Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, has unveiled a renewed strategy to strengthen alumni engagement, calling on graduates to play a more active role in the institution’s growth through mentorship, innovation, philanthropy and career support.
The initiative was unveiled during the university’s Alumni Connectivity Programme, an interactive session organised for more than 300 members of the 2025/2026 postgraduate graduating class, known as the Nova Class, ahead of the institution’s convocation ceremony.
Speaking with journalists on Monday, the Associate Vice President for Alumni Connectivity and Philanthropy, Dr Jonathan Dangana, said the programme represents a shift from the university’s traditional approach to alumni relations by introducing graduating students to the opportunities and responsibilities that come with lifelong membership of the alumni community.
According to Dangana, the university deliberately brought the graduating students into the alumni centre to expose them to projects delivered by previous graduates and inspire them to begin contributing to the institution from the onset of their alumni journey.
He stressed that alumni support extends beyond financial donations, noting that professional mentorship, career guidance, volunteer service and knowledge-sharing remain equally valuable to the university’s long-term development.
Dangana also disclosed that discussions are ongoing on possible incentives aimed at encouraging sustained alumni participation, including benefits that could extend to graduates’ children and families.
Although the proposals are yet to receive final approval, he said the institution is exploring ways to create a mutually beneficial relationship between the university and its alumni community.
Addressing concerns over the suspension of the alumni bursary scheme, Dangana explained that the decision was taken to prioritise critical infrastructure projects, assuring members that the scheme could be reactivated once sufficient resources become available.
According to him, Babcock University currently has about 35,000 active alumni on its database.
Also speaking, the Career Services Lead in the Office of Alumni Connectivity and Philanthropy, Dr Tutu Habib, described alumni as a strategic asset capable of supporting fundraising, institutional partnerships and career development for students.
She said the engagement session also provided an opportunity for graduating students to offer feedback on university services while strengthening their sense of belonging before joining the alumni association.
Habib added that the university’s newly established career services unit would leverage the alumni network to facilitate mentorship opportunities, internships and employment placements for students and recent graduates.
One of the graduating doctoral students, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Monday Ubani, described his academic journey as challenging but rewarding. He recalled suspending his studies following the death of his father before returning to complete the programme and earning an A in a compulsory statistics course.
Ubani also revealed that he lost his mother while writing his doctoral thesis but persevered to complete the programme ahead of the university’s convocation.
He commended the university’s alumni engagement initiatives and urged graduates to support higher education through mentorship, funding and employment opportunities, noting that government alone cannot adequately fund Nigerian universities.
