Beyond Career Services: How MBA Programs Use Alumni Networks to Prove ROI

2026 CAP Alliance Annual Conference Featured Session, Now Available as a Webinar

MBA applicants are evaluating programs more critically than ever. With tuition at top programs reaching $250K–$300K and salary growth not always keeping pace, return on investment has become the central factor in enrollment decisions. 

Students are no longer relying on rankings or program descriptions alone. They are looking for clear, credible proof of outcomes. For many, that proof comes from your alumni network. 

The opportunity is significant. 88% of MBA alumni report that their degree improved their professional situation. However, most programs engage alumni in limited, episodic ways through panels and events rather than embedding them into the recruitment and student experience where they have the greatest impact. 

In this CAP Alliance Annual Meeting featured session, Aaron Mahl, PhD, Senior Vice President at PeopleGrove, will explore how business schools are activating their alumni networks at scale through the PeopleGrove Engagement Hub, connecting admitted students, current students, and alumni in one unified platform that turns relationships into enrollment decisions and real career outcomes.  

He’ll also cover how predictive engagement analytics across your community gives recruitment, retention, and advancement teams a connected view of who is active, who is disengaged, and where the greatest opportunities lie. 

Attendees will leave with: 

• A clear picture of how MBA students evaluate ROI today and what they expect from day one 
• Practical strategies for embedding alumni into recruitment, yield, and student success 
• A framework to activate and engage your alumni network to reach and enroll MBA candidates 

Who should attend: MBA program directors, enrollment managers, career services leaders, and alumni engagement professionals at business schools of all sizes.