Alumni Association Best Practices

1
Alumni Association Best Practices

• Loyal Sons of Minervabeyond the walls of our
  Alma Mater.

2
Intended Outcomes

• Define focal points brand for successful A.A.
• Open discussion on potential stumbling blocks
• Open new communication lines between A.A.s
• Engage alumni and grow our alumni brotherhood!

3
What Can a Successful A.A. Do?

• Enjoy and expand the bonds of brotherhood beyond
  graduation and home chapters
• Develop the Brother Alumnus professionally
• Serve the undergraduate chapter or areas as
  mentors, advisers, or board members
• Stay young in Ritual, Member Development,
  Mentoring and Recruitment
• Strong alumni ties guide strong chapters
• Develop future volunteer leaders in Sigma Alpha
  Epsilon

4
What Makes Successful A.A.

• Availability
• Communication
• Consistency/Repeatabilty
• Successful Chapter practices carry to successful
  A.A. practicesand vice versa!
• Network with other A.A.s in the Realm and apply
  for awards!
• Alumni Associations tend to be isolated and
  staticneeds to change to keep our alumni active.
• Awards, updates in The Record, and new ideas from
  other AAs help growth.

5
What Can a Successful A.A. Do?

• Availability
• Leaders of the A.A. should be available to
  college seniors, brothers new to the area, and
  general inquiries
• Communication
• Build and maintain an email database. Send
  regular (quarterly) e-newsletter. Yearly hard
  mail newsletter.
• Oregon Alpha e-newsletter
• Consistency/Repeatability
• Set social calendar as early as possible. Best
  A.A.s hold the same event annually. Busy Alumni
  need time and predictability to attend events
• e.g. Old Crow Christmas Tradition in Denver
• e.g. Toledo hands out coins with three events
  Steak Roast, Founders Day, Golf Outing

6
Benchmark Events Bring Back Alumni!

• Examples of Events throughout realm
• Homecoming should be the platform for Alumni
  Association activities, not THE sole event
• Kansas City AA Christmas Fundraiser
• Greater Atlanta AA Speaker series
• SAE National Softball, Golf, Poker, etcall these
  started as local alumni ideas!
• Find ways to support the chapter
• Mentoring programs
• Newport, CA Blazer Drive
• Buy graduation cords for seniors
• Recruitment events and use the Ritual build the
  Graduation Ceremony

7
What Can a Successful A.A. Do?

• Successful A.A. operate much like successful
  chapters on the next level!
• Collect regular dues
• Submit paperwork regularly with FSC
• KEEP RECRUITING to build the bench!
• Interact with other A.A.s and compete for annual
  awards
• Make the most of Convention
• Raise Money
• Send more undergraduates to Leadership School
• Create a trust through Foundation to award
  scholarships
• Improve the lives of undergrads
• Recognize Successful Alumni!
• Coordinate keynote speakers for events
• Volunteer awards should be utilized

8
Building the Bench

• Alumni Associations are the broadest and most
  social aspect of Sigma Alpha Epsilons powerful
  volunteer system
• Alumni Mentors, Housing Corporations, and
  Advisory Boards typically find members from
  successful and active A.A.s
• Volunteerism at high levels of SAE are driven by
  alumni associations!

9
Building the Bench -

• The best A.A. have active members of all ages and
  experiences young alumni, family men, and
  retirees.
• Each brother and his professional experience
  build strength in the A.A.
• Attracting a diverse A.A. group comes from a
  balanced variety of social events
• Founders Day attracts everyone
• Monthly Happy Hours might only attract younger
  members
• Golf outings might only attract older members
• The KEY is to overlap and interact your A.A. and
  provide them a network of brotherhood and growth.

10
Resources Available

• TGI Online Certification Program thetgi.sae.net
• www.saerecord.net
• Alumni Awards link on thetgi.sae.net
• Everyone should use www.sae.net to stay informed
  and find resources
• Outstanding Housing Corporation Award
• Outstanding Chapter or Area Alumni Association
  Award
• Bill Fiscus Outstanding Area Alumni Association
  Award
• Stuart Zoock Outstanding Alumni Advisory Board
• Outstanding Alumni Association and Housing
  Corporation Communication Award
• Special Event/Project Award

• Question-and-Answer
• Session
• Do not forget to complete the post-webinar survey.