FY09 Year in Review

Alumni Connect in a Year of Economic Upheaval

The Alumni Association met this year's challenges—including global economic turmoil and the departure of the Association EVP—with a clear sense of priorities and managed a broad array of services without compromising quality. The Association moved into the newly renovated 600 Memorial Drive, consolidating staff from four locations to one. Tech Reunions 2009 drew the third-highest attendance on record. And despite a predictable dip in giving, the Annual Fund achieved several new records, including the 50th reunion class gift of more than $100 million and, for the first time, Parents Fund contributions of more than $1 million. After a yearlong effort, the EVP search committee recommended Judy Cole, who was approved by the Board of Directors in June.

Reunions

Tech Night









The 112th Tech Night at the Pops included a performance by pianist Jennifer Lai '11 and narration of the "Lincoln Portrait" by Robert Muh '59. Photo: Justin Knight

Gatherings

  • Tech Reunions 2009 drew 3,170 alumni and guests.
  • Standing-room-only crowds attended View from the Top panels in Boston, London, and New York.
  • A new affinity group, the MIT Military Alumni Association (MITMAA) was established.
  • The Alumni Leadership Conference drew 450 MIT alumni and guests from 29 states and 10 countries.
  • Family Weekend 2008 brought 2,175 people from 696 households to campus.
  • Faculty seminars were held at 37 domestic venues and at 24 international sites last year. Alumni seminars totaled 143.
  • The 24 MIT Enterprise Forum chapters held 259 events with over 22,000 attendees.
  • The Association facilitated 45 Summer Send-Off events.
  • The MIT Alumni Travel Program hosted trips for 446 travelers and produced two custom trips.

BAMIT event

BAMIT event

Black Alumni of MIT (BAMIT), celebrated its 30th anniversary in April. Photo: Liv Gold

Giving Highlights

  • Reunion giving totaled more than $152 million.
  • The senior class gift achieved a record 65 percent of the class contributing nearly $12,000.
  • 36,314 alumni, students, parents, and friends contributed $41,537,939 to the MIT Annual Fund.
  • The MIT Alumni Fund named changed to the MIT Annual Fund since it includes gifts from parents, students, and friends as well as alumni.

Engagement

  • 9,664 volunteers worked for MIT and the Association, including 8,356 alumni and 1,308 non-alumni. Read the Volunteer Annual Report.
  • The clubs volunteer base grew by 15 percent to 1,179 volunteers.
  • Alumni clubs number 89 including 41 abroad.
  • William Barton Rogers Society (WBRS), a group honoring annual leadership giving, totaled 4,366 donors.
  • The Student/Alumni Externship Program placed more than 245 students on the job worldwide with 155 alumni hosts.
  • A career transitions Web page offered job hunting tips, peer mentoring, plus Web-based video tutorials on how to find exclusive alumni-only jobs and how to use the Online Alumni Directory to network.
  • The MIT Enterprise Forum added new international chapters in Colombia and Bangalore and a new U.S. chapter in Phoenix, AZ.

Fast Facts

  • Living alumni total 122,000.
  • 19 percent of alumni are female.
  • 85.5 percent of alumni live in the U.S.
  • Alumni are evenly divided between graduate-degree-only alumni and those with undergraduate degrees.

Table of Contents


Media

  • The revamped MITAA Web site launched in August and included an innovative marketing event—a Mystery Hunt-style puzzle that involved more than 725 alumni worldwide.
  • MITAA also partnered with Resource Development to launch a new version of the Giving to MIT site.
  • Social media launches included the the Slice of MIT blog, Facebook page, Twitter feed, and official LinkedIn group.
  • The Association created two videos, "Sustainability at MIT: Greening MIT's Campus and Beyond" and "Solar: Igniting the Revolution at MIT."
  • Podcasts from the MIT Enterprise Forum's six global broadcasts were downloaded 6,667 times and videos from the events on MIT World were viewed 288,626 times.

Smoot celebrated

Ollie Smoot









The 50th anniversary of the legendary measuring of the Mass. Ave. Bridge with Ollie Smoot '62 was celebrated campus wide. A plaque, dedicated in May, commemorates the event.

Reports to the president archive