Article for consideration

[Augusta_Jacket]

I found this to be a very interesting article. Although it is written by and for the VT fanbase, it should ring true to GT as well. There are some interesting data points in here as well. We as a fanbase need to consider this and encourage our fellow donors to dig a little deeper, as well as work to expand the well of donors. Most eye opening thing to me was this line:

"Hokie Club membership now stands at 7.66% of living alumni, which is the fourth-highest percentage in the ACC, behind Clemson, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech."

Considering how small our alumni base is, it's outstanding that we are third in the ACC in giving by % of alumni. It also tells me we are close to maximizing our potential, which is scary.

https://virginiatech.sportswar.com/...o3p1NsB12LJwWQXtEqUV5UpahKtm_5Na7G0PVFExyZHeo

 

[ChicagobasedJacket]

I found this to be a very interesting article. Although it is written by and for the VT fanbase, it should ring true to GT as well. There are some interesting data points in here as well. We as a fanbase need to consider this and encourage our fellow donors to dig a little deeper, as well as work to expand the well of donors. Most eye opening thing to me was this line:

"Hokie Club membership now stands at 7.66% of living alumni, which is the fourth-highest percentage in the ACC, behind Clemson, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech."

Considering how small our alumni base is, it's outstanding that we are third in the ACC in giving by % of alumni. It also tells me we are close to maximizing our potential, which is scary.

https://virginiatech.sportswar.com/...o3p1NsB12LJwWQXtEqUV5UpahKtm_5Na7G0PVFExyZHeo

The numbers still have room to rise but you are right it’s scary. One thing to note, the percentage giving indicates commitment on the part of the alumni to the program. Donation amounts could theoretically rise with improved records over a couple of years just as they did for Clemson.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

The numbers still have room to rise but you are right it’s scary. One thing to note, the percentage giving indicates commitment on the part of the alumni to the program. Donation amounts could theoretically rise with improved records over a couple of years just as they did for Clemson.

I should also note that in the article, it makes clear that it "assumes" all donors as alumni, which is clearly not the case for any school. What is likely, however, is that while GT does have some non-alumni donors (like myself) they most likely constitute a much smaller percentage of the total than they would at a school like Clemson, which draws a substantial amount of sidewalk fans. The current number is from 2019, which also coincides with the one year anniversary of the beginning of the AI 2020 initiative here at GT. So it is possible that our number as reported is artificially inflated with a multitude of one time donors committing to a specific fundraising drive. GTAA really needs to ensure we create a culture of continuity with donor giving, even if it's only a few bucks a month.

 

[TruckStick]

130,000 living alumni.. not sure where that is from. Also, consider GT's enrollment has nearly doubled since then. Hokies might need a coaching staff change before they start this campaign.

 

[RonJohn]

I would question where they got the data. I don't remember seeing the GTAA publish data on number of yearly donors, but the data from 2014 and 2018 is close to where I have estimated. (7.075 and 7,969). The data they list for GT in 2019 is almost double and is a round number, 13,000. I do believe that TStan has raised participation rates. I could believe that participation rates have increased significantly. However, without information about the source of the data and with the article being simply on a sports blog site, I don't have much confidence that their numbers are accurate.

 

[nyto]

Clemson leads the pack of participation and has a famous giving program that I wish we would try and clone - IPTAY (I pay ten a year). It started back when $10 was a lot (1930s). Basically it's a way to encourage frequent & scheduled small gifts.

 

[TruckStick]

I think an IPTAY modeled program would be great for GT.. create a cute name, encourage membership, done and done.

In fact, a GTIPTAY membership would be an easy sell at like $100 a year auto draft. IPAHUNDO

 

[LongforDodd]

IPTAY evolved into I Pay Two Athletes / Year in the early 80's I believe...may be appropriate today, IDK.

 

[forensicbuzz]

130,000 living alumni.. not sure where that is from. Also, consider GT's enrollment has nearly doubled since then. Hokies might need a coaching staff change before they start this campaign.

Enrollment doubling includes online degrees. In-person learning is up about 15% from when I went there in the 80's/90's. Not sure online degrees generate giving alumni.

 

[TruckStick]

Enrollment doubling includes online degrees. In-person learning is up about 15% from when I went there in the 80's/90's. Not sure online degrees generate giving alumni.

