The Oberlin Alumni Fund :: Communication

Just as The Oberlin Alumni Fund isn't one single fund, we don't send just one type of message to alums. With new and better technology rapidly coming into use, we're moving more and more of our materials to electronic form. We still utilize "snail mail" for some of our direct mail pieces, but keeping your email address up-to-date through Obie Web is the best way to ensure you receive electronic communications whenever they become available.

2007-2008 Oberlin Alumni Fund Correspondence
With each new fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) comes a fresh new set of mailings and marketing pieces. Here is a list of correspondences conducted by The Oberlin Alumni Fund thus far this fiscal year (additional pieces will be added as they are completed):

• 175 Words Marketing Piece (December)
• Letter from President Marvin Krislov (PDF) (September)
• Class agent letter and phone program (Fall and Spring)
  - Alumni volunteers (class agents) from both the College and Conservatory write letters and contact classmates in the fall and spring via phone and e-mail
• Student phone program (All Year)
  - Oberlin students call alumni and parents throughout the academic year — an excellent way for our donors to stay in touch with their alma mater through the perspective of current Obies
• Departmental communications (All Year)
  - The Heisman Club, the Artist Recital Series, Friends of the Library, and Friends of the Allen Art Museum are departmental fundraising groups that help further develop communication from The Oberlin Alumni Fund

What is The Oberlin Alumni Fund sending electronically?
We've created new stand-alone electronic messages for particular groups (e.g. reunions, young alums) and also replaced some paper versions of typical communications (such as the class agent letter) with e-versions. Some of the materials we've sent electronically these past few years include:

• Numerous Macromedia Flash animations, including our end of the year thank-you e-mail and our recent young alumni marketing initiatives: Professor X and the Center for Albino Squirrel Research
• "Explore Oberlin" marketing piece: science center, conservatory, Allen Art Museum, athletics, opera theatre, language lab
• Class agent letters
• Emails to those in reunions encouraging them to come back to campus, and to support their class's gift
• Donors who give online now receive email receipts instead of paper

We're continually checking the results of these methods, but overall response from alums has been very positive!

Thank you e-mail

Why make the switch to electronic correspondence?
For starters, e-mails and online materials are significantly cheaper, which means your gift now goes even further. Secondly, as Oberlin is the "greenest" school in the United States, this form of correspondence fits well with our environmentally friendly mission. And lastly, The Alumni Fund office can also segment e-mailings much more easily and thereby include material specific to your major, you region, or even your interests!

There are also certain things that – at least right now – just can't be done on paper. Take a look at the 'thank you' message to the right for a sample.

Go electronic at Oberlin!
As we continually review all our programs, we hope to add e-communication whenever possible and appropriate. If you prefer electronic communications, please make sure Oberlin has your current email address. You can update your contact information through ObieWeb or by emailing us at alumni.fund@oberlin.edu. And, please – let us know what you think!