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.

As universities rethink how they support students and engage alumni, some have been experimenting with a bold structural shift: bringing alumni engagement and career services together under the advancement umbrella. On this episode of Alumless, Ryan and Chris sit down with John Jensen, Executive Director of Alumni and Career Services at Washington and Lee University, to explore what happens when these two functions are intentionally integrated.

John shares the decision-making process that led to this merger at W&L and what has been hardest to align operationally and culturally. The conversation examines whether this model represents a growing trend or a structure that only works in select institutional environments.

In the bonus segment, John discusses programs that demonstrate the power of integrated engagement and career development, including mentoring, internships, and experiential learning. He reflects on how this approach supports campaign priorities, shapes the student-to-alum transition, and redefines success within advancement.

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

At a time when many universities are moving toward fully integrated advancement models, other successful structures exist, like the one at Georgia Tech. On this episode of Alumless, Ryan and Chris are joined by Janet Kinard, Vice President for Engagement at the Georgia Tech Alumni Association, to explore how an independent, alumni-led association can thrive alongside a separate foundation and development office.

Janet walks listeners through Georgia Tech’s distinctive engagement structure and the systems that keep multiple entities aligned around shared goals. The conversation examines common misconceptions about independent associations, how leadership teams manage inevitable tensions between engagement and fundraising, and why collaboration remains central to long-term success.

In the bonus segment, Janet shares how the Alumni Association serves as a two-way door between alumni and campus and why Georgia Tech continues to outperform national averages in alumni engagement. She also reflects on how data and CASE AEM metrics guide planning and decision-making, and what other institutions should consider before moving toward a fully integrated model.

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