Berklee2005: Pursue New Directions 3.2

3.2 Create programs to develop a healthy two-way relationship with alumni

The college will provide programs to further learning, advance the alumni presence in the music industry, strengthen the alumni network, and support alumni creativity. The college will use technology as an important tool for reaching out to alumni worldwide.

(progress as of August 2004, August 2003, August 2002, August 2001)

Progress as of August 2005
The alumni web site. The alumni web site averages about five visits every hour. The site’s most commonly visited areas are job listings, alumni directory, chapter homepages, gigs, events, and discounts. The first two sites account for 80 percent of the traffic, which was around 25 percent higher this year.

Educational programming for alumni. The continuing education programs are the most popular programs the alumni office produces. These events have in the past and will continue to feature alumni, Berklee faculty, and industry leaders. The seminars or clinics are held around the United States, primarily in Boston, New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles. This year programs were conducted in Austin, Texas; Miami, Florida; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. The college also continues to utilize Dolby Studios located in Los Angeles, allowing students at Berklee to participate cross-country in these learning experiences.

Alumni grants. Berklee makes outright grants to stimulate a stronger bond with alumni and promote the importance of contemporary music and community service. The Alumni Grant Program continues to be Berklee’s most innovative outreach program. In the first year of offering alumni an opportunity to compete for grants, we reviewed $50,000 worth of grants requests. This year alumni submitted nearly half a million dollars in grant applications, a total of 43 applications. The program supports alumni by providing seed money for projects that will broaden respect for contemporary music, provide community service, and/or advance the mission of Berklee College of Music.

Twelve grant applications received funding. The median grant was $3,750, ranging from $18,000 to $1,000. No applicants received the maximum grant allowable under the guidelines, which is $25,000. Awards were as follows (Names in parenthesis are the principal alumni involved in the program):

Sound Art. A school-based music education program for underrepresented students received funding to be applied to their space needs in South Central Los Angeles. (Catherine Goldwyn)
Edwards Middle School Music Program. The Arts In Progress program is designed to prepare students in the middle schools for arts-centered high school programs. The program at Edwards is specifically related to music. (Gilberto Cervantes)
Conservatorio de Artes del Caribe, A community music school augmenting the public school music programs or providing music education to students who do not have access to a music education. The school recently participated in the Berklee International Scholarship Tour. The funding request was for the purchase of instruments and computers. (Ruben Amador)
Absolute Pitch Research. The alumnus, an Associate Professor of Psychology and Music, is the principal investigator for a research program at McGill University studying cognitive abilities underlying absolute pitch. (Daniel Levitin, Ph.D.)
The Write Note Foundation. The foundation offers musical activities for youth, youth-at-risk, and their families. The programs are designed to encourage emotional, social, and spiritual growth in youth and adolescents. (D. Cooper Getschal)
The Mary Lou Williams Resurgence Project. The project seeks funding to promote the compositional work of this “unsung hero of jazz.” (Cecilia Smith)
Chick Singer Night. This event now in its 15th year is a national performance network for female artists. The showcase is now currently running in seven cities. The funding will be used to launch a Boston Chick Singer Night. (Jennifer Truesdale)
Acts of Kindness Cabaret. The cabaret is a nonprofit association of cabaret professionals who provide benefit performances for various charitable organizations. The organization requested seed money for programming and the purchase of sound equipment. (Hilary Ann Feldman)
A Cooperative of the Music Academy of Gauteng, the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust Music Program, and the South African Association for Jazz Education. The alumni working with this collaborative sought funding to provide clinics in Africa. (Bob Sinicrope)
Brass Roots. This is an eclectic gathering of Berklee alumni who play a distinctive style of music: “chamber mambo.” The organization was seeking funding to provide performances and/or clinics for K–12 students in the Brookline school system. (Russell Jewell)
Cultural Constructions. This organization brings together four different musical cultures. These juried performers are brought together for a six-week period to create music to be performed in collaboration with the Boston Creative Music Alliance. The funding requested was for the 2005 season. (Ken Field)
Jazz Gallery Jam Session. A nonprofit organization located in New York City provides an opportunity for new and established jazz musicians to hone their skills. The grant sought funding for operational needs. (Jaleel Shaw)

Progress as of August 2004
The Task Force on the Website
Users of the alumni website (alumni.berklee.edu) continue to increase, currently exceeding 7,500. The technical structure of the site continues to take advantage of latest developments for ease of navigation and interactivity. A common sign-on between Berklee Music and the alumni website appears to be a greater challenge than originally expected, but remains a long-range goal. Since the last report, alumni users of berkleemusic.com has grown to approximately 3,000.

