On Monday, DePauw University's Office of Alumni Engagement launched a new application for smartphones to enable a quicker and easier way for alumni to contact other DePauw grads in their area or around the world.
The application came about after President Casey requested that the Office of Alumni Engagement increase alumni connections and engagement with the University. The first initiative was developing a new online directory, which was launched last February. So far, over 4,000 alumni have set up profiles on the directory.
"The app is a platform, which will allow DePauw and alumni to engage in two-way communication," Charley Meyer, '86, said in an email on Thursday. "The app is the starting point for a significant change in the way that the University communicates - instead of the traditional 'one way,' blanket-marketing approach - DePauw is now dynamically communicating with alumni. This is a sea change, which opens up a myriad of opportunities for both the University and the alumni."
Although the app is primarily for alum-alum interaction and connection, students will be able to have access to the app starting with seniors as soon as March.
"It's really hard to get your foot in the door in an industry where you don't have that many connections," said sophomore Corby Burger, "so I think that [the app] could provide me with the contact that I'm going to be able to get in touch with, especially a DePauw alumna; they're going to be able to hook me up with something.".
The Alumni App, run by EverTure, gives the user their own profile and a map of their current location where points are illuminated to signify other alum's business addresses in the area. One can also do a specific search to see where alumni are in different cities around the world.
Many other institutions such as Amherst College, Carleton College and Brown University use EverTrue's system, but DePauw's application is unique with links to give donations to the University and see upcoming events. The app can also connect to the user's LinkedIn account for further information and networking capabilities.
"The EverTrue System that we use for the app actually has some really great reporting in it for us...so right now we have 850 users who have downloaded the app in the first two days since we launched it," said Holly Enneking, associate director of Alumni Engagement for Career and Online Programs. "We've heard from Evertrue that it's one of the strongest launches that they've ever had."
So far, the Office of Alumni Engagement has heard only positive feedback.
Although the app is focused towards alumni, many other offices at DePauw had an influence on the implementation of this app.
"Throughout the process we've been collaborating with others on campus, including the Hubbard Center for Student Engagement, Office of Communications, and Office of Admission, in order to leverage the app in support of all of DePauw's endeavors," Enneking said.
The Office of Alumni Engagement made sure to cover all of the media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and the DePauw Magazine to enable the largest amount of alumni to find out about the application and utilize it.