The Problem

As the alumni programme evolved, Bucks Students’ Union identified an opportunity to introduce a dedicated online space where graduates could continue interacting with the Students’ Union and wider university community.

The team identified an opportunity to complement existing alumni communications with a platform designed specifically around graduates’ needs and interests.

They wanted to create a space where alumni could:

• Keep up to date with university and Students’ Union news
• Discover opportunities to reconnect with former classmates
• Attend alumni events and activities
• Share their own experiences and achievements
• Stay involved with the university community

Bucks Students’ Union wanted a solution that could be customised to reflect their identity while integrating seamlessly with their existing data and communications processes.

Nothing overly complicated or with unnecessary features. Just a straightforward, accessible platform that encouraged alumni to register, return and engage.

The Solution

A dedicated hub for alumni

Having worked with MSL for many years, Bucks Students’ Union already understood the flexibility of the MSL System® and how it could support their alumni engagement plans.

The modern, trend-following MSL Site Template was customised using Bucks Alumni brand guidelines, including its colours, logo and fonts. The site was also optimised for mobile viewing and accessibility, helping create an inclusive and consistent experience for alumni across devices.

Rather than building a website from scratch, the template provided a flexible foundation that could be adapted to their needs and future ambitions for alumni engagement. This allowed the team to focus on developing relevant content and planning how to engage graduates, while MSL supported the website setup and customisation.

The result was a dedicated online hub where alumni could stay connected, discover opportunities, share experiences and continue engaging with the university community beyond graduation.

Personalised communications at scale

A key part of the solution was ensuring communications could be personalised.

By automatically importing graduate data each year, the Students’ Union can better understand their alumni community and deliver more targeted messages based on factors such as graduation year or course.

This means graduates receive content that is more relevant to their interests, helping strengthen engagement over time.

A seamless setup and onboarding process

For the team, the implementation process was just as important as the technology itself.

Simon highlighted how the structured onboarding process helped the team confidently develop and launch the platform.

The whole process for us was really straightforward. It was easy. There was a level of handholding in terms of ‘this is what you need to do, this is when you need to do it by’. It was all very organised... the whole process was quite seamless.- Simon McDowell, Head of Communications and Marketing, Bucks Students’ Union

The guidance provided throughout the setup meant the team could confidently customise the website without needing to build everything from the ground up.

It was as simple as getting all the hex codes for the colours, dropping the logo in and specifying the fonts. When the site was set up, all that stuff was automatically populated into it already. It really saved all the stress of having to get things built right from the very start. - Simon McDowell, Head of Communications and Marketing, Bucks Students’ Union

This allowed the team to focus their time on creating meaningful content and planning how they would engage alumni, rather than managing complex technical requirements.

The Result

The alumni network has provided Bucks Students’ Union with a dedicated platform for maintaining relationships long after students graduate.

Today, quarterly communications are sent to almost 10,000 registered alumni members, which steadily increases each year, helping the Students’ Union keep graduates informed about university news, alumni stories, events and networking opportunities.

The launch generated immediate interest. On the day the network went live, the website received more than 1000 visits, demonstrating strong demand from graduates keen to explore the new platform.

Since launch, the website has also welcomed more than 100 manual registrations, showing that alumni continue to discover and join the network beyond the initial launch audience.

The move towards more personalised alumni engagement is already delivering positive results. By using segmented data through MSL to send more relevant communications, the Students’ Union has seen strong engagement from its alumni audience.

The spring alumni newsletter achieved a 25% open rate and was a key part of the journey that drove almost 900 visits to the website the same day. The summer newsletter also recorded an 18% open rate, demonstrating continued engagement with alumni communications throughout the year.

Together, these results have helped establish a stronger sense of community and given alumni a reason to continue engaging beyond graduation.

The feedback we've had from people has been really, really good. They like the layout of it, the simplicity of it.- Simon McDowell, Head of Communications and Marketing, Bucks Students’ Union

Looking ahead: expanding the alumni experience

While the alumni network has already created a strong foundation, Bucks Students’ Union sees this as the beginning of a longer-term journey.

The platform will continue to support future initiatives, including mentoring opportunities, networking activities and alumni events that bring graduates back into the university community.

These connections can also provide valuable benefits for current students, allowing them to learn from graduates’ experiences, explore career opportunities and build relationships with those who have followed similar paths.

By creating a dedicated alumni space, Bucks Students’ Union has moved beyond simply communicating with graduates. They have created an ongoing community where alumni can continue to engage, contribute and feel connected to the institution.

Reflecting on the project, Simon believes that keeping the platform focused has been one of the biggest reasons for its success.

There's no need to overcomplicate stuff. You know what the website is, you can find the information, you can sign up and do whatever you need to do. Having that level of simplicity has really helped strengthen the case for it. - Simon McDowell, Head of Communications and Marketing, Bucks Students’ Union

The success of Bucks Students’ Union’s alumni network demonstrates that meaningful engagement does not always require complexity.

By combining a clear vision, strong relationships and the flexibility of MSL, the team has created a sustainable platform that helps graduates stay connected, not just after university, but throughout their lifelong relationship with the Students’ Union.