Level up alumni engagement with a free and simple group chat

The best way to grow and connect your group alumni network

Leading a local alumni chapter for your alma mater can be both a rewarding and challenging endeavor. Coordinating events, managing communications, and keeping everyone engaged often feels like a full-time job. Balancing these tasks alongside your personal and professional responsibilities can quickly become overwhelming. However, GroupMe offers a powerful solution to simplify and streamline these responsibilities.

With GroupMe, you can effortlessly organize events, chat with members, and ensure everyone stays informed and engaged.

It also offers massive recruitment benefits - GroupMe is used widely at all US college campuses which means so to be graduating future alumni are already familiar the platform and mitigates any serious learning or having to ask them to download another app when they more than likely already have it on their mobile device.

It brings all the essential tools into one easy-to-use platform, making it simpler to manage your alumni chapter effectively. From creating group chats to using the map feature for event locations, GroupMe transforms the way you lead and connect with your alumni community.

Privacy and Easy Joining

One of the primary concerns for any alumni network is ensuring the privacy of its members. GroupMe addresses this by allowing users to join the alumni community via an easy join link. This eliminates the need to share personal email addresses or phone numbers publicly, thereby maintaining your members' privacy.

Additionally, GroupMe offers the option to set up join questions, which can serve as an effective filter to ensure that only verified alumni gain access to the group. This feature helps maintain the integrity of your network by preventing non-alumni from joining.

Seamless transition of ownership

Management of an alumni network can change hands over time, and GroupMe makes this transition seamless. The app allows for easy transfer of ownership, ensuring that the group's administration remains smooth and uninterrupted. This feature is particularly useful for alumni associations that may have rotating leadership or multiple administrators.

Sub-groups for specific topic chats

GroupMe excels in organizing conversations by allowing the creation of sub-groups for specific topics. Whether it's a game chat, local recommendations, or meet-ups, you can create dedicated sub-groups to keep discussions organized and relevant. This ensures that members can easily find and participate in conversations that interest them without being overwhelmed by unrelated messages.

Event Groups

It’s simple to create events that have a built-in top tier chat. You can create an event such as an Alumni Tailgate for homecoming and then share it out across via email, social and even SMS. You can keep all the chat and discussion within that event group without having it boil over into your persistent Alumni group.

It’s a great way to recruit new alumni to the group and keep the local alumni chapter growing!

Announcement only Topics

Create subgroup topics that are announcement only. The only people that can post are the owner and any appointed admins. Other members can still react to the message but cannot reply via another message, keeping the announcement post clean and tidy.

Pin messages

Owners and admins can ensure the most important messages have the highest visibility by allowing them to pin it in the group. You can pin multiple messages in the chat and always unpin a message whenever the message may become irrelevant. Great way to keep all the high priority message front and center!

Leveraging Polls for engagement

Engaging your alumni network is made simple with GroupMe’s polling feature. You can create polls to gather opinions, make decisions, or simply engage alumni members in fun activities. Polls are an excellent way to involve your members in a democratic process, ensuring that everyone's voice is heard.

SMS Enabled for accessibility

Accessibility is a key strength of GroupMe. The app is SMS-enabled, meaning that members who prefer or need to use text messaging can still participate fully in the group’s conversations. This feature ensures that even those without smartphones or reliable internet access can stay connected with the alumni network.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

In today's digital age, flexibility in communication is essential. GroupMe works seamlessly across both mobile devices and desktop computers, providing members with the convenience of accessing the network from their preferred device. This cross-platform compatibility ensures that members can stay connected whether they are at home, work, or on the go.

Getting started with your Alumni network on GroupMe 

Get the app: Download the GroupMe App or navigate to GroupMe.com 

Sign Up or Log In: Go to GroupMe and sign up for an account if you don’t have one. If you already have an account, simply log in. 

Create a Group Chat: Once logged in, create a new “Group Chat” for your fantasy football league. This will be the central hub for all league communications. 

Invite Members: Send out invites to your friends to join the group chat. You can do this directly within the app by sharing a join link or entering in their phone number. 

📊 Utilizing Polls for meet decisions 

Polls in GroupMe are a fantastic way to make collective decisions quickly and democratically. Any member can create a poll, and you can have up to 10 options. Here’s how to use them: 

Create a Poll: In the group chat, select the attachment icon and choose ‘New poll’. 

Ask a Question: Type your question and add options for the alumni members to vote on. 

Set a Deadline: Choose when the poll will close to ensure timely decisions. 

📅 Organizing Events with GroupMe 

GroupMe’s calendar feature allows you to schedule watch parties, happy hours, or any other alumni-related events. Here’s how to set up an event: 

Create an Event: Tap the attachment icon in the chat and select ‘View or create events’. 

Fill Out Details: Enter the event information, such as date, time, and location. 

Send Invites: Group members will be notified and can RSVP directly in the app. 

Reminders: Set reminders to ensure no one misses out on important alumni activities.