In this special announcement, Ryan Catherwood introduces Speaking Engagement — a new professional development designed as a “conference on engagement that never sleeps.” Speaking Engagement brings together weekly Keynote interviews, Breakout conversations, articles, and live Agora events to create a continuous learning experience for engagement professionals. Instead of attending a conference once a year, this is an opportunity to stay immersed in ideas, trends, and strategies every single week. Ryan also shares how listeners can become part of the founding group — offering the first 50 Alumless listeners free lifetime access to the members-only version of the platform ahead of its official launch. If you’ve ever wished conferences didn’t end, this is your invitation to stay in the room.

What does it really take to step into a new advancement role and chart a new course in year one? This week on the show, Ryan and Chris Marshall chat with Jim Broschart, Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at the University of Louisville, to reflect on the realities of leading through transition. Jim shares what he saw in his first year at Louisville and how he assessed the health of the advancement operation. Our conversation explores how leaders decide what to change, what to preserve, and what it means to rethink the donor pipeline and engagement strategy in a new institutional context. We’ll discuss the challenges of aligning teams, breaking down silos, and introducing cultural shifts that support long-term growth. He reflects on lessons learned in his first year and what’s next as Louisville continues to evolve its approach to philanthropy and alumni engagement. This episode of Alumless is made possible by our season sponsors Protopia, AlumnIQ, Givzey, and Richmond Associates.

What happens when advancement communications is no longer a support function, but a central driver of alumni engagement? On this episode of Alumless, Lori Hurvitz, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations at Tulane University, joins Ryan and Chris to explore what it means to align communications and engagement under one unified strategy.

Lori shares the thinking behind Tulane’s recent reorganization and how this shift is influencing everything from digital strategy to donor segmentation. The conversation explores the growing role of communications as a core engagement channel, how institutions can better capture alumni attention, and how this alignment supports campaign readiness for Tulane’s Only the Audacious campaign.

In the bonus segment, Lori reflects on how place, tradition, and storytelling shape engagement at Tulane, what she’s learned about what truly resonates with alumni, and how her team is thinking about channels like social media and print in a modern engagement strategy.

This episode of Alumless is made possible by our season sponsors Protopia, AlumnIQ, Givzey, and Richmond Associates.

In this episode of "Alumless Takes," Ryan Catherwood and Nick Kallail discuss the evolving role of regional engagement in alumni associations. They explore the effectiveness of formal versus informal volunteer-run organizations, with Nick emphasizing the importance of building flexible, community-driven networks that align with alumni interests. The conversation highlights the shift from traditional sports-focused events to diverse, service-oriented initiatives that foster meaningful connections among alumni. They also touch on the challenges and strategies of measuring success in alumni engagement and the impact of modern technology on traditional alumni activities.

This episode of Alumless is made possible by our season sponsors Protopia, AlumnIQ, and Givzey, with additional support from Richmond Associates.

What do alumni really think about their alma mater today, and what does that mean for the future of advancement?

On this super sized episode of Alumless, Ryan and Chris sit down with Howard Heevner, Co-Founder of the The National Alumni Survey, Executive Director of Annual Programs at the University of California, Berkeley, and Vice President and Consultant with CMAC, to unpack insights from the 2026 National Alumni Survey. Howard explains why the survey was launched and what it reveals about the changing relationship between institutions and their alumni.

The conversation explores generational shifts in philanthropic behavior and why Howard believes trust has become the most important currency in alumni engagement. The conversation continues with a discussion of the sector’s toughest questions: what may be broken in the traditional annual giving pipeline and how advancement leaders may need to rethink qualification, messaging, and donor journeys in the years ahead.

This episode of Alumless is made possible by our season sponsors Protopia, AlumnIQ, and Givzey, with additional support from Richmond Associates.

Metrics are shaping the future of alumni engagement, but only if institutions are willing to use them strategically.

On this bonus episode of Alumless World, Ryan and Nicole Hess Kempton are joined by special guest Barbara Dick, Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations at the University of Toronto, for a global conversation on innovation in alumni engagement metrics. Barbara reflects on her path into advancement, her leadership in integrated advancement models, and the persistent silos that can limit institutional progress.

The discussion explores how nuanced engagement metrics can influence real decisions and how Toronto elevated engagement goals alongside financial targets during the Defy Gravity campaign.

In the bonus segment, Barbara shares practical advice for building institutional buy-in around engagement data and the global trends she believes will define the next frontier of alumni metrics.

This episode of Alumless World is made possible by our season sponsors Protopia, AlumnIQ, and Givzey, and our newest presenting sponsor, Richmond Associates.

Mentoring has long been part of alumni engagement, but what does it really take to make mentoring flourish at scale? Is that even possible? On this episode of Alumless, Ryan is joined by Kim Infanti and special guest Allison McWilliams, Assistant Vice President for Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development at Wake Forest University, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving role of mentoring in higher education.

Allison shares how Wake Forest has structured its mentoring and alumni personal development efforts, what mentoring is and is not, and the environmental and logistical factors required to make it work effectively. The conversation explores how institutions can design mentoring programs that serve both students and alumni well and whether technology has truly enabled mentoring to scale.

In the bonus segment, the discussion turns to the future of career services in an AI-driven economy. Allison reflects on how institutions must rethink experiential learning and personal development to prepare students for a rapidly changing job market.

This episode of Alumless is made possible by our season sponsors Protopia, AlumnIQ, and Givzey.

In this week's episode of Alumless Takes, Ryan interviews Meg Lysy, the Senior Director for Alumni Relations at Dartmouth College. They discuss the various alumni initiatives in the admissions process, including the long-standing alumni interviewing program and the Dartmouth Book Award.

Meg shares insights on how alumni engagement enhances the admissions experience for applicants and the organizational changes within the Alumni Relations team to improve volunteer involvement. The conversation highlights the importance of alumni in shaping the admissions landscape and the challenges faced by institutions in maintaining these programs.

This episode of Alumless Takes is made possible by our season sponsors Protopia, AlumniQ, and Givzey.