2022 CAMMP Conference

8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Optional tours/Activities

• A campus tour at 9 a.m. through the Clemson University Visitor’s Center
• Lake activities – paddle boarding and kayak tour – fee associated with this opportunity
• Hike to Campus Waterfall – fee associated with this opportunity

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Attendee check-in open at the Madren Conference Center

2 – 3:30 p.m. | Newcomer orientation

3:30 – 4 p.m. | Marketing material setup

4 – 5 p.m. | Session 1 – Welcome & Keynote Presentation by Joe Erwin, entrepreneur and co-founder of Clemson University’s Erwin Center for Brand Communications*

5 – 6 p.m. | Sponsor Intros

6:30 – 9 p.m. | Attendee-only dinner at Madren Conference Center, with Shag Dance Lessons after dinner

9 p.m. | After hours Downtown Clemson (shuttle will run to hotels until 11 p.m.)

*This session will be live-streamed. 

Note: The event schedule is subject to change. 

7 – 8:15 a.m. | Attendee breakfast

8:15 – 8:30 a.m.  | Morning announcements

8:30 – 9:20 a.m. | Session 2: Young Alumni Engagement*

We know how important it is to engage with our alumni early and often – but what are the most effective ways to capture the attention of young alumni? Iliana Contreras, the young alumni and current student program director at the University of Notre Dame, will share an initiative called “Domer Dozen”, a recognition initiative that celebrates the achievements of 12 Young Alumni (ages 32 and under) for their significant contributions and extraordinary dedication to faith, service, learning, and/or work. In addition, Marcie Johnson, who previously served as the director of young alumni and student programs at the University of Pittsburgh Alumni Association, will talk about her tips and tricks for managing a successful Young Alumni group.

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. | Session 3: Supplemental Revenue Streams*

Show me the money! From outside sponsorships to corporate partnerships and more, this session dives into ways we can diversify our funding. Kristina Woods Butler, the vice president for membership, marketing & communications at Texas Tech Alumni Association will discuss their partnership with Learfield IMG College, which forced the organization to reimagine the decades-old affinity partnership structure and look toward a future of sponsorship-based revenue. In addition, Megan Hornbeek Allen, the director of alumni engagement at the Oklahoma City University Office of Alumni Engagement, highlights their partnership with local OKC small businesses to elevate apparel options for alumni and friends.

10:30 – 11:15 a.m. | Sponsor intros

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Session 4: Social Media Listening with Clemson University Social Media Listening Center*

Hear from faculty and students from the Social Media Listening Center at Clemson University, the first facility of its kind in higher education, as they relate social media listening to the world of alumni relations. They will show how insights from social media listening can change the way we engage our alumni and can fuel the experiences we create for them. Ahead of this session, students from the center are working on a project to “listen” to alumni and find trends within the industry using the most powerful social analytics software available. They will share the data from this project, as well as helpful tips for all shops – big or small – to engage in social media listening to enhance the alumni experience.

12:15 – 1:10 p.m. | Attendee lunch/Roundtables at Madren Conference Center

1:15 – 2:10 p.m. | Session 5 Breakout (Select one) 

Student Engagement and Retention*: In this session, Paige Freeman, director of student programs at KU Alumni Association, and Ashley McMullen, associate director for student and young alumni programs at NC State University, will discuss best practices for engaging student members, especially after returning to in-person formats after relying on virtual and hybrid methods of engagement. We will discuss marketing strategies to acquire new members and give tips on how to keep our members informed and engaged. We will focus on the importance of student involvement and how engagement through student leadership opportunities provided by Alumni Associations contributes to retention efforts for students to become active alumni.

Working with Admissions and Recruitment: This session presents ways our colleagues are partnering with admissions and recruitment offices to leverage alumni relationships and provide meaningful opportunities for them to help build the next generation of alumni. Patti Daves, the managing director of membership and business development at the University of Virginia Alumni Association, and Roxanne Shiels, director of alumni strategy at Penn State World Campus, will discuss breaking down the silos of higher education and finding impactful ways of cross-campus collaboration.

2:15 – 4 p.m. | Afternoon Activity (TBD)

4 – 5:30 p.m. | Sponsor Booth Visit Reception

6 – 8 p.m. | Attendee/sponsor dinner at Esso Club

8:30 p.m. | After Hours Downtown Clemson (shuttle will run to hotels until 11 p.m.)

*This session will be live-streamed. 

Note: The event schedule is subject to change. 

7 – 8:30 a.m. | Attendee/Sponsor breakfast at Madren Conference Center + Optional one-on-one sponsor meetings

8:30 – 9:25 a.m. | Session 6: Alumni Metrics*

But what does it all mean? Being able to quantify the work and understand what our alumni are doing can be invaluable. Tricia Essenpreis, director of business development at the University of Colorado, and Renita Smith, director of membership and marketing at Florida State University, will highlight how their alumni shops are collecting and analyzing alumni participation and engagement data.

