THE EFFECTS OF NEW MEDIA ON ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT AMONG MILLENNIALS: A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES ALUMNI

• Main Author: Horseman, Allison M.
• Format: Others
• Published: UKnowledge 2011
• Subjects: Internet; Social networking site; Alumni Engagement; Millennial; Facebook; Civic and Community Engagement; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: http://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/134; http://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1136&context=gradschool_theses

This thesis explores the effects of new media, specifically the Internet and the popular social networking site Facebook, on alumni engagement among Millennials in the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences. Millennials are defined as those born in or after 1982. Alumni engagement is defined as part of the larger social science term of social capital and is defined here as consisting of volunteerism and financial giving. To explore this topic, a survey was constructed and sent electronically to all Millennial alumni from the UK College of Health Sciences. Data reveal Millennial alumni from the College of Health Sciences are not particularly engaged through volunteerism or financial giving. Survey responses, however, indicated that most young alumni are recommending the college to prospective students and plan to give financially in the future. Practical implications from this study may prove beneficial for advancement practitioners and administrators in the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences.