Frequently asked questions about alumni data and contact information:


How do I get a list of alumni & their contact information?

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA) manages our CRM database, 4WARD. This database includes all alumni and current students of UW-Madison, including contact information, giving history, personal demographics, board membership, event attendance, employment and other helpful information. We encourage anyone who regularly interacts with alumni to be aware of this tool, and help to keep its information current.

If you frequently interact with alumni or receive contact information updates, you can request access to the database by contacting Lauren Mittelstedt. Training is required as information in this system is confidential.

If you are in need of contact lists for alumni, you can submit a list request from WFAA. List requests can generally be turned around within 20 business days. If you have questions about how to submit a list request, or need guidance on the process, you may contact Lauren Mittelstedt or Ryan Van Handel.

If you have additional questions and would like to talk directly to someone on the 4WARD team at WFAA, you may submit a question at help@uwadvancement.org.


How do I update alumni contact information?

If you receive frequent updates from alumni, we recommend you get access to 4WARD, as you will then be able to make the updates in the system on your own. You may contact Lauren Mittelstedt for access. 

If you do not receive updates often, you may also email them to help@uwadvancement.org and they will get the information updated for you.


What should I be tracking about my alumni interactions and why?

We strive for information about our alumni that is as complete as possible so that we can better serve them and the School. If you regularly interact with alumni, we recommend you get access to the alumni CRM database, 4WARD, so that you are able to see who else may already be interacting with them throughout UW. This is helpful so that all staff members are up-to-date on the alum’s preferences and for the alum to have a seamless experience when speaking with any number of people connected to UW. To gain access, please contact Lauren Mittelstedt.

Below are things that should be tracked in 4WARD:

  • Interactions: A recap of meaningful conversations you have with an alum that may be helpful to others who talk with the alum. These are typically one-on-one or small group interactions and could be in-person, over the phone, or via email.
  • Event attendance: A list of alumni who attended a UW-hosted event such as a happy hour, educational event, celebration, etc. 
  • Advisory board members: A list of current, active board members, as well as any specific roles they may play (chair, president, etc.)
  • Communication preferences: Updated home addresses, emails, preferred name, and other communications preferences for alumni


When do I use 4WARD vs. LRM?

LRM is an in-house system used only by the Wisconsin School of Business. At this time, there are no official tracking mechanisms for alumni in LRM and 4WARD is the official system of record for alumni data. 4WARD is a database used University-wide, including the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA). For records relating to alumni and donors, 4WARD should always be updated if you know of incorrect or new information. This will insure the alum or donor receives any communications intended to go to them from anywhere on campus, including any school-wide announcements. This is also the easiest way to ensure that any lists you request of your alumni, board members, etc. are up to date.


What are other sources of alumni data?

4WARD is only as good as the information that is put into it. Due to the changing nature of some data (e.g. employment information) there are additional resources that can be helpful to find information about alumni. Submitting new or updated information about alumni is always encouraged by submitting updates directly from a constituent record if you have access to 4WARD or by sending an email to help@uwadvancement.org.

LinkedIn University Pages

In addition to the normal search features of LinkedIn to find an individual person, our Wisconsin School of Business LinkedIn page has great search features to find alumni. These are available to any LinkedIn user. To utilize, simply go to the page, select “Alumni” on the menu on the left and you will be able to filter alumni based on where they live, where they work, title, keywords, or graduation year. One thing to note is that some of our alumni indicate WSB specifically on their profile, while others may use only UW. They will only pull into WSB’s alumni page if they have personally indicated that. You may use this same feature on the University of Wisconsin – Madison page for a broader search.

BadgerBridge

Functioning like an alumni directory, BadgerBridge is a database similar to (and connected with) LinkedIn for only UW-Madison students, alumni, and employees. On this site, users are able to enter their information (or synch with their LinkedIn profile) and also indicate interest in things such as mentoring or making connections to others at their company. This database also has specific search features that can help in finding individuals in certain companies, industries, or with specific titles. It’s also a great resource for finding alumni volunteers or mentors for students. There is also a job board available for individuals to find new Badger colleagues!