Every college and university, and most high schools, have recognized that an active and involved alumni group can be critical to the success of its ongoing operations.  Alumni groups donate their money and time, spread the word about the school, and serve as mentors and career boosters for students and other alumni.  An online alumni community can:

• Keep alumni interested, involved and connected with one another
  
• Provide a venue to allow them to interact with one another
• Attract and keep the younger alumni for whom social networking is a daily necessity
  

Providing activities and information and tools to alumni to keep the school frequently in their mind, and to confirm their value to the institution is essential to keeping existing alumni involved, and to attract new alumni.

An online social network focused on alumni interests and needs can be an excellent tool for enabling the social connections that are essential to a successful alumni program.  For example, giving them an opportunity to share their interest in a school's  sports teams and to plan online around the season's games and associated alumni activities can strengthen the bond they feel to the school's teams.

With each year, the alumni ranks are swelled by students who use and rely on social networks every day.  Any organization that intends to appeal to and attract these individuals would be well-served by giving them the online social networking capabilities that they expect.