Alumni Engagement

In 2021, the University publicly launched Venture Forward, a campaign that aims to build community and alumni engagement; seek critical philanthropic support for the University’s highest strategic initiatives; and share Princeton’s defining principles and their impact on the world.

Princeton alumni contribute extensively to the life of the campus, with more than 26,000 alumni, their families and guests returning annually for Reunions. There are approximately 97,613 living Princeton alumni, including 69,517 undergraduate alumni and 29,072 Graduate School alumni (976 with dual degrees). Princeton graduates live in all 50 states and 140 countries. There are 165 Princeton regional associations throughout the world.

In a typical year, 37,900 volunteers work for Princeton in class and regional association activities, fundraising and community service. Many serve in University advisory and volunteer leadership roles.

In addition to their volunteer service, Princetonians generously support all aspects of the University’s teaching and research mission through gifts that range from contributions to athletics friends groups to endowing a scholarship fund to funding a new building.

Alumni participation in Annual Giving is unsurpassed and owes its success to an exceptional volunteer effort that galvanizes Princetonians from around the world. The 2021 –22 Annual Giving campaign raised $81,817,807  — the highest total in Annual Giving history. An important part of the Venture Forward campaign, gifts made through Annual Giving are flexible and immediately available for the University’s highest needs. These unrestricted funds provide nearly 10% of the University’s overall budget for educational expenses.

Capital and endowed gifts may be designated by the donor to support specific programs, initiatives or building projects. Recent Venture Forward gifts from alumni and friends have supported the University’s strategic priorities, including new residential colleges and academic buildings, along with professorships, scholarships and other endowed funds for key academic and co-curricular initiatives.

The University’s generous financial aid program makes the extraordinary Princeton education affordable by meeting the full demonstrated financial need of every undergraduate, without loans as part of financial aid packages.  This exceptional program is supported principally through endowed scholarships and Annual Giving. More than 80% of Princeton’s students graduate debt free; those who choose to incur debt average $9,400 for all four years, largely thanks to the generosity of the University’s alumni and friends.

Helping Students Look Ahead

The Center for Career Development empowers undergraduate and graduate students to develop the insights, experience and connections to pursue personally meaningful careers throughout their lives.

Each year, the center surveys members of the undergraduate senior class regarding their post-graduation plans. Post-graduation outcomes were reported for 1,097 (95.3%) of the 1,151 graduates of the Class of 2021. By Dec. 31, 2021, 89.7% of graduates of the Class of 2021 reported securing their post-graduation outcome. A total of 63.4% of graduates accepted employment and 24.9% confirmed admission to a graduate or professional school.