The Power of Place: Why School Spaces Still Matter to Alumni
There’s something about walking into an old classroom or standing in a familiar courtyard that unlocks a flood of memories. For alumni, revisiting their former school isn’t just a trip down memory lane, it’s a powerful emotional experience that reconnects them to formative years, lifelong friendships, and the values that shaped who they are today.
In a world increasingly defined by digital connection, the physical spaces of a school still hold unique and lasting significance.
More Than Bricks and Mortar
While buildings, grounds, and corridors might seem like static settings, they are anything but. School spaces serve as the stage for some of life’s most transformative moments: where individuals first discovered their talents, formed identities, and navigated the ups and downs of growing up. A dormitory isn’t just a place to sleep, it’s where friendships were forged over midnight snacks and quiet conversations. Likewise, a theatre isn’t just a stage, it’s the first place someone stepped into the spotlight and found their voice.
For alumni, revisiting these places, even virtually, can evoke profound emotions. That emotional response is a key driver of engagement and a reminder that schools aren’t just institutions, they’re deeply personal landscapes of memory.
The Psychology of Place Attachment
There’s a reason these spaces matter so much. Psychologists refer to the phenomenon as “place attachment”, the emotional bond between a person and a physical location. This bond forms through repeated experiences, rituals, and milestones. In the case of school, it’s where many individuals spend their most formative years.
Research indicates that place attachment can significantly influence alumni loyalty and their propensity to support their alma mater. By reconnecting alumni with meaningful school or university locations, whether through in-person visits or digital experiences, schools can rekindle a sense of belonging that fosters deeper engagement and enduring support.
For instance, a study published in the Social Psychology of Education explores drivers for non-monetary alumni behaviour (i.e., alumni loyalty). The research involved modelling analysis conducted on 152 alumni responses from two Dutch universities of applied sciences. The study found that factors such as service quality of alumni activities and the attractive quality of the association drive perceived value, which in turn affects alumni loyalty.
Additionally, a study published in PLOS One examined the influence of college graduates' place attachment on their intention to engage in entrepreneurial activities in their hometowns. The findings revealed that place attachment positively impacts individuals' intentions to contribute to their communities, suggesting that a strong emotional connection to a place can motivate supportive behaviours.
These studies underscore the importance of leveraging place attachment in alumni relations strategies to enhance loyalty and support.
When Returning Isn't an Option
As powerful as these in-person experiences are, the reality is that many alumni may never physically return to their school. Life moves on. People relocate. Some live overseas. Others are managing busy lives that make travel impractical. And unfortunately, school reunions and open days often attract only a small fraction of the alumni population.
According to the 2023 CASE Alumni Relations Report, in-person alumni event attendance has dropped by 40% in recent years. This decline presents a challenge, but also an opportunity. While returning to school might not be possible for many, that doesn’t mean reconnection is out of reach.
Bridging the Gap with Virtual Experiences
Enter Virtual Spaces, an innovation that blends place, memory, and modern technology. SocialArchive’s Virtual Spaces allow institutions to digitise key locations across your school or university, and embed them with archival content. Alumni can walk through their old dormitory, revisit the hall where they attended assemblies, or explore the dining hall where they shared daily meals, all from the comfort of their home.
These immersive 360° environments go far beyond standard virtual tours. They become living, interactive experiences, enhanced with audio clips, scanned photographs, alumni testimonials, and historical documents. The result is not just a digital rendering of a place, but a storytelling environment that brings your school’s heritage to life.
For anniversary celebrations or milestone campaigns, this becomes a particularly powerful tool. Imagine inviting alumni to “walk through the past” and relive their student days, regardless of where in the world they are.
Preserving the Present for Future Generations
Another major benefit of creating digital experiences tied to place is that it enables schools to capture the present for future anniversaries. Just as alumni today are moved by revisiting their own past spaces, imagine the value to future generations when they can experience what school life was like 50 or 100 years ago.
Recording and archiving these environments now ensures that the stories, sounds, and feelings of the present are not lost. It creates a time capsule of the school’s physical evolution, complete with the voices and memories of the people who lived it.
The Role of Place in Fundraising and Engagement
Engagement isn’t just about nostalgia, it’s a powerful driver of action. When alumni feel connected to the place that shaped them, they’re more likely to give back. Embedding development messaging into Virtual Spaces, (like highlighting a capital campaign for a new science building or a restoration effort for a historic hall), can create a direct emotional link between memory and mission.
By showing how the spaces they remember are being preserved, improved, or transformed, schools can turn passive reminiscing into active support.
Additionally, integrating spoken stories, video content, and archive materials into these experiences gives communications teams an abundance of compelling material for newsletters, social media, and donor outreach. The result is a multi-purpose digital asset that supports both engagement and advancement efforts.
What Spaces Should You Focus On?
Not every space will evoke the same emotional response. The most effective Virtual Spaces are usually those tied to collective experience and memory. Some ideas include:
Nostalgic Spaces – Boarding houses, dining halls, assembly rooms, theatres, sports pavilions
Iconic Locations – The oldest buildings on campus, or those with strong visual identity
Transformation Projects – Spaces undergoing renovation or change, allowing for “before and after” storytelling
Community Hubs – Areas where students came together socially or culturally
By focusing on spaces that hold emotional weight, schools can craft experiences that resonate with alumni and spark storytelling.
From Physical Place to Digital Legacy
In the past, school buildings were often showcased through static displays, photos on a wall, memorabilia in a case. Today, digital tools allow those same buildings to become living portals to memory. Whether your school is celebrating a major anniversary, or simply looking for new ways to engage alumni, the power of place should not be underestimated.
By blending physical heritage with interactive digital experiences, schools can offer alumni a way to reconnect, reflect, and contribute.
The Place Where It All Began
The classrooms, corridors, and courtyards of your school are more than architectural features, they’re anchors of identity. When alumni reconnect with these spaces, they’re not just revisiting a location, they’re returning to a version of themselves.
Whether through in-person visits or immersive digital experiences, place still matters. And in an increasingly global, digitally connected world, finding new ways to make those places accessible and meaningful is more important than ever.
SocialArchive helps schools and universities harness the power of place by turning your landmarks into immersive digital experiences that engage alumni, inspire giving, and preserve your legacy for generations to come.
Ready to bring your school’s spaces to life? Get in touch or book a demo today.