Provides advice for small alumni offices on how to sponsor an alumni travel program, focusing on booking a travel agent, deciding where to go, using faculty as tour guides or lecturers, making time for alumni office staff to go along, remembering special touches, visiting local alumni, avoiding overt fund raising, and being prepared for problems.…

This article presents five basic guidelines for initiating a successful alumni merchandising program: (1) shop around for the best vendor; (2) decide what to sell; (3) manage merchandise properly; (4) watch out for risky business; and (5) get what you pay for. (MDM)

This booklet is both a description of activities to organize a General Educational Development program (GED) alumni association and a guide to starting an alumni group. It specifically focuses on "Operation Alumni," a project to establish a local GED alumni organization at Reading Area Community College that could serve as a state model…

Some things to consider before planning separate alumni activities or associations for young alumni include common assumptions about young adults' interests, spending patterns, willingness to do fund-raising, and interest in meeting older graduates. (MSE)

Advice is offered for making college alumni reunions fun and memorable, illustrated with anecdotes from various institutions. Suggestions include exciting opening activities, focusing on the particular habits or characteristics of a class, appealing to a variety of tastes, emphasizing class identity, savoring favorite campus traditions, and…

The experiences of several colleges and universities in expanding, streamlining, and enhancing alumni association regional programs are presented. Issues discussed include event attendance, offering services efficiently, conducting focus groups, designing events and selecting speakers, and communicating with leaders and members. (MSE)

This report and reference booklet is designed to provide adult education supervisors, instructors, and General Educational Development (GED) students and alumni with information to establish GED alumni associations as part of the adult basic education program. The final report details the GED Alumni Stretch and Reach project, which was proposed to…

Alumni continuing education programs can be self-supporting, but they will not thrive unless faculty and administration appreciate their intrinsic value. Garnering ideas and support from the campus community can be invaluable. The alumni program director's goal is to show that continuing education is an extension of the institution's primary…

Alumni leaders should be included in a school or college capital campaign drive. The alumni office can help find prospects, provide events and programs for fund raising, promote the campaign, involve alumni staff members. Alumni themselves can assist in campaign planning and inspire others to give by donating themselves. (MSE)

The University of Minnesota Alumni Association has developed from a fraternal organization into a credible and active force in campus and state higher education policy. Networking, careful selection of issues, and clear communication with the college administration have been keys to the group's success. (MSE)

When events or circumstances (war, conversion to coeducation, class size) have disrupted college class cohesiveness or alumni identification with a class or institution, creative planning can bring them back to campus. Segmentation into interest groups may also unite alumni with each other and the institution. (MSE)

This book is a how-to manual on creating an alumni relations program, including starting an alumni association. Brief sections address the following topics: defining purpose, launching the organization, establishing a membership policy, establishing a budget, writing a mission statement, creating a long-range plan, working with the development…

Programming that involves both the alumni association and current students can build good working relationships, promote the alumni office, and help provide efficient student programming. The experiences of several colleges and universities illustrate the creative role alumni can play in campus programs. (MSE)

Ways in which college alumni officers are using emerging technology to enhance regional programming and distance communication are described, including World Wide Web sites, electronic mail, and satellite and video technologies. Suggestions are made for getting started: defining goals, doing research, offering inexpensive connections, and…

The efforts to develop a long-range plan for the Wisconsin Alumni Association are described. Steps to take to set up a long-range plan for alumni associations include: needs assessment, volunteer committee to advise staff, situation analysis, alumni census, mission statement, goals, implementing the plan, and evaluation. (MLW)