Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

Making connections and making a difference for current and future Flyers, peer-to-peer ambassadors excel at both.

“Our P2P program is connecting fellow Flyers across the country and around the world with each other and their alma mater,” said Meg Miller, peer-to-peer program coordinator. “We know that peer-to-peer is the most impactful way to communicate with our alumni. Flyers are eager to hear from their peers directly, which is why we see great success with our program.

“Our goal is to engage alumni and increase their philanthropic support.”

Initiated in 2018, the P2P program includes approximately 100 dedicated ambassadors who reach out to alumni throughout the year.

From classmates to teammates to roommates, ambassadors connect with alumni with whom they shared their UD experience, presenting opportunities where their financial support can make an impact in areas that are meaningful to them. Ambassadors run the gamut from young alumni to Golden Flyers all with a shared love of UD.

“I love the opportunity to be an ambassador for UD,” Jackie Marcinko said. “I love the chance to connect with old friends, and to help in some small way.”

It took a single ask to get the 1987 graduate — now a middle school religion teacher — on board.

“As a teacher at a Catholic school, I know how important volunteers are, and I am happy to give back to the university that gave me so much.”

Marcinko, who now lives in Atlanta, has connected with classmates across the country and even across the pond — in London — through her role as an ambassador.

Through outreach like this, the peer-to-peer ambassadors were instrumental in helping UD set records on One Day, One Dayton.

They sent out more than 5,000 messages highlighting the power of alumni gifts on current students and future Flyers, and encouraging their peers to join them in a gift to the University on One Day, One Dayton.

“Most alumni I reach out to either recognize my name or know me, which greatly enhances the chances of them not only opening the email but reading it as well,” said Joe Dote ’93, who now lives in Chicago and enjoys staying connected with fellow graduates while helping future Flyers.

“Any time I have the chance to reach out to a UD graduate, that is always a benefit in my book.”