CLASS OFFICER GUIDE. gustavus adolphus college Saint Peter, Minnesota GUSTAVUS gustavus.edu

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1 CLASS OFFICER GUIDE gustavus adolphus college Saint Peter, Minnesota GUSTAVUS gustavus.edu

2 Dear Gustie Class Officers, We are extremely proud of the accomplishments, both personal and professional, of Gustavus alumni and want to provide an opportunity for Gusties to be actively engaged in the mission of the College. It is our desire to make this process smooth, enjoyable, and unique to the personality of your class. This is possible with the help of this Class Officer Guide. Inside you ll find tips and advice for each of the Class Officer roles to support and direct you and your class volunteers. Please take some time to review the enclosed materials and remember that we are here to help every step of the way. Thank you again for continuing a strong Gustie tradition of community, excellence, justice, service and faith. Go Gusties! Glen Lloyd Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS GAC REP Review... 4 Quick Guide to Class Officer Roles... 5 President... 6 Vice President/Event Chair Recruitment Chair Communication Chair Gustavus Fund Chair Notes CONTACT INFORMATION Alumni and Parent Engagement alumni@gustavus.edu Glen Lloyd Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Angela Erickson 01 Assistant Director, Alumni and Parent Engagement Kasey Linde Manager of the Gustavus Fund Philly Kauffmann H 15 Administrative Assistant Nicole Goebel Assistant Manager of the Gustavus Fund Terrie Mirable-Dettmer Administrative Assistant

4 Class Officer Guide GAC REP: Gustie Class Officer Responsibilities 1 2 Giving Appreciation What do Class Officers do? Top Six Activities Giving Standard Each class will have participation goals. Class officers use many different methods to encourage giving to Gustavus. Class Officers will be encouraged to personally give to the Gustavus Fund. Reach Goals Communication Recruitment Events & Reunions Appreciation Thank-you notes to classmates who have donated money, volunteered their time (mentoring, guest speaker, etc.), or attended an event. 6 Participation Communications Two class letters/ s per year or six Facebook posts in designated class Facebook group. Recruit Encourage new students to visit Gustavus. Recruit Alumni Mentors. Events Every five years there is a class reunion. Officers are responsible to plan or form a committee to plan the reunion. Participate Attend the annual Class Officer Day, reunions and/or Homecoming plus one more Gustavus event. 4

5 CLASS OFFICER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES President...Glen Lloyd Recruit, support, and communicate with active class officers and reunion committees (ongoing) Connect with five classmates each month to share College news, catch up, and gather news for the class letters (Monthly) Complete an annual executive summary highlighting the work of the class officers (June) Vice-President/Event Chair...Angela Erickson 01 the coordination of a reunion planning committee and communication with the College (planning begins one year prior to reunion, meetings will vary).assist in planning class events in non-reunion years with the help of the College (8-12 wks lead time needed for College support).assume responsibilities of president if he/she is unable to fulfill duties Gustavus Fund Chair...Kasey Linde klinde2@gustavus.edu Lead class participation effort for Give to Gustavus Day (November) and Rally Days (April) Send thank you notes/ s/calls to classmates when they make a donation (monthly) Communications Chair...Philly Kauffmann H 15 pkauffma@gustavus.edu.develop, write, and submit letters of class news and College highlights (August 15/January 15).Actively promote class/college news on social media to keep classmates connected (ongoing) Recruitment Chair...Glen Lloyd glloyd@gustavus.edu.in coordination with the admission office, recruit peers to meet with prospective students and answer questions they may have about Gustavus (Fall) Angela Erickson 01 aerickson@gustavus.edu Recruit volunteers to help with Rally Days (Winter) Kasey Linde klinde2@gustavus.edu.encourage and promote classmates to participate in the mentoring program (Spring) Amy Pehrson apehrson@gustavus.edu RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL CLASS OFFICERS 1. Attend Class Officer Day 2. Show your Gustie Pride in your community, at Gustavus events, and on social media 3. Support the Gustavus Fund 4. Assist with Rally Days, reunion planning, and other volunteer opportunities as able 5. Collect and share class news with the communications chair to help with class letters 5

6 Class Officer Guide How will the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement assist me in the role of President? Our office is committed to your success; we want to provide you with all the tools available to make sure you shine in this role! Your general contact in our office is Glen Lloyd, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Glen Lloyd Director, Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement (office) (cell) WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT? The President coordinates the Class Officers and class activities in collaboration with the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement. The President is the first point of contact for the class and should operate as a key connector to other Class Officers, the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement, and other functions of the College. Responsibilities include acting as a primary leader, coordinator, recruiter, and motivator for the class and Class Officers. The President will work collaboratively with the Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement. President s Responsibilities.Ongoing: ensure all roles are filled and/or the responsibilities of all officers are being met.ongoing: recruit, support, and communicate with active Class Officers and reunion committees Monthly: Connect with five classmates each month to share College news, catch up, and gather news for the class letters.june: Complete an annual executive summary highlighting the work of the Class Officers 6