Time to end this debate... Alumni is Alumni. Period.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Time to end this debate... Alumni is Alumni. Period.

I don't think he was implying that they aren't alumni, but rather that with no physical attachment to the school, it is less likely they develop into "giving" alumni. That's probably a fair assertion as online students tend to be older and have most likely developed allegiances to other schools.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Time to end this debate... Alumni is Alumni. Period.

It's not a debate. If the online degreed student doesn't engage in the athletics at Tech, there is little to no chance that student is going to give $$ to the school. A large percentage of online degrees are procured overseas, which means even less engagement. What's so difficult about that.

 

[TruckStick]

It's not a debate. If the online degreed student doesn't engage in the athletics at Tech, there is little to no chance that student is going to give $$ to the school. A large percentage of online degrees are procured overseas, which means even less engagement. What's so difficult about that.

At the end of the day, would you rather have people attached to the school in some sort of way or not.

Discounting any alumni of any program isn't going to get you anywhere. The biggest hurdle for GT is it's own fans getting in their own way with ideas like this.. thinking positive and changing any mind because they are "affiliated" with the school is a good enough start to overcome the years of 10-15k enrollment. GT isn't a in-person social club and covid has made distance learning in-vogue... who will adapt and take advantage of more "affiliated" individuals putting GT in their resume.

 

[BCJacket]

Some of you who are more deeply plugged into things may have a better sense. But does the administration and Alumni Association still not share info with the Athletic Department? The debate about this seems to have cooled on here with the (relatively) successful athletics fundraising since Stansbury took over.

But I know that used to be (perceived as) a big barrier for athletics fundraising. IIUC - the Alumni Association (eg Roll Call) raked in the donor dollars, but wouldn't share the contact list of alumni with athletics and (in my view) implied that money donated to the Alumni Association/school benefitted athletics - e.g. using GT athletic iconography in their publications. But the justification was that athletics was wholly independent and had to fend for themselves.

Until TStan, athletics had never asked me for money. Whereas it seems like I get junk mail from Roll Call weekly. But I'm not sure if GT athletics even has a way to contact alumni unless they've specifically given their information to GT athletics? (Roll Call gets theirs from the Institute.) I'm hearing from athletics a lot more and much more effectively since TStan came in.

I'm not highly versed, but it seems like UGA, Clemson, etc... even Duke and UNC, use athletics as the 'front porch' for alumni engagement. Donations flow to the institutions through continued passion for Football and Basketball. "Tech" seems almost embarrassed by having D1 athletics. Like, it's unbecoming of an Institute of Technology. Feels like they'd prefer the GTRI to be the face of the Institute. Things might have changed recently. But I feel like all involved would benefit from coordination and cooperation in Alumni engagement and fundraising.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Some of you who are more deeply plugged into things may have a better sense. But does the administration and Alumni Association still not share info with the Athletic Department? The debate about this seems to have cooled on here with the (relatively) successful athletics fundraising since Stansbury took over.

But I know that used to be (perceived as) a big barrier for athletics fundraising. IIUC - the Alumni Association (eg Roll Call) raked in the donor dollars, but wouldn't share the contact list of alumni with athletics and (in my view) implied that money donated to the Alumni Association/school benefitted athletics - e.g. using GT athletic iconography in their publications. But the justification was that athletics was wholly independent and had to fend for themselves.

Until TStan, athletics had never asked me for money. Whereas it seems like I get junk mail from Roll Call weekly. But I'm not sure if GT athletics even has a way to contact alumni unless they've specifically given their information to GT athletics? (Roll Call gets theirs from the Institute.) I'm hearing from athletics a lot more and much more effectively since TStan came in.

I'm not highly versed, but it seems like UGA, Clemson, etc... even Duke and UNC, use athletics as the 'front porch' for alumni engagement. Donations flow to the institutions through continued passion for Football and Basketball. "Tech" seems almost embarrassed by having D1 athletics. Like, it's unbecoming of an Institute of Technology. Feels like they'd prefer the GTRI to be the face of the Institute. Things might have changed recently. But I feel like all involved would benefit from coordination and cooperation in Alumni engagement and fundraising.

My ticket representative reaches out to me at least once a quarter to highlight extra opportunities to donate to the program. Not sure if they only do this with STHs but she's pretty consistent with me.

