Case Study
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University, located in Boone, North Carolina, serves approximately 20,000 students with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1. The university offers over 150 undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields, ensuring a broad and diverse education. And with more than 400 clubs and organizations, its campus life is vibrant!
Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the university provides ample opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and mountain biking. Boone, a charming town known for its friendly community and rich cultural heritage, enhances the student experience. The university boasts a strong alumni network, providing valuable connections for current students. With affordable tuition, extensive career services, and a scenic location, AppState offers a well-rounded and enriching educational experience.
Oh, we almost forgot the coolest fact: AppState is the most innovative school in the Southeast according to US News & World Report (not a surprise then that they challenged the alumni engagement status quo with Protopia).
Scaling simple alumni & student mentorship
AppState’s institutional leadership is deeply committed to mentorship to enhance retention, alumni and student career outcomes, and philanthropy. However, the team was cautious about traditional mentoring and networking platforms. They knew from experience that very few of its busy 100,000+ alumni would adapt “another app.” Moreover, they were anxious that a lack of use by students would negatively impact donor sentiment: a prospect who signs up and invests their time in a new platform only to never get contacted is likely to grow very frustrated, putting gift officers on their heels.
The team also sought solutions for:
- How do we keep young alumni engaged after graduation when they have few financial resources to contribute?
- How do we scale mentorship across our diverse campus partners, from the business school, health sciences, to athletics?
Cross-campus collaboration
Right from the start, the AppState team took a collaborative approach by inviting key stakeholders to evaluate how Protopia could support their engagement goals (including their athletics division). Building buy-in early not only accelerated the launch timeline but created critical awareness amongst staff and faculty.
Ask A Mountaineer, AppState’s name for its Protopia program, was launched in the Fall of 2023 to young alumni and current students with comprehensive on-campus and digital marketing campaigns.
In the Spring of 2024 the program was integrated into the classroom at the Walker College of Business, prompting students to connect with alumni on potential careers and internships. Additionally, prospective and accepted students were invited to network with alumni to learn about inspiring career paths taken by graduates.
The team also activated Protopia’s philanthropic targeting to prioritize donors, generating lead alerts to gift officers when assigned prospects engage and assist students and graduates.
Next, Ask A Mountaineer will be promoted to incoming freshman to teach networking and the value of AppState’s 100,000+ strong alumni community to new students.
Engagement outcomes
Authentic human connections matter — especially in the coming age of “AI empathy” (read The Christensen’s Institute Julia Freeland Fisher’s warning on the erosion of social capital).
Remember how amazing it feels to help someone? Imagine you could deliver that “happiness” to all of your alumni and donors. And thanks to the power of AI, staff will spend no more than five minutes total connecting alumni and students.
Satisfaction amongst graduates and students is consistently high at 90%. And alumni love seeing digital volunteer opportunities: With a 60% email open rate and a 17% clickthrough rate, fewer than 20 alumni have opted out since the start of the program.
Protopia plays a significant role in our student-to-alumni transition programs. It helps bridge the gap as students and alumni share common experiences. For us, it’s about providing new avenues for alumni to connect and contribute, especially for those who are scattered across the country.
Savannah Stanbery
Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs
Appalachian State University
Ready to make it simple for everyone?
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