EXECUTIVESUMMARY
EXECUTIVESUMMARY
FOLLOW-UPENGAGEMENTACTIONPLAN
FOLLOW-UPENGAGEMENTACTIONPLAN
NEXTSTEPSFORYEARTWO
NEXTSTEPSFORYEARTWO
PROFILESOFTHECLASSOF2026
PROFILESOFTHECLASSOF2026
PREPARED BY JOE CARLOS III ’04
PREPARED BY JOE CARLOS III ’04
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT, PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT, PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS
THE OFFICE OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
THE OFFICE OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
In the fall of 1998, while serving as Sports Editor of The Maroon Tiger, the Morehouse College student newspaper, I created and wrote a feature called “The Power List,” highlighting students who, in my view, were among the most influential voices on campus at the time
A few years later, in the spring of 2001, I launched another feature for The Maroon Tiger titled “Men of the Year,” which profiled students whose leadership, achievements, and impact distinguished them among their peers
Now, twenty-five years later, the inaugural class of the Morehouse College Fifty Under Fifty Honors represents the next evolution of that same idea recognizing excellence within our community. This initiative provides the College with a powerful opportunity to celebrate some of our most outstanding graduates under the age of 50 whose leadership, innovation, and service are shaping industries, communities, and the future.
The results outlined in this Executive Summary demonstrate that the inaugural Fifty Under Fifty Honors not only fulfilled its mission of celebrating emerging excellence, but also revealed a powerful opportunity to deepen alumni engagement, cultivate future philanthropic leaders, and strengthen the lifelong bond between Morehouse and its graduates
Joe Carlos III ’04, MBA Director of Alumni Engagement, Programming and Events The Office of External Relations and Alumni Engagement Morehouse College
The inaugural Fifty Under Fifty Honors event generated overwhelmingly positive feedback from participating honorees. Across all survey responses, satisfaction levels were exceptionally high, with the majority of respondents rating their overall experience and the program’s alignment with its stated purpose as “Excellent”
The data affirms that the event successfully achieved its core objectives:
Celebrating emerging excellence
Strengthening alumni connection to Morehouse
Creating a meaningful induction moment
Catalyzing future engagement and philanthropy
Nearly all respondents rated their overall experience as 5 – Excellent
The program overwhelmingly reflected the purpose of the Fifty Under Fifty initiative at the highest rating level
The induction moment (award/pin presentation) was most frequently described as “Deeply Meaningful”
Honorees reported feeling: Honored Celebrated Inspired Connected to Morehouse
Proud to be inducted Energized to stay engaged
Several respondents described the recognition as a “full-circle moment,” and one noted there is “no greater affirmation than being recognized by your own institution.”
The event clearly strengthened institutional pride and deepened alumni affinity
Event operations were rated highly across categories:
Registration process: Predominantly Excellent
Flow of the evening: Strong overall, with minor suggestions for pacing/audio improvements
Program length: Largely Excellent or Very Good
Food & beverages: Generally Excellent, with isolated recommendations for enhancement
Venue & atmosphere: Highly rated overall
onstructive feedback focused on: Improved audio clarity during award presentations
Greater visibility and marketing integration within Founder's Week programming
A potential celebratory brunch or expanded ticketed opportunity for families and networks
Earlier communication tools (eg, social media toolkit for honorees)
Strategic alignment or cross-promotion with Candle in the Dark
mportantly, these recommendations were amed as growth opportunities not issatisfaction
The most strategically significant finding is the extraordinary willingness to remain engaged.
Across respondents, the strongest areas of interest include:
Mentorship opportunities
Student engagement initiatives
Speaking engagements
Advisory councils
Event participation
Annual financial support
Philanthropic partnerships
Nearly all respondents indicated they are open to a follow-up conversation about deepening engagement.
One particularly detailed submission emphasized that this demographic (ages 25–50) represents:
Emerging philanthropic capacity
Expanding executive leadership
Corporate sponsorship pipelines
High social and professional capital
Long-term donor cultivation potential
This feedback reinforces that Fifty Under Fifty is not simply a recognition program it is a strategic alumni engagement and fundraising lever
Survey feedback indicates that the Fifty Under Fifty Honors:
1.Fills a meaningful gap between graduation and pinnacle recognition (e.g., Candle in the Dark)
2 Creates an aspirational benchmark for mid-career alumni
3 Encourages return attendance to campus for Founder's Week
4 Strengthens loyalty among alumni ages 25–50
5 Has measurable potential to increase annual giving and corporate partnerships
One respondent stated the initiative may become “one of the most impactful lists the College has launched to date.”
The inaugural Fifty Under Fifty Honors was a resounding success
The program delivered:
Exceptional satisfaction
Deep emotional resonance
Renewed alumni pride
Strong engagement commitments
Clear fundraising and institutional advancement potential
With strategic investment in marketing, expanded programming, and structured engagement follow-up, Fifty Under Fifty is well-positioned to become a cornerstone alumni recognition platform and a high-impact engagement engine for mid-career alumni.
