The innovative Ask a Wildcat tool for students has won the Silver Circle of Excellence award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in the Engagement in the Volunteer Engagement category. This accolade underscores the university’s commitment to fostering robust student-alumni connections and enhancing career exploration resources.
For years, the Waldron Student-Alumni Connections Program has facilitated meaningful interactions for Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences students. Building on this success, they launched Ask a Wildcat, an AI-powered tool that scales these connections.
Ask a Wildcat allows students to submit career exploration questions that match the most relevant alums through AI. These interactions happen seamlessly through email, calls, and in-person conversations without requiring anyone to sign up for an app. In the first five months, 617 alums responded to 116 student questions.
With the platform, students gain valuable insights to guide their career decisions, while alums enjoy the opportunity to provide guidance or mentorship to students. Both groups rated their satisfaction with the tool at an impressive 9.14/10. On average, students receive two to three alum responses per question, facilitating deeper interactions.
This award recognizes Northwestern’s innovative approach to enriching student-alumni Engagement, making it more accessible and efficient. As the CASE judges noted, “This program leveraged AI for meaningful alumni engagement, demonstrating impressive participation metrics. Testimonials highlighted the program’s potential impact and provided deeper insights into its operations. This innovative approach is inspiring and indicative of a future trend in the industry.”
CASE is a global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement—alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services—and championing education to transform lives and society.