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. | Sponsor visits + Optional one-on-one sponsor meetings

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Session 7 Breakout (Select one)

Membership Acquisition and Retention*: Whether you are new to membership or have been around for years, we are always looking for the next best way to acquire and retain our alumni members. Join us as we welcome Emily Beck, director of member services at Iowa State University, Ethan Rowley, the director of marketing at the Nebraska Alumni Association, and Melanie Roddenberg, the lead associate membership manager at the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, to discuss the successes and failures of program launches, campaigns, and flash sales, and we learn together the best practices of growing our membership base.

Annual Giving: Hear from two schools transforming lives in 24 hours with innovative Day of Giving Campaigns. In 2022, the University of Tennessee Martin set a fundraising record during their eighth annual Captain’s Challenge campaign. Matt Borden, associate director of annual giving, will discuss the fun approach around this year’s campaign theme “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”. Additionally, Meredith College raised more than a million dollars during the College’s seventh annual Make It Count for Meredith Giving day. Erin Cleghorn, director of the Meredith Fund, and Hilary Allen, director of alumnae relations, will tag-team to talk about merging strategy with fun and outreach to engage alumnae support.

11:30 a.m.  – 12:30 p.m. | Attendee/Sponsor lunch at Madren Conference Center

12:30 – 1:00 p.m. | Merchandise Swap

1 – 1:45 p.m. | Sponsor visits + Optional one-on-one sponsor meetings

1:45 – 2 p.m. | Sponsor raffles

2:10 – 3 p.m. | Session 8: Business Directories*.

When alumni bravely pursue their biggest ideas and start their own businesses, an alumni business directory can offer an opportunity to both market their business and support other alumni-owned businesses. In this session, Jamie Puryear, director of marketing at Texas Exes and past chair of CAMMP, will discuss best practices for engaging alumni-owned businesses and how they started with simple business listings and have expanded their program to include memberships. In addition, Jen Benson, membership director at the University of Minnesota, will talk about their alumni business directory that includes a unique, curated line of alumni-owned merchandise.

3:10 – 4 p.m. | CAMMP Business Meeting*

5 p.m. | Leave via bus to go to Greenville for dinner and a show

6 p.m. | Attendee-only dinner

8:30 p.m. | After Hours Downtown Greenville (shuttle will pick up every hour on the hour and the last shuttle will head back to Clemson at 11 p.m.)

*This session will be live-streamed. 

Note: The event schedule is subject to change. 

While we don’t have the exact schedule finalized yet, here are the topics of this year’s conference. These will be slotted into the Session timeslots noted in the daily schedule.

Alumni Giving: When alumni give back to their university, they are celebrating their own experiences, supporting current students, and enhancing the programs and departments that helped shape who they are. But with multiple factors affecting the fundraising environment, what is the best way to engage our alumni when asking them to give? The conversation for this session will center around the best practices for alumni giving, ways to maximize your efforts, and trends to assist in developing your giving strategy.

Alumni metrics/data analytics: But what does it all mean? Being able to quantify the work and understand what our alumni are doing can be invaluable. This session highlights how alumni shops are collecting and analyzing alumni participation and engagement data.

Member Acquisition and Retention: With a look at leveraging different engagement tools, programs, and strategies, this session covers ways to successfully manage and grow your alumni membership. 

Social Media Listening: Hear from faculty and students from the Social Media Listening Center at Clemson University, the first facility of its kind in higher education, as they relate social media listening to the world of alumni relations. They will show how insights from social media listening can change the way we engage our alumni and can fuel the experiences we create for them. Ahead of this session, students from the center are working on a project to “listen” to alumni and find trends within the industry using the most powerful social analytics software available. They will share the data from this project, as well as helpful tips for all shops – big or small – to engage in social media listening to enhance the alumni experience.

Student Engagement/Retention: Educating current students about what it means to be an alum and what their role is after graduation is sometimes easier said than done. This session will focus on ways to engage current students and transition and retain them as alumni.

Supplemental Revenue Streams: Show me the money! From outside sponsorships to corporate partnerships and more, this session dives into ways you can diversify your funding.

Working with Admissions and Recruitment: More and more, alumni relations is being asked to assist with other areas within their respective schools. Oftentimes that includes utilizing alumni with admissions and recruitment efforts. This session presents ways our colleagues are partnering with admissions and recruitment offices to leverage alumni relationships and provide meaningful opportunities for alumni to help build the next generation of alumni.

Young Alumni Engagement: We know how important it is to engage with our alumni early and often – but what are the most effective ways to capture the attention of young alumni? This session is a discussion on providing value for young alumni, keeping them connected to the university and to each other, and sharing useful tools to help reach that audience.

2022 Conference Attendees