Leverage the momentum and enthusiasm generated by the inaugural Fifty Under Fifty Honors to deepen alumni engagement, expand mentorship opportunities, cultivate philanthropic support, and position the program as a cornerstone recognition and engagement platform for mid-career
Morehouse alumni
1. Personalized Outreach to Honorees
Schedule individual follow-up conversations with each honoree to discuss engagement interests indicated in the survey
Capture areas of interest in CRM (mentorship, speaking, advisory councils, philanthropy)
2. Establish the Fifty Under Fifty Network
Form a Fifty Under Fifty Alumni Network to maintain connection among honorees.
Create a quarterly newsletter or update highlighting:
Career milestones
Alumni achievements
Opportunities to engage with students
3. Mentorship Integration
Invite honorees to participate in the upcoming Morehouse alumni-student mentorship program
Match honorees with students aligned by career sector
4. Strategic Storytelling
Feature honorees across institutional channels: Morehouse.edu
Alumni newsletter
Social media
Advancement communications
Purpose: Elevate the program’s visibility and inspire future nominees.
1. Launch a Fifty Under Fifty Advisory Group
Invite a small group of honorees to serve as advisors to help shape the program’s growth Topics: Selection process
Marketing and brand expansion
Sponsorship development Alumni engagement strategies
2. Industry Engagement Opportunities
Create speaking and networking opportunities where honorees can interact with students:
Examples: Career panels Entrepreneurship talks Industry roundtables Leadership workshops
3. Regional Engagement Events
Encourage honorees to host or participate in events in key alumni markets such as: Atlanta New York Washington, DC Chicago Houston Los Angeles
These gatherings can support recruitment, mentorship, and alumni engagement
4. Philanthropic Engagement
Develop a Fifty Under Fifty Giving Circle encouraging honorees to support: Student scholarships Leadership programs Internship initiatives
1. Institutionalize the Program
Position Fifty Under Fifty as an annual signature event aligned with Founder’s Week programming
2. Expand Marketing and Visibility
Launch a nomination campaign earlier in the year.
Provide honorees with a social media toolkit to amplify recognition.
3. Introduce Expanded Programming
Potential additions for Year Two: Fifty Under Fifty Alumni Brunch Honoree Fireside Chat with students Alumni industry networking reception
4. Corporate Sponsorship Strategy
Leverage honoree networks to secure sponsorship from companies where alumni hold leadership positions.
Build on the momentum of the inaugural Fifty Under Fifty Honors by implementing a structured nomination, marketing, and engagement timeline that expands program visibility, increases alumni participation in nominations, and strengthens the program’s position as a signature Morehouse alumni recognition platform
PHASE1:EARLYAWARENESSCAMPAIGN(JULY-AUGUST2026)
Email announcement to alumni audience
Social media campaign begins
Messaging highlights the success of the inaugural class and announces the upcoming nomination period
Goals:
Build early awareness
Encourage alumni to begin identifying potential nominees
Position the program as a major recognition opportunity
Email reminder to alumni network
Social media promotion across institutional channels
Messaging reinforces upcoming nomination opening date.
Goals:
Sustain visibility during summer engagement period
Increase anticipation for the nomination window
PHASE2:NOMINATIONPERIOD(SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER2026)
SEPTEMBER1,2026-NOMINATIONSOPEN
Formal announcement email to all alumni
Social media announcement
Website nomination form goes live
Goals:
Encourage broad participation
Drive strong nomination volume
SEPTEMBER2026-WEEKLYREMINDERCAMPAIGN
Each week during the nomination window:
Email reminders
Social media posts highlighting members of the inaugural class
Testimonials about the program’s impact
Messaging focus:
Celebrate excellence
Encourage alumni to nominate peers
Reinforce the October 1 deadline.
OCTOBER1,2026-NOMINATIONSCLOSE
Actions:
Final deadline email reminder
Social media “last call” campaign
Goals:
Maximize final nomination submissions.
PHASE3:SELECTION&ANNOUNCEMENT(OCTOBER-NOVEMBER2026)
OCTOBER2026-SELECTIONREVIEWPROCESS
Review nominations
Evaluate candidate achievements and eligibility
Selection committee deliberation
Goals:
Ensure an outstanding and representative second class.
NOVEMBER15,2026-CLASSANNOUNCEMENT
Official announcement email
Press release
Social media campaign
Feature profiles on Morehouseedu
Goals:
Celebrate honorees
Increase program visibility nationally
Encourage alumni excitement for the next ceremony.
PROGRAMGROWTHSTRATEGYFORYEARTWO
1.INCREASENOMINATIONPARTICIPATION
A structured marketing campaign will expand alumni participation and awareness of the program
2.STRENGTHENINSTITUTIONALVISIBILITY
Promote honorees across:
Alumni communications
Institutional website
Social media platforms
Advancement storytelling.
Encourage honorees to participate in:
Student mentorship
Career panels
Alumni advisory groups
Philanthropic initiatives
4.POSITIONFIFTYUNDERFIFTYASASIGNATUREPROGRAM
By establishing a consistent annual timeline and stronger marketing presence, the program will become a recognized and aspirational milestone for emerging alumni leaders
