Alumni events don’t always involve large reunions or caterers. The popularity of social media is allowing alumni to connect in simpler, yet more meaningful ways.

“Our social media efforts, especially with Facebook, have been hugely successful,” says Kat Friedmann, assistant director of alumni communications at Georgia Perimeter College. Friedmann manages social media pages for the GPC Alumni Association. “It’s a fun way to keep up with what’s going on with the college and your fellow alumni.”

Through the use of social media websites Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest, the GPC Alumni Association is finding new ways to connect with alumni. Each social media platform serves a different audience and a different purpose.

“We use Facebook as our all-purpose alumni news site,” says Friedmann. “Twitter is more for sharing links and live tweeting during events, while LinkedIn has a professional feel for networking and helping alumni find jobs.”

The Office of Alumni Relations has used social media for contests and promotions, also. In December 2011, the office launched the first Facebook contest hosted by the alumni association and targeted toward December graduates. During the contest, which was called the “Facebook Pride Campaign,” new graduates who wrote on the alumni association’s Facebook wall, telling why they were proud to be a GPC alumus won a GPC portfolio for use in job interviews or future classes. Seventeen new graduates were winners.

The alumni association’s newest Facebook contest, which will continue through 2013, is called First Friday Trivia. The initial Friday of every month, a trivia question is asked about GPC/DeKalb College’s history. The first person to respond with the correct answer wins a prize. The contest not only strengthens the relationship between the college and its alumni, it also informs alumni about the college’s history and helps to archive memories.

Also on tap for 2013 is an alumni blog. The alumni association and alumni relations staff is in the process of building a blog powered by alumni and for alumni.

Alumni who are business owners, experts in their respective fields and leaders within the community will serve as a panel of contributors for online content. With some light moderation, the alumni bloggers will contribute articles on a gamut of topics, forums and ideas.

The goal of the blog is for alumni to serve as resources for their greater alumni community.

For more information on the upcoming alumni blog, contact Kat Friedmann at Kathryn.friedmann@gpc.edu. To be the next contestant on First Friday Trivia, visit the GPC Alumni Association Facebook page.