Forging alumni engagement using a humble mug

Resumo

This presentation, titled "Forging alumni engagement using a humble mug," details a low-cost, high-impact strategy by Universidad Miguel Hernández to build a loyal alumni community. The core of the initiative is a 3€ mug that serves as a symbolic "contract" and a sign of membership in the "Nice People Club," representing a group of alumni the university can rely on for collaborations. The project uses a gamified system where different mug models are awarded for successive collaborations, eventually leading to "Elite Status" with a thermos after three or more interactions. With over 1,700 collaborations achieved and 1,300 mugs delivered, the case study demonstrates that personalization, shared language, and creative storytelling ("Wit Over Wallet") are more effective for engagement than expensive formal awards