Lehigh University’s Development and Alumni Relations

From Campus to Career

Students are collectively moving a rowing boat on the river floating deck.

Lehigh University’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations plays a pivotal role in fostering connections between the university and its alumni community. Seeking to inspire greater engagement and amplify their fundraising efforts, Lehigh approached Push10 to reimagine their digital presence with a sophisticated web design that better communicates their mission and supports their ambitious capital campaign goals.

Services

Web Strategy, Web Design, Web Development

Problem

Existing Alumni information was splintered across multiple sites and the content itself lacked the functionality and clarity needed to effectively communicate the value that Lehigh can provide to its alumni. Alumni and donors found the web experience difficult to navigate, and the design failed to evoke the pride and connection that fuels meaningful engagement and giving.

Our Approach

We crafted a single streamlined user-focused website that embodies Lehigh’s spirit and traditions while providing clear pathways for alumni to stay connected and contribute. We made giving easy, but also made sure to prioritize the other services this office can provide its community. By leveraging bold visuals, intuitive navigation, and compelling storytelling, the new site positions Lehigh’s Office of Development as a cornerstone of the university’s success and growth.

01

A Strategic Blueprint

We interviewed stakeholders, surveyed alumni, and reviewed other alumni websites. This research helped us create a strong strategy that’s all about making the alumni experience engaging and inspiring.

Research report layout for Lehigh University Office of Development and Alumni Relations website design update

Increasing Alumni Engagement

To increase alumni engagement, we recommended centralizing scattered content, expressing clear alumni benefits, and inspiring the Lehigh community with a strong vision for future.

Two men are sitting ant talking at a shared desk in front of the central staircase.
LODAR alumni engagement strategy 01
A man wearing a fedora is smiling while holding a string instrument.
LODAR alumni engagement strategy 02
A woman is standing in front of the Lehigh podium, giving a speech.
LODAR alumni engagement strategy 03

Project Goals

01

Centralize scattered content

One primary Domain
Skin iModules
Introduce External Tools

02

Modernized the donation experience

Simplify the Ask
Focus on Trust
Don’t Make Users Dig

03

Lead With the Benefit to Alumni

Site as a concierge
Career resources are key

04

Use Approachable Language

Be conversational

05

Create Pathways for
Young People

Young alumni want more

06

Make it Easy to Find the
Event for You

Let Users Tailor Their Experience

07

Communicate a Clear Vision for LEHIGH

Inspire with a vision
Create a path to get there together
Show the data

08

Help Alumni Feel More Connected

Build a relationship

02

A Nod To Nostalgia

To appeal to younger alum, we incorporated punchy colors to make the site more modern and vibrant. To maintain a sense of nostalgia, we kept Lehigh’s traditional brown and white colors as well. We also introduced a collection of candid images that showcase alumni success.

LODAR visual brief in a mockup

Backed By Data

Data from the university’s previous sites showed that visitors frequently update their contact information or order transcripts. So, we designed the homepage banner to allow alumni to find the actions they need most. We also included an engaging section for alumni to self-select the resources they are most interested in.

LODAR web design what's next page in tablet
LODAR web design news page in mobile

Cultivating Connections

Through our research, we found that one of the biggest audience desires was to connect with other alumni, especially for professional networking. We structured the site to include professional alliance pages that would be easy to edit and maintain for a diverse array of professional and geographic groups.

Fueling The Future

When planning the site content, we continuously asked ourselves “How can we show the vision and impact of Lehigh in a way that inspires alumni to give?” Ultimately, we made sure that engaging impact stories and impressive student outcomes data were front and center in the new Impact & Progress section.

LODAR responsive web design pages in a tablet mockup
Lehigh-University-Donation-Page-Website-Design
LODAR-education-visual-identity-branded-image-student-playing-instrument-@2x

Giving Made Easy

Let’s face it – asking anyone for money is a difficult task. And it’s made even more challenging when the process of donating is unclear. We consolidated multiple sections of the old site into a new straightforward Ways to Give page that makes it easy to give back.

Lehigh Office of Development and Alumni Relations web design donation page layout
A man dressed in a Lehigh band uniform is smiling while practicing his instrument.

Simplified Navigation

The Connect menu makes it easy for alumni to see available networking opportunities.

Timesaving Menus

The Services menu provides quick links to some of the most pressing alumni needs.

03

Rolling it Out

The expanded brand styles are easy to apply to any promotional material, digitally and in print. We created examples of additional branded materials, like a Alumni Magazine feature or a donor thank you card.

Lehigh University campus building in autumn
Flat layout print design for Lehigh University Alumni Magazine
LODAR thank you card designs
LODAR web design get involved page in mobile

I’m beyond thrilled that our new website more accurately reflects all the great programs and activities that connect Alumni back to Lehigh!

Lehigh University

Jennifer Cunningham, Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations

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