GFS graduates made their voices heard in the 2025 Alumni Survey, yielding results that will inform and inspire future alumni and student experiences. The survey, conducted between last February and June, garnered over 800 responses. GFS engaged an expert consultant who has been conducting similar surveys for independent schools for 30 years, giving us valuable and comparative insights. 

“We are grateful that so many GFS alumni shared their input and perspectives,” said Hannah Henderson ’91, Chief Advancement Officer. “We are excited about the ways in which what we learned will inform how we engage our alumni community, provide ideas for programming and opportunities for involvement, and point to important topics for further exploration with all facets of our community.” 

The survey reached a broad cross-section of the alumni community, with responses coming from every graduation year since 1949 and reflecting high engagement from various eras.

Top findings and recommendations center on the correlation between these indicators: satisfaction with the student experience, satisfaction with the alumni experience, and likelihood to engage with and support GFS. Comparative analysis with similar schools, along with open-ended feedback offered further insights. 

Alumni Reflections

“Glad to see GFS reaching out in this way. [The survey] Should provide us all with a good foundation on which to expand alumni(ae) involvement and interest.” 

“I feel very proud and fortunate to have attended GFS. It was a transformative part of my upbringing and education.”

“I have always looked back fondly at my time as a GFS student. It was not until later in my adulthood that I realized the full value of the education I was fortunate enough to experience. I often tell people that I would enroll my two kids at GFS if we lived closer.”

“Even today GFS remains the place where I made the most lasting friendships of my life.”

“I received an incredible education at GFS and feel very fortunate to have been able to attend on a scholarship. Without that support there would have been no way for me to go. Thank you!”

“My 14 years at GFS, along with my parents, made me what I have been for 87 years!”

“Thank you for your consideration of my voice. I loved my time at GFS and am glad to maintain a connection still.”

Top Findings

Key Insights and Recommendations

Several important insights and recommendations emerged from the survey data including:

Connecting with Mentors: A key recommendation is for GFS to serve as a conduit connecting alumni to their former teachers and mentors.

Prioritizing Diversity: Alumni assigned high priority to continuing to build a "more socio-economically diverse student body". 

Relationship Building: GFS would benefit from enhancing alumni relations that begin before graduation to strengthen the alumni experience.

“Thanks to so many GFS graduates’ thoughtful input and reflections on their student days through the survey, our community is further strengthened,” said Heeseung Lee ’91, Director of Alumni Relations. “The findings lay the groundwork for many meaningful conversations in the months and years ahead.”

Student Experience and Mission

• Asked about the success of GFS in fulfilling each component of its mission, respondents indicated a high measure of resonance, giving an average rating of 4.2. In particular, feeling respected and valued, a sense of belonging, and comfort with being oneself were strongly affirmed.  

• Extracurricular activities, with Athletics most highly rated, are critical for a good student experience and 96% were enthusiastically involved. Chorus, travel, theatre, and clubs also ranked highly. 

• 97% of respondents (well above the average) reported being strongly influenced by a teacher, coach, or staff member at GFS.

Alumni Experience 

• Regarding specific aspects of the alumni experience, 91% are proud to say they attended GFS, while 86% believe GFS today is an excellent educational institution. 
• A majority feel a strong connection to GFS, are in regular contact with GFS friends, and feel well informed about GFS activities.
• Alumni valued interacting with fellow alumni most, followed by interacting with teachers, coaches, and school leaders. 
• Of the 15% of alumni who have volunteered in the past five years, 80% expressed high or very high satisfaction with their experience. 

School Communications and Events

• Most value the GFS Bulletin (78%), followed by the Alumni Digest (54%), as their favorite types of school communications. 
• The topic that most interested respondents was alumni news, followed by academic programs, student stories, and faculty news. 
• Among GFS alumni events, of most interest was Alumni Weekend, followed by regional events.
• Nearly 70% of respondents welcome a new, password-protected alumni directory to facilitate professional and personal connections.

Giving

• 83% of alumni rated their likelihood of making a future gift to GFS as between somewhat likely and very likely. 
• When it comes to attitudes about giving, GFS alumni are above the average in feeling like their support is appreciated and 68% believe their gifts have a positive impact on the school. 
• Alumni believe the highest priorities for gifts are unrestricted for greatest need and student scholarship, both ranking a little over 50%; followed by DEI programs at 30%. Student scholarships are reported as the first or second most important priority on most campuses. 

Thank you to all of the GFS alumni who took the time to complete this survey and share their thoughts and opinions. If you have any questions, or would like any further information, please reach out to Heeseung Lee ’91, Director of Alumni Relations.