Also, TStan has indeed upped the game on donations, and I believe it's captured in the data in the article. The AI 2020 we started in 2018 and finished recently is huge. The reason I found this article intriguing is that from what the author said, it's just what VT did in the 90's that allowed them to build their program. In the late 90's VT had the third highest paid staff in CFB and was near the top in facilities. It resulted in multiple years of 10 win seasons and they had a shot at an MNC against FSU. hopefully our successful AI 2020 initiative is the first step in our climb back into the P5 upper tier. The warning that comes with it is that you can't sleep on success and let everyone else catch up. That's what happened with VT and they are paying for it now.

 

[forensicbuzz]

At the end of the day, would you rather have people attached to the school in some sort of way or not.

Discounting any alumni of any program isn't going to get you anywhere. The biggest hurdle for GT is it's own fans getting in their own way with ideas like this.. thinking positive and changing any mind because they are "affiliated" with the school is a good enough start to overcome the years of 10-15k enrollment. GT isn't a in-person social club and covid has made distance learning in-vogue... who will adapt and take advantage of more "affiliated" individuals putting GT in their resume.

You're totally missing the point of the discussion. Go spend time with the Alumni Association or the GT Foundation. Get to understand the giving programs and you'll understand what I'm saying. Until you do, just stop.

No one is discounting any alumni. My comment was directly in response to someone saying GT's alumni base has doubled. But that includes online graduate programs, which does not promote the culture, history, or anything regarding Tech. Last time I saw the statistics (these are 10 year old numbers now) from the Alumni Association, 78% of giving was from alumni that received an undergraduate degree from Tech. 15% of alumni with only a graduate degree gave money to Tech.

Now, if we want to switch over to athletics and the Alexander-Tharpe Fund, the numbers get worse.

All fans are welcome. So, you need to stop.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Some of you who are more deeply plugged into things may have a better sense. But does the administration and Alumni Association still not share info with the Athletic Department? The debate about this seems to have cooled on here with the (relatively) successful athletics fundraising since Stansbury took over.

But I know that used to be (perceived as) a big barrier for athletics fundraising. IIUC - the Alumni Association (eg Roll Call) raked in the donor dollars, but wouldn't share the contact list of alumni with athletics and (in my view) implied that money donated to the Alumni Association/school benefitted athletics - e.g. using GT athletic iconography in their publications. But the justification was that athletics was wholly independent and had to fend for themselves.

Until TStan, athletics had never asked me for money. Whereas it seems like I get junk mail from Roll Call weekly. But I'm not sure if GT athletics even has a way to contact alumni unless they've specifically given their information to GT athletics? (Roll Call gets theirs from the Institute.) I'm hearing from athletics a lot more and much more effectively since TStan came in.

I'm not highly versed, but it seems like UGA, Clemson, etc... even Duke and UNC, use athletics as the 'front porch' for alumni engagement. Donations flow to the institutions through continued passion for Football and Basketball. "Tech" seems almost embarrassed by having D1 athletics. Like, it's unbecoming of an Institute of Technology. Feels like they'd prefer the GTRI to be the face of the Institute. Things might have changed recently. But I feel like all involved would benefit from coordination and cooperation in Alumni engagement and fundraising.

The Alumni Association does not share their donor rolls with the A-T Fund. Roll Call is still solely on the academic side.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

IPTAY evolved into I Pay Two Athletes / Year in the early 80's I believe...may be appropriate today, IDK.

South Carolina fans used to say when Charlie Pell was coaching the Tigers that IPTAY stood for: "IT's PROBATION TIME AGAIN YA'LL"

 

[Coloradojacket]

Just for the record...as you all may know, I am a non-alum with 27 years of donating to Athletics, aka Tharpe fund at the Heisman plus level.....just so you know...lol...see you all Friday at Grant Field.

 

[684Bee]

I think an IPTAY modeled program would be great for GT.. create a cute name, encourage membership, done and done.

In fact, a GTIPTAY membership would be an easy sell at like $100 a year auto draft. IPAHUNDO

Already been done. It’s called GTFAM (Giving Tech Fifty a Month). Put it on a credit card and forget about it, like a utility bill. People piss away $50/month on stuff that we care a lot less about than GT football. Get on board.