Award: Gold

Institution: Miami University

Title of Entry: Miami University Grandparents College

About this Entry: As part of its overall engagement strategy, Miami University Alumni Association seeks to identify engagement opportunities for our older alumni, and we have been successful in providing educational, rewarding and unforgettable experiences to this cohort. Our goal is to offer enriching experiences to enhance lifelong education, while strengthening alumni connections with Miami University.

As we looked to identify a new opportunity for targeted alumni engagement, the idea of an intergenerational learning experience for both alumni (our oldest alumni) and their grandchildren (ages 8-12) came to fruition. The idea of Grandparents College was born to offer alumni the opportunity to spend extended time on campus with their grandchildren, offering them the opportunity to come back and enjoy or “relive” their college experience while providing grandchildren their “first look” at Miami University as a possible college choice.

Our second Grandparents College event (July 17-19, 2019) held on the campus of Miami University saw a 125% increase in participants from year 1 (2018). Participants/families were given the option to choose a “major” (Arts and Culture, STEM, or the Miami Plan), and each major group was led by a staff “team leader” for the duration of their time on campus. No more than two children per adult were permitted to ensure safety and management of the children. Grandparents and their grandchildren stayed in an on-campus residence hall, ate meals in an on-campus dining hall, and had classroom experiences led by Miami faculty and staff in a variety of academic and recreational settings.