While the Internet is a valuable tool for reaching out to alumni and encouraging their participation in events and support for the college, there is no substitute for personal interaction.

The Task Force on Educational Programming for Alumni
The most sought-after programs the alumni office produces are the continuing education programs. These events have in the past and will continue to feature alumni, Berklee faculty and industry leaders. The seminars or clinics are held around the United States, primarily in Boston, New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles. In recent years the college has taken advantage of Los Angeles’s Dolby Studios, allowing students at Berklee to participate cross-country in these learning experiences. Recent events included “How To Design Your Home Studio,” a ProTools Clinic led by music synthesis faculty member Jeff Baust. In New York, Marty Dennehy conducted a seminar on tax preparation for musicians. Nashville Chapter President Neil Diercks led a seminar entitled “Analysis of Commercially Successful Songs.” These are just a few of the nearly 50 clinics held this year alone.

The Task Force on Alumni Grants
Berklee College of Music is a unique institution calling for programs that avoid traditional receptions, teas, and/or tailgate parties. Alumni, for the most part, are focused on a career in the music industry. Therefore, service programming and direct support of alumni are the most effective initiatives to reach alumni. Berklee has launched a grant program, which is one way the college can demonstrate its support for alumni. Other colleges and universities have supported alumni by investing in their business ventures; Berklee makes outright grants. The purpose is to stimulate a stronger bond with alumni and promote the importance of contemporary music. This initiative supports alumni by providing seed money for projects that will broaden respect for contemporary music and the mission of Berklee College of Music. Projects may be community activities involving quality music projects and/or business ventures that expand the promotion of the art. The program does not provide support for the production of recordings.

This past year 15 grant applications were reviewed. Nearly twice as many alumni actively sought advice on presenting their projects. The Grant Committee considered requests totaling $260,000. Requests ranged from community service/education programs to business-related proposals. The budget allowed for funding $50,000 in grants. Education continues to be the favorite for funding. The reviewing committee was comprised of alumni from different years and a cross-section of majors. This committee was an excellent way to reach out to higher-level alumni. So successful was the interchange that in fiscal year 2005 the review committee will operate out of Nashville and then Los Angeles in 2006.

Eight grants received funding. No applicants received the maximum grant allowable under the guidelines, which is $25,000. Awards were as follows:

M.U.S.E. (Musical Understanding through Sound Education). The organization headed by Bryant Allard, ’84, is based in Portland, Oregon. The program provides group lessons for students ranging from eight to 15. Their request was for scholarship aid and enrichment activities for the older students.
Tennessee Valley Orchestra. The orchestra’s founder is Laurie Cohen, ’76. She is based in Mill Valley, California. The objective of the grant was to support Laurie Cohen’s wish to expand free concerts to the Bay Area.
Wilmington City Youth Jazz Band (WCYJB). This is a jazz education program headed by alumna Fostina Dixon-Kilgoe, ’77.
Laura Friedman ’99, Kyler England ’99, and Laura Berman ’92 were awarded a grant to participate in a three-week tour of the northeast as part of Women’s History Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Heart of Carolina Jazz Society. The founder of the jazz festival is Gregg Gelb, ’79. The mission of the society is to foster and promote public knowledge and understanding of jazz through a variety of educational and performance activities. The Society’s request would cover the cost of a visiting artist.
H.A.R.M.O.N.Y. (Housing Authority Resident Musicians of New York) requested funding for their inner-city music education program. The educational program is lead by Lenora Helm, ’82.
Luis Santiago, ’03, was awarded a grant to tour Puerto Rico with an alumni band’s new music project characterized by diverse rhythms and styles combining roots from various Latin American traditions with elements of jazz and pop.
Abundant Life Music Instruction. This City Music-like program was founded by Ron Savage, ’84. This program involved the most alumni of all the programs funded. It relied on alumni as advisors, teachers, and mentors. The educational program is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Connected offices include Academic Affairs, for involvement in educational aspects; Administration/Finance, as liaison to the Trustees’ Financial Affairs Committee for fiscal oversight of various projects; Information Technology, for significant implied/assigned responsibilities; and Student Affairs, for student/alumni connections.

