Building a Culture of Connection

Trinity University’s youngest alumni are proving a powerful truth: When alumni feel connected, they give back.

Of the 2,981 alumni who graduated in the 2020s, more than 90% have already engaged with Trinity through events, programs, volunteerism, or ongoing communication. Even more striking, this same group has also demonstrated remarkable generosity: 1,631 young alumni—nearly 55%—have already made a gift to the University. This figure stands in sharp contrast to national benchmarks where fewer than one in five Millennial donors and just one in 10 Gen Z donors direct their giving back to their alma mater, according to Ruffalo Noel Levitz's 2025 National Alumni Survey.

Together, these numbers make one thing clear: When alumni are deeply engaged, philanthropy follows, and Trinity’s intentional investment in building relationships early is truly paying off.

Through the combined efforts of Trinity University Student Ambassadors (TUSA)-led events and Trinity’s Office of Alumni Relations and Development, students are introduced to alumni engagement long before they cross the stage at graduation. These events familiarize students with Alumni Relations, reinforce the idea of lifelong connection, and begin building relationships rooted in shared experience and community.

Each year, 11 TUSA-led events reinforce that connection through repetition, visibility, and trust. Last year alone, more than 1,200 engagements with future alumni were recorded through TUSA programming—evidence that students are not only attending but also actively participating and forming meaningful ties to the Trinity alumni network.

And that momentum has continued after graduation. 

In 2024, Trinity launched its first Young Alumni Summit, which proved an immediate success. The event brought together more than 50 young alumni to connect with one another, gain career guidance, and invest in their professional growth—strengthening their bond to Trinity at a pivotal life stage.

“What we’re actively seeing with our youngest alumni is the power of connection and continued investment in their growth as people. The Young Alumni Summit is proof that when we create intentional spaces for belonging and support, our alumni rise to the moment and to each other,” says Terris Tiller ’00, director of Alumni Career Engagement and Networks.

Beyond signature programming, young alumni are intentionally included in the broader alumni experience as well. They are invited to participate in alumni events throughout the year, often with discounted registration to reduce barriers and encourage continued involvement. 

Taken together, these efforts illustrate a clear throughline: Early, consistent, and intentional engagement creates a sense of belonging, and that sense of belonging inspires generosity. Trinity’s youngest alumni are not waiting decades to reconnect. They are showing up, staying involved, and giving back because they already see themselves as lifelong members of the Trinity community.