Volunteers put the special touch in reunion and are needed to contact classmates and plan class events. There are two types of reunion volunteers: Reunion Planning and Reunion Giving. Volunteer to ensure your reunion is a success!
Overview of Reunion Volunteering Responsibilities
Alumni Office |
Reunion Volunteers |
| Create and promote a fun and lively weekend! | Create and promote a fun and lively weekend! |
| Design, print and distribute reunion program information. | Personalize communications targeted specifically to your class. |
| Provide committee members with class lists and calling cards. | Network with classmates to encourage reunion attendance. |
| Plan all-class activities (Parade of Classes, Alumni Assembly, etc). | Plan class-specific weekend events or activities (sports, lectures). |
| Select reunion memento, produce and distribute reunion directory. | Provide "special touches" at class events (memorabilia, speaker, etc.) |
| Provide weekend information packets, programs and nametags. | Greet classmates as they arrive at planned events. |
| Coordinate hotel and restaurant reservations, plan menus. | Promote and support reunion giving campaign. |
Reunion Planning Volunteer
As a volunteer, you can choose the role that fits best with your personal style, preference and schedule. There are three main components to successful reunion planning: promotion, events and hospitality.
Promotion
Promotion is the key to a successful reunion. The number one reason alumni attend their reunion is to see friends. A call, email or letter from a classmate goes a long way towards generating a buzz and ensuring good attendance. Be sure to start contacting your classmates early. Pick someone on the committee to write a letter of invitation and a post-reunion wrap-up to be sent with standard reunion mailings.
The alumni office will provide class lists with contact information. Also available are calling cards, custom-designed emails and stationary, address labels and postage.
What to talk about
- Review the dates
- Encourage attendance and early registration
- Urge classmates to start a calling tree
- Review program highlights
- Friday night event
- Parade of Classes
- Alumni Assembly
- Alumni Luncheon
- Saturday afternoon activities
- Sporting events
- Saturday night reunion celebration
- Any other class specific activities
- Review the recommended hotel
- Promote reunion giving
- Direct them to the Alumni web site www.alumni.beloit.edu for updates on reunion information and attendance
Events
Plan events and activities that will make your reunion program special and unique. Activities can range from a Saturday afternoon frisbee game to an after-dinner speaker. You know your era and classmates best--choose activities and events that will be meaningful and fun for them.
Program Ideas
The best program ideas are those that allow classmates to reconnect with each other and that draw upon special experiences that the class shared during their college years.
- Have an “open mic” session to share favorite Beloit stories
- Invite a faculty member to attend or speak at your class dinner
- Create a trivia contest based on your time at Beloit
- Have an alumni sporting event; soccer, basketball, frisbee golf
- Create a memorabilia display. Use items from your own collection or visit the College Archives
- Revive a class tradition or song
- Ask someone to read your class commencement speech
- Utilize talents of classmates, ask them to perform at your dinner
- Hire a DJ or musical group to entertain
- Create a video or slide show using photos and music
- Have a contest for “who came the farthest, who has the most children, etc.” and give away prizes
- Do a “class history”, report on highlights from each year your class was at Beloit College
Hospitality
Hospitality can be divided into two main parts: the hospitality room and reunion hosts.
Hospitality Room
The hospitality room is often the highlight of the weekend. The committee needs to decide whether or not to reserve a room at your class's hotel and what refreshments, decorations and host duties will be needed. It’s a good idea to assign a “keeper of the key” and hours when the room will be open each day. The expense for the room is the responsibility of the class. Please note, some hotels will not allow outside food and beverages, check with your hotel before making arrangements.
Reunion Hosts
The main function of the host(s) is to welcome classmates and serve as the emcees of your class dinner. Host responsibilities include:
- Greet classmates
- Make announcements about dinner or entertainment
- Introduce special guests
- Have a moment of silence in honor of classmates who are no longer with us
- Lead reunion programs
- Ask reunion questions and give out door prizes
- Recognize the Reunion Planning Volunteers
Reunion Giving Volunteers
Reunion Giving provides an opportunity for classes to have a direct impact on Beloit College, encouraging increased class participation and gift upgrades. Many classes use the occasion of their reunion to launch or highlight a special class giving project that reflects the interests of the class and also provides essential funding to specific programs and initiatives.
Often, reunion gift initiatives spark and renew class spirit, and concentrated efforts by volunteers during class reunions can spur classes on to new records of giving.
Reunion Giving Volunteers focus on encouraging fellow classmates to make a gift or pledge to commemorate their reunion. Most people give because they have a relationship with Beloit College. Personal contacts from a classmate help build these relationships far better than the typical letters to alumni and are far more effective.
The Reunion Giving Volunteers help to establish goals and strategies for the solicitation of their classmates. Typical strategies include direct mail campaigns and peer-to-peer solicitations, often via telephone or email.
Reunion Giving Volunteers are asked to:
- Participate in committee meetings or conference calls to discuss class giving strategies, goals and projects.
- Complete a classmate screening.
- Author or co-author a letter or email to classmates about reunion giving
- Personally encourage 8-12 classmates to give a reunion gift.
- Make a reunion gift (it is much more compelling to ask a peer to give when you have already made your own contribution).
You can make a difference by volunteering to help promote class giving in honor of your reunion.