Closely related initiatives include Build Internet Presence and Increase Institutional Visibility.

Alumni Relations Leadership Oversight Group
David McKay Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Chair/Cabinet Liaison
Luis Alvarez Trustee
Scott Benson Trustee
John Doelp Trustee
Mike Dreese Trustee Emeritus
Don Rose Trustee
Leanne Summers Trustee
Lee Eliot Berk President (retired 6/04)
Lawrence E. Bethune Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
Gary Burton Executive Vice President (retiring 10/04)
Harry Chalmiers Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
David S. Mash Vice President for Information Technology
Lawrence Monroe Associate Vice President for International Programs
Marjorie O’Malley Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Adrian Ross Director, Alumni Affairs

Task Force: Alumni Education Program Group
Matt Marvuglio Dean, Performance Division
David S. Mash Vice President for Information Technology
David McKay Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Adrian Ross Director, Alumni Affairs
Karen Zorn Associate Provost

Task Force: Alumni Website Group
Rob Hayes Assistant Vice President for Public Information
Lawrence Johnston Staff Accountant for Endowment and Current Fund
David Kusek Vice President for Berklee Media
David McKay Vice President for Institutional Advancement
David S. Mash Vice President for Information Technology
Robert Myers Associate Vice President for Institutional Assessment
Marjorie O’Malley Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Tom Riley Vice President for External Relations
Adrian Ross Director, Alumni Affairs
Matthew Skelly Director, Berklee.edu
Mark Small Editor, Berklee Today

Task Force: Berklee International Alumni Group
David McKay Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Lawrence Monroe Associate Vice President for International Programs
Chika Okamoto Assistant Director for Stewardship

Task Force: Alumni Grant Program Group
Lee Eliot Berk President (retired 6/04)
Gary Burton Executive Vice President (retiring 10/04)
David McKay Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Progress as of August 2003
The Task Force on the Web Site
A number of changes have been made to alumni.berklee.edu, which at this writing has more than 5,000 alumni registered. Changes have been been made to site design, to move the site closer in appearance to the berklee.edu site, and site organization, to make it easier to navigate.

The next phase will be to develop a plan to create easier access between the Berkleemusic.com site and alumni.berklee.edu. This improvement should strengthen the visible services the college is providing to alumni and create more traffic by alumni to Berkleemusic.com. At present, Berkleemusic has 1,500 alumni signed up to take advantage of those offerings. The ongoing improvements are designed to create a stronger alumni community and to reach out to alumni who are in more isolated locations. Assessment during Summer 2003 is planned to examine more closely the users of the site and determine what changes, if any, should be made.

One significant change to the site involves Berklee Today and will be completed in 2004. The archived versions of Berklee Today, including alumni notes, will become searchable. This will be useful for staff when doing research on alumni, and will also better serve registered alums curious about older articles.

While the college continues to make changes to the site, the ongoing challenge will be on how to attract visitors. The 5,000 users presently represent 13.5 percent of the total alumni population. (Incidentally, if these participants were converted into donors, it would represent a 10 percent increase in alumni donors.)

The Task Force on Educational Programming for Alumni
Over the past four years the alumni community has been exposed to a wide variety of alumni programming, ranging in scope from educational seminars and clinics to social outings, annual receptions, performance showcases, and alumni reunions. These will be ongoing for the duration of the plan. The alumni web site (alumni.berklee.edu) lists events that occur in various locations throughout the world. An ongoing focus of these programs will be continuing education for our alumni. New seminars are developed as the needs within the music industry change. Graduates have taken advantage of technology master classes, clinics examining cutting-edge music software and hardware, performance workshops, music industry panels, and more. In addition, several interactive videocasts have been held from Dolby Studios in Los Angeles and viewed at the David Friend Recital Hall in Boston. Nonmusic industry seminar topics such as tax issues will continue to be tested.

Berklee’s increasing online presence has also greatly benefited alumni. With the introduction of Berkleemusic.com, alumni are able to benefit from a range of courses offered via the internet as well as employment listings, online directories, and more.

