How CU Boulder drives 71% alumni engagement with their Forever Buffs Network platform
481
Mentoring relationships created in 2023
17,400+
Total network users
71%
Of alumni engaged in the platform
4+
Years continuous network growth of at least 8% for the last 4 years
About CU Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is one of only 38 U.S. public research institutions in the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group of institutions widely recognized as America’s leading research universities. Their mission is to serve as the state of Colorado’s comprehensive graduate research university with selective admission standards, offering a comprehensive array of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs.
The CU Boulder Alumni Association manages the Forever Buffs Network, a digital platform aimed at engaging alumni, students, and faculty through mentorship programs, exclusive content, job boards and virtual events. Its goal is to foster lifelong connections within the CU Boulder community.
The challenge: Expand digital engagement and mentorship across campus
The CU Boulder Alumni Association faced the challenge of expanding digital engagement across campus, particularly in promoting their cross-campus mentorship program. The Forever Buffs Network, while a solid foundation, needed to grow its user base and increase student and alumni participation. The Alumni Association also aimed to diversify its digital engagement methods, from video content to social media collaborations, while keeping track of success through data metrics.
The solution: Strategic growth through collaboration and data insights
By partnering with departments across campus and using data to inform decisions, the Alumni Association focused on increasing awareness and participation in the Forever Buffs Network. Their key initiatives included:
Exclusive perks: Utilizing the business directory, they partnered with brands like Southwest Airlines to offer discounts and other exclusive benefits to Forever Buffs members.
Mentorship program expansion: The team introduced a seamless onboarding process, utilizing an algorithm to match mentors and mentees. Feedback and data from previous years were incorporated to streamline the experience.
Targeted marketing: By collaborating with CU Boulder’s social media and communications teams, they increased visibility for the Forever Buffs Network. With the ability to create groups, they also launched new programs, such as a virtual book club, to tap into specific interests of alumni.
Dani Martinez Carpizo,
Program Manager, Forever Buffs Network
The outcome: Increased participation and stronger digital engagement
The Forever Buffs Network has become a central hub for engagement, where alumni and students can not only connect but also take advantage of CU Boulder-specific opportunities like job boards and mentorship programs.
The Forever Buffs Network is CU Boulder’s go-to platform for alumni engagement. It offers customizable content, including:
Through these efforts, the CU Boulder Alumni Association has seen a significant increase in both alumni and student participation in the Forever Buffs Network:
Dani Martinez Carpizo,
Program Manager, Forever Buffs Network
Through continuous collaboration and strategic engagement, the CU Boulder Alumni Association has fostered a thriving digital alumni community.
Solution spotlight
Graduway from Gravyty enables schools to create a thriving community of alumni with a tailored network platform, mentoring tools, exclusive groups, job and internship boards and personalized multi-channel messaging at scale. Automated mentor matching, job and internship boards, milestones and badges, video messaging and custom survey tools help alums build lasting connections and find career success. Learn more here.
