Titus Makau: Individual Transforming Alumni Engagement in Africa
“Strong alumni communities are built when people don’t just stay connected but when they actively create opportunities and value for each other.”
My name is Titus Makau. I partner with ALX alumni to support their career journeys, provide guidance, and connect them with opportunities. As part of the Alumni Relations team, my role is to ensure every graduate continues to experience the value of belonging to the ALX community—whether through community activations or lifelong learning pathways. I believe in building authentic relationships, empowering young talent across Africa, and helping our alumni reach their highest potential.
Titus Makau
Q&A SPOTLIGHT
Q: Can you briefly describe your role in strengthening alumni engagement at your institution or network?
In my current role as an Alumni Relationship Manager, I focus on building and sustaining meaningful connections between alumni and the broader community. My work involves engaging graduates beyond program completion through mentorship, career guidance, and community-driven initiatives. I also collaborate with cross-functional teams and external partners to create pathways for opportunities such as jobs, internships, and events. At its core, my role is about ensuring alumni remain connected, supported, and positioned to give back to the ecosystem.
Q: What motivated you to get involved in alumni engagement work?
My motivation came from seeing how access to the right information and networks can completely change someone’s trajectory. Having worked with young people across programs like the Ajira Digital Program at KEPSA and now in alumni engagement at ALX Africa, I noticed that many opportunities, including jobs, mentorship, and exposure, often exist, but not everyone knows how to access them. I wanted to be part of bridging that gap by building communities where information flows more openly and opportunities are shared more intentionally.
Q: What leadership approaches have helped you build or strengthen your alumni community?
My leadership approach is grounded in empathy, accessibility, and strong alignment with the CHAIR values: courage, humility, adventure, initiative, and resilience.
I lead with humility by recognizing that alumni experiences are diverse and that I don’t always have all the answers. This allows me to listen deeply and continuously learn from the community. Courage comes in when advocating for alumni needs, raising gaps, or pushing for clearer communication across teams to improve their experience.
I embrace initiative by proactively creating opportunities for engagement, whether through partnerships, mentorship, or community-led sessions, and adventure by being open to trying new approaches to engage alumni across different regions and contexts.
Finally, resilience has been key in sustaining engagement, especially when working at scale or navigating challenges, staying consistent, adaptable, and focused on long-term community impact.
Alongside these values, I prioritize collaboration, working across teams and geographies to ensure alignment and building feedback loops where alumni voices directly inform the programs and support systems we create.
Q: What is one achievement in alumni engagement that you are most proud of?
One achievement I’m proud of is contributing to connecting alumni to tangible opportunities, whether through referrals, partnerships with recruiters, or curated events. Seeing alumni move from uncertainty to securing roles or mentorship opportunities, knowing that the community played a role in that journey, is something I value deeply.
Q: How has your alumni engagement work created opportunities for students or graduates?
Through intentional relationship management and partnerships, I have supported access to opportunities such as internships, job placements, mentorship programs, and community-led events. By working closely with recruiters and partners, I’ve been able to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity while also encouraging alumni to share opportunities within their own networks.
Q: Can you share a story that best illustrates the impact of your alumni engagement efforts?
One of the most meaningful indicators of impact in my work has been hearing directly from alumni after conversations or engagements that they were able to apply shared insights and access opportunities. In several instances, alumni have followed up to say they secured internships, roles, or mentorship opportunities after implementing practical tips shared during our interactions or community sessions.
More recently, I’ve seen a powerful shift from engagement to ownership. During International Women’s Month in March 2026, alumni stepped forward to host virtual sessions for the wider ALX community, creating spaces to share their career journeys, challenges, and lessons. These sessions were not only well attended but also sparked further peer-to-peer learning and inspiration.
For me, this moment stood out because it reflected a transition from alumni being recipients of support to becoming active contributors and leaders within the community. It demonstrated that when alumni feel supported and connected, they begin to create opportunities not just for themselves, but for others as well.
Q: Have the network activities led to a system change? If so, please give an example.
Yes. One example is improving how information is shared across teams and alumni. By identifying recurring questions and inconsistencies, we’ve been able to highlight gaps and push for clearer, more standardized communication processes. This has helped reduce confusion and improve the overall alumni experience.
Q: What strategies or initiatives have been most effective in engaging alumni?
Consistent communication, storytelling, and opportunity-sharing have been the most effective. Creating spaces where alumni can learn from each other through mentorship, events, or shared experiences has also strengthened engagement. Additionally, recognizing alumni contributions helps build a sense of belonging and ownership within the community.
Q: How do you ensure your alumni engagement work is inclusive and reaches diverse alumni communities?
I try to ensure inclusivity by being intentional about communication channels, representation, and accessibility. This includes considering different time zones, backgrounds, and levels of access to opportunities. I also actively listen to feedback from alumni to understand gaps and continuously improve how we engage different groups. One space I am leveraging is the virtual environment, which enables me to reach a wider audience.
Q: What tools or platforms do you use to keep alumni connected?
I use a mix of communication platforms like email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and community spaces for ongoing engagement. These tools help track interactions, share updates, and maintain consistent communication across a diverse alumni base.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge in building a strong alumni network?
One of the biggest challenges is maintaining consistent engagement at scale while ensuring communication remains clear and personalized. As communities grow, balancing structure with flexibility becomes increasingly important.
Q: What key lessons would you share with other alumni engagement leaders globally?
Alumni engagement is not just about communication. It’s about trust, consistency, and value creation. People stay engaged when they see real benefits, feel heard, and believe they are part of something bigger than themselves.
Q: What is your vision for the future of alumni engagement at your institution or network?
My vision is to see alumni networks evolve into self-sustaining ecosystems where members actively create and share opportunities with each other. I see alumni not just as beneficiaries, but as co-creators of value within the community.
Q: What advice would you give to institutions looking to strengthen alumni communities?
Start by listening to your alumni and understanding their needs. Build systems that make it easy to stay connected, and focus on creating real value. This can be through opportunities, mentorship, or learning. Most importantly, treat alumni as long-term partners, not just program graduates.
