does anyone know what NOT to do with Alum?? I am trying to come up with creative ideas, but I also don't want to do something that may be too hard for them to participate in(due to their schedules etc)

Don't call/e-mail/bug alums when you only want money or want them to fix your mistakes. As a recent alum, the latter seems to be the only time I ever hear from my chapter. :rolleyes:

This is a real good thread.. I have gotten a couple of good ideas from it...

Until this semester we really didnt have much contact btw our alumni and our chapter. We have great advisors (alum) that help us out and are very dedicated, but that was about it. SO.. my main goal was to improve this.. I got selected as the IG chair of alumni relations...

this semester I have...

set up a listserv-- i have emailed them a bunch about upcoming activities to invite them to them.. also so they are aware of whats going on

set up an alumni section to our website-- they can put announcements here

held an alumni brunch before a football game

created a newsletter

an updated a lot of files.. granted this is not a lot but has taken up a lot of my time.. since we had only a list of names without really update email or addresses..


though i have gotten such good feedback from them. Everytime I send out an email to them, I get at least 15 back saying how great this is and how excited they are.. I hope that if we keep up this our alumni will start coming back more and more to things.. my goal is to have at least 30% come back to our 25th anniversary formal (still a few years away)...

Bump!

As I have said many times, it takes a lot of hard work! But guess what, it will be well worth it when you see the Alums coming together!

I am starting an e-m drive to get Alums back for Founders Day in Feb! Yep that damn early!

I did this 2 years ago and we had 80 +.. Well, I want more this time! I will get it as I am a bull dog in doing things!

Dont give up the fight! In the words of Brother Rambo, the 10-90 %. 10 % do the work and 90 % dont do anything!

Use the KISS principle, keep it simple stupid!

This is such a good thread that I thought it needed to be bumped up...again! :)

I'm so glad y'all bumped this up! I'm an overseas alumna with lots of time on her hands, so I've been in close contact with my chapter! We've got a new collegiate advisor and she's making a lot of changes!

I hope you don't mind, James, but I cut and pasted your email to a word document so I could email it to her! The only true activity that I remember as a collegian is asking them to come to our rush preview show. (We'd present materials for each day of rush, outfits, skits etc.) But, not much more...except the money thing....of course!

However, my school is in the final stages of completion for the Greek Park. All the sororities will have a house, and rush will now be conducted from them. I hope that interest will grow, considering total is usually only about 60. This information couldn't have come at a better time for me! THANK YOU!

Adrienne

DELTA GAMMA

Thats great. Just keep in touch with her. Follow-up is crucial.

James, thanks for getting this back up!:cool:

Any updates from previous posters??:confused:

All of the above still need to be carried on to get Alum growth.

This Wed. 14 KC area Alums are going to the T-Bones BaseBall game just to have fun and BS. If there are Alums in your area, just fun get togethers are great. Bonding is a way for Alums to get together and even talk about the Chapter and what is happening!:)

I think all these ideas are great James!

I'm the New Member Educator for my sorority and one of the things that we do with our alumnae is have "Alum Chums". An Alum Chum is paired up with a new member at the beginning of the pledge semester. Throughout the pledge semester they have lunch together, the new member corresponds with them through letters and phone calls, we invite them to bid day and initiation, and the alum usually gives them a gift at initiation, and they're invited to any other chapter event we feel is necessary. It is just a way for us to establish a relationship with our alumnae and new members and showing them from the start that membership does not end after 4 years.

We as alums do a leader ship meeting twice a year to work with the Chapter!

We are trying to get them to have New Assoc, Members to write email to an Alum of their Choice so we as Alums can give them advice. Work with them or be big Bros away from the Chapter!:)

i wish i read this thread earlier it really could have saved me some headaches.

I think it got burried by the alumnae initation threads.

Unless the alums are coming in from the bar of course. ;)

Seriously - if you are having problems with the way the collegians are treating you or feel they are being disrespectful, SPEAK UP and criticize constructively. The lack of mail could be due to lack of funds, and the unpreparedness for an alum event could be due to a lack of chapter communication that needs to be addressed.

But the collegians won't know anything is wrong unless they're told that no, just because this is the way it's always been doesn't mean that's the way it will always be. We had crappy alum relations when I was a collegian - my senior class changed that by coming back not just to have fun but also offering help and criticism when needed. It's a two way street. It changed the way actives felt about alums, and I am as close with some sisters I met as an alum as I am sisters I actually was in school with.

Owlie you are not the only one in a row boat with out oars!:(

This is where the Alum Chair should be one of the most important Offices of any Chapter, but is relgated to a minor position!:mad: Everyone want so Be Pres or Social Chair!

I have worked for many years now trying to get email addresses updated and then some change them and I am not notified! They get pissed when there is no information coming, and ask why????

Then, when the Active Chapter wants me to send out Alum and Active Information, I have had Alums tell Brothers I just ignor Toms Emails. Why arent I getting any updates!:eek:

It is a long and hard trip to get many Active Chapters to realize, that the Alums want to know what is going on With Their Active Chapter and will be more than willing to work for them because of the Love.

Side bar: I was down at the Chapter several years ago and there was a situation and I asked 3 of the main actives to see me. I asked them about a situation and was told it was none of my business, they were the Chapter Actives. They Ran it!

I looked at each one and said if it wasnt for me, We would not be having this discussion now!

The new ones now better than the old ones:rolleyes:

I can do it my way! Oops, hey Alums We have a Problem! Well, by then, it is to late! I can speak from a vast number of years experience and still fight it today!:( Oh, I am not the only Alum from My Chapter or many others from different Greek Orgaizations.

Just hang in and keep plugging along!:)

Do you have a Chapter House?

Do you do things for Homecoming and Founders Day?

Do you have a listing of Alums that You and some others keep in touch with?

Maybe do an Alum thing back at college just for Alums! Oh let the Chapter know you are doing it and for Alums only! Howl and knashing of teeth by the Active Chapter for being left out?

Sorry this was so long, but I just get pissed about Avtives who feel they can do better than those who were before them and can do it better!:rolleyes: