2015 Annual Report

STRENGTHENING TIES THROUGH QUALITY PROGRAMS
Typically, alumni engagement activities are directed toward encouraging graduates to give back to the school that
helped them launch their careers. At NECO, the focus is more on the school giving back to its alumni by serving their
ongoing professional needs.
“My approach is to merge alumni relations with continuing education,” notes Dr. Cavallerano. “It’s a form of
stewardship. When alumni hear from us, their first assumption shouldn’t always be that we’re looking for financial
support. I like to think that we’re making a positive difference – not only in our graduates’ professional lives, but also
in their relationship with NECO.”
To that end, Dr. Cavallerano is committed to providing CE programs of the highest quality, in terms of both the
choice of topic and the choice of speaker, who is often a NECO graduate. Corporate sponsorship helps make these
great programs possible, an important element given the significant competition among providers of continuing
education. Partnering with NECO’s Alumni Association and the Office of Institutional Advancement also helps
strengthen outreach efforts to potential participants.
“We need to differentiate ourselves,” explains Dr. Cavallerano. “Fortunately, our programs have developed a
following and we routinely generate substantial interest with our offerings. It’s not unusual for us to attract more
than 100 people on a given Sunday. As a result, we’ve built a reputation for delivering quality CE programs, which
drives us to sustain and grow.”
ANNUAL REPORT 2015
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