For example, several of those accounts were of former sports writers for the Statesman that I happen to be connected with on Facebook. Just looked back through their timelines and there isn't anything ISU for a long time.

Anyone have any ideas of what the school could do better (or hell, even the site here) to keep people tied to ISU or is it simply a matter of if the individual was interested, they'd make the effort?

 

[IndyTreeFan]

My wife works at UIndy, and recently she was at a dinner program for student workers on campus. The keynote speaker was a gentleman who is a fabulously successful UIndy alum here in Indianapolis. He spent the program talking to the students about how fortunate they are to be at a place like UIndy, and that they should never, ever feel even slightly less than people who went to any other university. They should keep in mind that someone before them give a little back to UIndy so that today's students could have the opportunities that they have. And with the pride that they should take in being a student at UIndy, they should remember that when they graduate, they need to start giving back so that someone else can have the wonderful opportunity to come to a great University like UIndy. He told about how when he graduated, he started as a teacher at $5000 a year, but still managed to carve out $100 a year to give to the University, and obviously as he's become more successful and wealthy, he's greatly upped his giving.

His point being: 1) Have pride in the school you are at - it is a special place, 2) remember that people before you gave to the school so that you could have the opportunities that you do, and 3) make sure you continue that tradition when you graduate - give something, no matter how small, each year.

I never remember hearing anything like this EVER when I was at ISU. The University just doesn't seem to think that the students need to hear this stuff. I think starting with some speeches like this, from graduates, would be a good start. Be proud, remember you are part of a long line of students, and give back so that others can have the same opportunities that were available to you. Maybe a good place to start?

 

[Pacercolt99]

Living near Crawfordsville I am in tune with the great alumni base of Wabash College. First, let me say ISU and Wabash are so much different that it is hard to compare. Wabash does a great job from day one with freshman indoctrinating them on the traditions at Wabash. They also do a marvelous job of fostering Little Giant pride. I would ascertain it is easier to do this on a small campus like Wabash. But, I do not remember much "ISU tradition" being mentioned while at ISU from 1975-1980. Of course we did have Larry Bird, Kurt Thomas and even Bruce Baumgardner to be proud of. But, there has never been an athletic era like I experienced at ISU since. The only contact I get from the Alumni Association is the campaign to raise funds. The magazine does a decent job on interesting news but the sports section is dismal. I have stayed in contact with ISU and consider myself a fan. I would much rather go to a Sycamore game than a Big Ten game. If I was all into winning however, I would not probably be a Sycamore fan today. I find the "journey" of a mid-major interesting to follow. If ISU could only incorporate some more tradition into the student body I think it would help. Also, the sports department needs to keep alumni better informed of successes and needs of the athletic teams. I do think the use of social media has improved and that needs to continue and enhanced when possible.

 

[hans1950]

I suppose that for recent graduates you could use the excuse that most are busy with new jobs,starting families and such.I know that when I got done I really didn't fell the need to participate because my life was going in a different direction away from the college life.I do think that time makes you appreciate your college time as well as a lot of other experiences that you have that help shape your adult life.Maintaining contact with alums is the most important thing the school can do.ISU seems to be glad to take a students' money while they are attending school but that's all.A lot of people also seem to feel like ISU was a second choice because they couldn't afford a private school or couldn't get in IU or Purdue.That stigma is something ISU has fought for many years.