Oklahoma State University Alumni Association

What Oklahoma State University Alumni Association does

The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association is a nonprofit membership organization affiliated with Oklahoma State University, founded in the early 1900s and headquartered in the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma, with approximately 40 employees. It serves a community of more than 266,000 OSU alumni, students, and friends through a tiered membership program: an Annual Membership at $50/year, a Student Network Membership priced at $600 total (after a $400 association credit), a Life Membership at $1,000 cumulative, and a Life Member Plus continuation tier. Approximately 30,000 members are currently active, with a substantially larger lapsed base carrying credits toward life status under a unified membership model adopted in 2020.

The association's operations are built around a digital platform comprising a primary website (okstatealumni.org / orangeconnection.org), iOS and Android mobile apps, a downloadable digital membership card integrated with Apple and Google wallets, and Google-powered @okstatealumni.org email addresses for members. Engagement is delivered through 100+ chapters and watch clubs hosting 500+ events annually, an annual America's Greatest Homecoming celebration drawing 80,000+ attendees, the Traveling Cowboys travel program, STATE Magazine (3x/year), and the monthly OrangeBytes newsletter. The Cowboy Family Directory is operated in partnership with Publishing Concepts, Inc. (PCI), and member-benefit partners include Active&Fit Direct (22,500+ gyms), Liberty Mutual, Mercer, MidFirst (OSU Credit Card), Love's Travel Stops, and American Pacific Mortgage.

The association's revenue model combines recurring membership dues (subscription), one-time donations and planned giving (including a $12 million Homecoming and Student Programs Endowment goal under "The Code Calls" campaign), event and travel program fees, and corporate sponsorship/advertising. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via online enrollment, mobile apps, the OSU bursar (for student members), and a volunteer-led chapter network, with no parent company, external ownership, or venture backing disclosed.

Name

Oklahoma State University Alumni Association

Legal name

Oklahoma State University Alumni Association

Website

https://orangeconnection.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association is a nonprofit membership organization serving 266,000+ OSU alumni, students, and friends through tiered memberships, 100+ chapters, 500+ annual events, and the trademarked America's Greatest Homecoming celebration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alumni Association Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Alumni Relations & Alumni Engagement Programs (EDALAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alumni Events, Reunions & Regional Chapters (EDALAOAG), Alumni Benefits, Membership & Affinity Programs (EDALAOAM), Major Gifts, Planned Giving & Endowment Development (EDALAOAC), Alumni Communications, Marketing & Publications (EDALAOAF), Alumni Career Networking & Mentorship Programs (EDALAOAL), Alumni, Reunion & Affinity Group Educational Travel (THAKAGAJ)

Keywords

• Alumni association services
• University membership programs
• Alumni networking events
• Educational community engagement
• Nonprofit membership organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Stillwater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Primary revenue stream from membership dues at various levels (Life Membership $1,000, Student Life Membership $600, Annual Membership $30). Payments can be made monthly, quarterly, yearly, or one-time with flexible contribution amounts counting toward life membership status.
2. Donations and Endowments: Additional contributions supporting Homecoming Endowment ($12 million goal), Scholarships, and Planned Giving programs. Donors at $5,000+ earn recognition on display boards in ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from alumni travel programs (Traveling Cowboys), chapter events, and event registrations across athletics, homecoming, and virtual programming.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and advertising from corporate partners including OSU Credit Card (MidFirst), Legacy Village Stillwater, Liberty Mutual, Mercer, Love's Travel Stops, and University Store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association is a nonprofit membership organization that connects OSU's 266,000+ alumni, students, and friends through tiered membership programs (Life, Annual, Student), a network of 100+ chapters and watch clubs, events including America's Greatest Homecoming, and member benefits such as insurance discounts, career services, travel programs, and university store savings. It operates the Orange Connection digital platform, mobile apps, and publications like STATE Magazine and OrangeBytes newsletter to sustain lifelong engagement between graduates and the university.

Product overview

The OSU Alumni Association offers a tiered membership-based platform with four primary membership levels: Annual Membership ($50/year), Student Network Membership ($600 life or $30 annual), Life Membership ($1,000), and Life Member Plus (enhanced tier for continuing contributors). Core products include the annual and lifetime membership programs, a network of 50+ chapters and watch clubs across the nation, America's Greatest Homecoming celebration, virtual events and webinars through the Alumni Learning Center, STATE Magazine (quarterly publication), and OrangeBytes monthly newsletter. The association provides alumni email powered by Google, digital and mobile-accessible membership cards, the Traveling Cowboys travel program, Alumni Career Services, an online alumni directory, Legacy Program for multi-generational connections, and the Active&Fit Direct fitness benefit. Award programs include the OSU Hall of Fame, OSU Distinguished Alumni Award, and OSU Outstanding Young Alumni Award. The association also manages the Homecoming Endowment as part of its giving programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Orange Connection: The primary brand name and website domain for the OSU Alumni Association membership program, used interchangeably with the alumni association name.
• Student Network
• Alumni Ambassadors
• America's Greatest Homecoming
• Traveling Cowboys
• Life Member Kit
• Cowboys for a Cause
• Bound for Stilly
• Grandparent University
• Walkaround
• Sea of Orange Parade
• POSSE Road Rally

