Building Connection from the Ground Up — How We Worked with DBU on developing A Robust Plan for Alumni Engagement

Client: Dallas Baptist University
Industry: Education
Role Focus: Alumni Engagement, Digital Communications

The Challenge

When Kathryn Robnett stepped into her new role as Alumni Director at DBU, she was met with a surprising realization—there was only one active social media platform dedicated to alumni engagement, and it hadn’t been accessed in years. There truly was no digital hub, no community presence, and no modern channels for reconnecting with the school's vibrant alumni base (the only platform was Twitter, now known as X).

DBU had a rich legacy and passionate graduates, but lacked a centralized space where stories could be shared, updates exchanged, and bonds reignited.


The Vision

Kathryn’s goal was ambitious:

  • Build and launch a cohesive suite of alumni-centered social media platforms including LinkedIn and all Meta platforms, as well as through monthly emails to all Alumni.

  • Create a sense of belonging online for graduates spanning multiple generations (which was the need for multiple platforms because different generations tend to be drawn to specific platforms they feel most comfortable with).

  • Drive engagement through authentic storytelling and strategic content.

Above all, she wanted alumni to feel like they still belonged and reminisce about their days on University Hill—whether they graduated last year or 50+ years ago.

The Strategy

1. Platform Development
 Kathryn began by researching where alumni were already active. After conducting informal interviews and reviewing demographic data, she prioritized:

  • Instagram (for younger alumni)

  • Facebook (for established professionals and older generations)

  • LinkedIn (for professional networking and updates)

  • Email Newsletter (for another way to repurpose content and get directly to a busy alums inboxes and not compete with the rest of their feed)

2. Branding and Content Planning
 She worked with the school’s Communications office to learn about the brand guidelines in order to create a consistent visual identity across platforms: classic, clean, and community-focused. Content buckets included:

  • Weekly Alumni spotlights (called PATS…Patriot Alumni Tuesday Spotlight!)

  • Throwback photos on Thursdays (who doesn’t love seeing themselves from an old yearbook photo?)

  • Campus updates

  • Upcoming events and recaps

  • Weekly scripture verses with campus beauty shots to provide encouragement and not waiver from the school’s deep roots in their unapologetic beliefs and faith

3. Community Building
 Kathryn didn’t just plan and coordinate the events, she created the content, posted it, and engaged with Alumni that had questions and hit the Alumni Office’s DM’s. She responded to comments, shared alumni businesses, shared a diverse amount of alumni stories, and initiated hashtag campaigns like #DBUHomecoming and helped promote the #DBUisHome hashtag.

4. Cross-Promotion and Integration
 To ensure growth, social platforms were promoted in digital newsletters, school events, commencement, alumni mailings, and on the school’s main website.

The Results

Within the first 12 months, the impact was tangible with growing a quickly group Facebook Group, a new Instagram account specifically targeting @dbualumni, a new Facebook Page, and emails that were gaining more than 30% open rates on average (above industry average!)

More importantly, Kathryn witnessed something more powerful than metrics: alumni were tagging classmates, reuniting after decades, visiting campus for the first time since graduating, attending Alumni sponsored events, and even mentoring recent grads they met through the platforms.

The Takeaway

This case wasn’t just about launching social media accounts—it was about rekindling school spirit, memories, community, and overall development for the brand that attracted and retained young teenagers to attend the school. By focusing on strategy, consistency, and human connection, Kathryn transformed the alumni relations into an active, evolving digital family.

“Kathryn was on my team since day one - she consistently showed up for my ideas or initiatives as an honest sounding board, reliable team player, hard worker, champion, and friend. She has a great eye for marketing opportunities that can make a big business impact. As a creative, it can be easy to slip into producing work that looks fun but doesn’t actually move that bottom line. She understands what compels people to click that CTA and is an insightful bridge between digital marketing tools and real life humans. She strategizes in a big picture way without sacrificing excellence in the small details. She knows how to flex creativity or innovation without forsaking the larger brand identity. And she’s just a great person to have in your orbit!!”

-Bailey P.

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