The Task Force on an International Alumni Group
An event for alumni as well as for parents of current students was held in Mexico City in conjunction with the Academia de Música Fermatta, one of our BIN schools. The college will continue to create international events; but, due to the number of alumni living abroad and the expense, these will not be annual events.

The Task Force on the Alumni Grant Program
This program is about to enter its second year. This year, four alumni grants were awarded to alumni in California, New York, and Massachusetts.

SoundArt. A non-profit organization created to provide music education to Los Angeles public school children who presently do not have access to such programming. SoundArt presently serves over 1,000 students in approximately 130 schools. The agency is working with LA’s Best, an after-school program. The grant was awarded to purchase mobile recording and other music-related technology. Berklee continues to provide assistance in fundraising and recruiting faculty, and has helped raise more than $225,000 in grants and equipment. Berklee’s executive vice president made a second visit to the Herb Alpert Foundation, a previous donor to the program. Peter Gordon, Director of the Berklee Center LA, has recruited most of the 12 alumni faculty presently employed by SoundArt.
The New Life Orchestra. Kendrick Oliver leads an orchestra that, in addition to performing, provides ongoing clinics to colleges and public schools. The program is called Sing! – Swing! – Stomp! – Shout! Recently the orchestra presented a clinic for two Rhode Island high schools and Bryant College.
Genuine Voices. Alumna Juri Shigeta Jones continues to work with at-risk youth in her music program.
Jazz Reach. A grant was awarded to hire a staff person to help strengthen the organization. Jazz Reach recently completed a five-year strategic plan and hired a director of development. The Executive Director, alumnus Hans Schuman, is directing most of his attention to program development.

Progress as of August 2002
The Task Force on the Web Site
Progress on the web site for alumni has moved into a phase of refinement. The early version achieved many of the goals for the site. It presently includes the components for Alumni Yellow Pages, a Bulletin Board, a "Gig Board," event listings, a contribution section, and contacts for alumni chapters. Refinements still to come include an on-line alumni directory including all alumni (not just those registered for e-mail), MP3 files connected to the Yellow Pages, links to the library and links to Berklee Media educational programming. Issues surrounding the alumni e-mail system, ongoing maintenance of the present site, structure for new site plans, and policy issues related to collaborations with Berklee Media and are still under development.

The Task Force on Educational Programming for Alumni
Programs for the ongoing educational needs of our alumni are being developed. Educational programs in locations around the U.S. and abroad have been implemented on-site either using local experts or "imported Berklee experts." Berklee experts have included Livingston Taylor, David Mash, and Kurt Biederwolf. Programs have also been delivered using interactive videocasts with Gary Burton. The size of the programs have ranged from 20 to 1,200 participants. Work continues to determine appropriate collaborations with Berklee Media, including career and educational opportunities.

The Task Force on an International Alumni Group
Alumni events have been held in London and Japan. These small groups have bonded with each other and with Berklee. For cost purposes and the needs of our international alumni, these two regions are recommended for a biennial meeting cycle.

The Task Force on the Alumni Grant Program
The Trustees Institutional Advancement Committee considered a draft proposal for this program. The president shared a proposal for the plan with the Trustees Executive Committee during the Spring 2002 semester. The grant program is presently under review by that committee and the president.

The Task Force on a Record Label
After careful review of a number of options, the task force and several other resources have advised that there is no viable option for creating a record label.

Progress as of August 2001
Goals approved to date by the Leadership Oversight Group for the Task Forces include: (1) approval of the general direction of an alumni website as an excellent means to strengthen community and communications with alumni; (2) agreement to further study and develop a proposal for an alumni education program (3) developing stronger relationships with our international alumni; (4) agreement to encourage the administration to further study and develop a proposal for an alumni grant program for supporters and promoters of contemporary music in the community; and, (5) further study and development of a proposal for an alumni record label.

Progress on these goals: (1) an early version of the alumni website including components for Alumni Yellow Pages, a Bulletin Board, a "Gig Board," event listings, a contribution section and alumni chapter contacts; (2) further development and implementation of educational offerings in six alumni chapters in the U.S.; (3) critical discussion on priorities and other issues surrounding international alumni; (4) some progress in developing an alumni grant program proposal, which is currently under study; and (5) development and refinement of a proposal, akin to a "subscription series," for an alumni record label.

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