| dc.description.abstract | George Jackson Academy (GJA) is an independent all-boys middle school in New York City. GJA administrators aspire to cultivate a strong alumni network to bolster the development, sustainability, and overall sense of community at GJA. Despite this vision, GJA has struggled to maintain momentum and consistent engagement with GJA alumni. This project aims to investigate barriers impeding the growth of the alumni network and to identify strategic approaches to building alumni engagement that supports long-term relationships with GJA alumni to support the school’s viability. Our findings revealed three themes that highlighted the desire for a formalized alumni network to support student transitions post-GJA, the importance of GJA's strong sense of community in motivating alumni engagement, and various barriers hindering long-term alumni engagement with their alma mater. Informed by our findings, our recommendations focus on creating structured programs for alumni involvement, improving communication strategies, supporting student transitions post-GJA, and fostering stronger connections within the GJA community. The proposed initiatives are designed to be implemented over a three-year period, with the goal of gradually building a robust and sustainable alumni network that benefits both current students and graduates while strengthening the GJA community overall. | |