Products and services

• Life Membership Premium lifetime membership program at $1,000 total payment, granting permanent membership status with exclusive Life Member Kit, permanent membership card, STATE Magazine recognition, and exclusive event opportunities.
• Annual Membership Yearly membership option at $50 per year, providing access to STATE Magazine, alumni career services, online directory access, University Store discounts, and local merchant discounts.
• Student Network Membership
• Life Member Plus
• Chapters & Groups
• America's Greatest Homecoming
• Traveling Cowboys
• Member Savings Program
• Online Directory
• STATE Magazine
• OrangeBytes Newsletter
• Alumni Email
• Digital Membership Card
• OSU Mobile App (Orange Connection)
• Alumni Career Services
• Legacy Program
• Homecoming Endowment
• Virtual Events & Webinars

Quantifiable outcome

• 266,000+ alumni, students and friends represented through programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OSU FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSU Foundation partners with the Alumni Association on fundraising campaigns including the $12 million Homecoming and Student Programs Endowment goal. They co-manage the Homecoming Endowment and scholarship donations.
• MidFirst Bank (OSU Credit Card)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMidFirst Bank offers an OSU-branded credit card with partnership advertising on the Alumni Association website.
• Legacy Village StillwaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSenior living community partner advertising on Alumni Association website for Stillwater-based alumni.
• Liberty MutualminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOSU graduates receive exclusive savings on Liberty Mutual Auto and Home Insurance through this alumni insurance benefit program.
• Mercer (OSU Alumni Insurance Benefits Program)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMercer administers the OSU Alumni Insurance Benefits Program, providing alumni-only discounts and benefits through AMBA.
• Love's Travel StopsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partnership with Love's Travel Stops advertising on Alumni Association website.
• University Store / shopokstate.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity Store partnership offering 10% discount on OSU merchandise for members at physical store and online.
• AVL (Pillar Partner)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPillar partner advertising on Alumni Association website.
• Active&Fit Direct (American Specialty Health)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerActive&Fit Direct program provides OSU Alumni Association members access to 22,500+ gyms starting at $28/month with 9,800+ premium studios available at 20-70% off retail.
• American Pacific MortgageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerQuarterly homebuyer's virtual workshops free to all alumni, faculty and staff, with exclusive benefits and discounts for OSU community.
• Publishing Concepts, Inc. (PCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPCI is conducting the Cowboy Family Directory Project, contacting OSU alumni via mail and email to update information for the directory.
• Alumni Insurance Benefits Program (AMBA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAMBA administers exclusive alumni-only discounts and benefits through the OSU Alumni Insurance Benefits Program. Call 1-888-560-ALUM (2586).
• Traveling Cowboys Travel PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel partners plan dozens of trips annually for OSU alumni through the Traveling Cowboys program including destinations like Washington/Alaska, Colombia/Snake Rivers, Ireland, Scotland, and more.
• HireOSUgrads.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJob search engine partner providing career services resources for alumni through OSU Career Services.
• ConocoPhillipscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center is the headquarters location and premier venue on campus with naming rights partnership.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Stanford Alumni Association: Large, well-resourced alumni association with a broader scope of professional and lifelong-learning programming. Aspirational comparable that illustrates how an alumni association can scale into a sophisticated educational and networking platform.
• Harvard Alumni Association: The benchmark U.S. university alumni association in scale, benefit breadth, and global footprint. Comparable only as a stretch incumbent showing the ceiling for alumni-association programming and monetization.

Direct peers

• University of Michigan Alumni Association: Large public-university alumni association with an extensive chapter network, magazine, travel programs, and a substantial endowment. Closely mirrors OSU's programming mix and membership model.
• Notre Dame Alumni Association: Highly engaged alumni association with strong club network, premium membership pricing, and a major homecoming-style tradition. Comparable in member-engagement intensity and benefit breadth.
• Kansas State University Alumni Association: Big 12 peer with a similar dues-based model, chapter structure, and benefit ecosystem. Comparable scale and programming depth for a public regional university.
• Iowa State University Alumni Association: Big 12 peer offering life memberships, chapters, magazine, and travel programs. Closely analogous in size, structure, and operating model.
• The Ohio State University Alumni Association: One of the largest U.S. university alumni associations with a comparable dues-based life-membership model, chapter network, magazine, and multi-tier benefits. Comparable scale and operating complexity.
• University of Texas Alumni Association (Texas Exes): Regional peer operating a life-membership program, network of chapters, and event programming anchored by major traditions. Comparable membership economics and benefit portfolio.
• Texas A&M University Association of Former Students: Largest and most storied Big 12/SEC alumni association in the state, operating a comparable life-membership model, hundreds of chapters, "Aggie Muster" tradition, and an extensive endowment. Direct comparable in scale, governance, and programming depth.
• University of Oklahoma Alumni Association: In-state peer and Big 12 rival alumni association with similar membership tiers, chapter network, and benefit structure. Most directly comparable given geographic overlap and athletic rivalry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/okstatealumni
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OSUAlumniAssociation
• Facebookfacebook.com/okstatealumni
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/okstatealumni
• Instagraminstagram.com/okstatealumni

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oklahoma State University Alumni Association