CLASS DESCRIPTION
Engaging alumni—former program participants, campers, and community members—can be one of the most powerful yet challenging aspects of parks, recreation, and camp marketing. This course explores how storytelling and nostalgia-driven content can be strategically used to reconnect with alumni, strengthen emotional bonds, and inspire long-term support from donors, volunteers, advocates, and parents of future participants.
Drawing from real-world examples and practical tools, participants will learn how to uncover meaningful stories, select the right platforms, and create authentic narratives that resonate across generations. This session is ideal for park and recreation professionals, camp directors, marketers, and staff seeking sustainable, relationship-based engagement strategies.
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain why storytelling is a powerful tool for alumni engagement in parks and recreation organizations.
- Identify alumni audiences and understand their emotional connection to past experiences.
- Apply nostalgia-based storytelling techniques to marketing and communication efforts.
- Select appropriate platforms and formats for sharing alumni-focused stories.
- Develop a basic storytelling strategy to strengthen long-term alumni relationships.
After successfully passing the Knowledge Check, participants will receive a completion certificate and follow-up email. The PRB+ University team is actively working to create partnerships with CEU-accrediting agencies and administrators. Please check back regularly for updates about new CEU partners, approved courses, and submission details: https://www.prbplus.com/ceus/.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Preserving the history of your camp or park can be a vital channel to integrate alumni into your program’s future and attract future participants. Author Dan Shortridge, who wrote the book about his local camp’s history, will share nearly 20 free tools and resources to help your park or camp explore and share its stories from decades past.