Alumni Satisfaction with University Experiences : An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate Classroom Experiences and Occupational Attainment in Alumni Satisfaction

Using the concept of viewing higher education as a consumer good, this research work reports the findings of a study of alums who graduated from a research-extensive university in the midwest United States. The study examined the extent to which satisfaction with classroom experiences and with occupational attainment explained alumni/ae satisfaction with university experiences. Alums who received baccalaureate degrees from the university in 1994,1998,or 2002 comprised the study's population. Data from 272 respondents were used in the analyses. Data analyses included ANOVA, correlations, and multiple regressions. The researcher found that satisfaction with classroom experiences, satisfaction with perceived fit-1 (social experiences) and satisfaction with perceived fit-2 (present relationship with alma mater) were significant in explaining alumni satisfaction. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that, similar to marketing models which encourage building relationships with clients, universities should continue to nurture and build relationships with alums.