Author(s):
Ben Overholt* - University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Charles Grieman - University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Lisa Theo - University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Abstract:
The current budget crisis has public institutions of higher education scrambling to find alternative sources of funding. While research institutions have a long history of seeking donations from private sources, teaching institutions and four-year campuses are just entering into this arena. When looking for funding outside of state government, often the first source considered is the institution's alumni. The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point has an alumni database of nearly 70,000, and contact to date has always been via direct mail or limited email. What is missing is a spatial component - the ability for alumni to access an interactive map via the campus webpage. Through this interactive map, alumni could search for fellow graduates who may have graduated from the same program, college, or year. They could also access fellow alumni when traveling enabling them to make connections beyond their immediate residential location. The goal is that with increased connections among the various alumni groups, donations to the alumni fund and University Foundation accounts will increase.