7 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CLASS VICE PRESIDENT/EVENTS CHAIR? Gustavus has always been a place that values community, and it is our hope that community continues to be cultivated in graduates well beyond their time on The Hill. As VP/Events Chair, your role primarily lies in facilitating those connections and providing opportunities to gather and reminisce that incorporate things that make your class unique and offer an inclusive environment for all to reconnect with Gustavus and one another. In a reunion year, your goal will be to lead the efforts of planning a great reunion and disseminating information to the other class officers so that they might also do their jobs well in communicating with the class, encouraging volunteers, and inviting gifts. We know that this work is best done when spread among members of a committee, so please do what you can to divide and conquer! In a non-reunion year, your classmates still look to you to facilitate events or activities that help keep them connected. Again, the office is happy to help facilitate those activities and looks forward to working with you to provide the tools and resources you need to make them successful. Finally, as vice president, we ask that you maintain consistent communication with your class president and stay tuned into other committee work and planning. In some circumstances, vice presidents are asked to step into the presidential role, so keeping your finger on the pulse of what s happening in your class officer structure is key to success. Planning a Reunion The Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement has prepared a Reunion Planning Guide that all reunion committee members should consult as you undertake the planning of your reunion. Overall, there are aspects of the reunion weekend that will be planned by each class reunion committee, and others that all classes are encouraged to participate in and enjoy which will be orchestrated by campus staff members. Our goal is to give you the tools you need and empower you to incorporate elements into your reunion that are unique to your class and which reflect your class shared experiences and stage in life, while How will the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement assist me in the role of Class Vice President/Events Chair? Our office is committed to the success of your reunion and class-specific events; we want to provide you with all the tools available to make sure you shine in this role! Several of our staff members will assist you throughout your time as VP/ Events Chair, but the lead for event planning in our office is Angela Erickson 01. She serves as the conduit for you between the work of your committee and oncampus and local contacts, and is happy to attend your meetings, provide feedback and structure where appropriate, and keep you on track. Angela Erickson 01 Assistant Director, Programs and Engagement (office) (cell) aerickson@gustavus.edu continued on page 8 7

8 Class Officer Guide also providing opportunities to engage with other reunion classes and the Gustavus community to get the most out of your reunion. This structure will result in robust and meaningful programming while not representing an onerous task for you in its planning and execution. Planning can be done in person, over the phone, or via , so encourage participation by anyone interested. The time commitment made by a committee member will vary depending on committee size, stage of the planning process, and group efficiency. On average, a member will spend 2-10 hours a month working on reunion planning, with the majority of time spent communicating with peers via or social networks. Knowing that a large-scale event such as a reunion requires thought, planning, feedback, and preparation means that keeping a timeline is crucial. This general timeline is meant to guide your work in the year leading up to your reunion so that you and your committee members find the work manageable and enjoyable and are able to take great pride in the finished result! Summer Prior to Reunion Connect with class members to develop your reunion committee. September Prior to Reunion First meeting for reunion planning committee. Schedule future meetings and discuss overall goals and priorities. Fall Prior to Reunion (October) Individual class reunion committee meetings in the Twin Cities. Use conference call or Skype as needed. Use meeting to discuss plans, divide labor, and solidify timelines for action items. Invite Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement staff as appropriate. Summarize and report back to other class officers and Alumni & Parent Engagement staff for use in class letters, phone calls, and gift solicitation conversations. Winter Prior to Reunion (January) Individual class reunion committee meetings in the Twin Cities. Use conference call or Skype as needed. Report back on progress and continue to refine plans. Invite Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement staff as appropriate. Communicate progress to other class officers and members of Alumni & Parent Engagement staff. Spring Prior to Reunion (March) Individual class reunion committee meetings in the Twin Cities. Use conference call or Skype as needed. Refine plans and discuss details, inviting Alumni & Parent Engagement staff as needed. Report to class agents and Alumni and Parent Engagement staff for inclusion in invitations, calling scripts, and incorporation of class-specific activities into general event schedule. One Month Prior to Reunion Individual class reunion committee meetings in the Twin Cities. Use conference call or Skype as needed. Use this meeting to make sure all details have been attended to and all plans are set. Communicate back to class officers and Alumni and Parent Engagement staff so everyone knows things are on track! Late May/Early June Reunion Weekend come and enjoy the fruits of your labor! Late June 2017 After Reunion Weekend, meet and/or communicate with committee members to help shape language for reunion recap class letter. Include Reunion Weekend activities, highlights and memorable moments, thank yous for those who helped in planning, etc. 8

9 Organizing a Committee Reunion planning committees who have enjoyed success in the past say that it is essential to include others in the planning of the event and not to go it alone. These peers will help share in the decision-making, planning, and information dissemination. You may have friends or other classmates in mind to ask to help, and that s great! If you don t have ideas on who to ask to join you in planning, please know that the Alumni and Parent Engagement office can be of assistance. Our office can help identify members of your class who have been engaged and involved with Gustavus since graduation. We may also be able to assist in locating people with diverse interests, backgrounds, and skill sets so that you re able to plan activities and events that are inclusive and mindful of classmates varied experiences as students and alumni. Again, experience has told us that a robust committee leads to success, so don t underestimate the value of reaching out to as many people as possible as you develop your committee. From personalized notes and s to power in numbers for dividing labor, you ll be glad you found some willing classmates to help you along the way! If you know classmates personally and have access to their contact information, feel free to reach out to them and report back on their level of interest. If you need help in reaching out to people, please contact our office. What should I be doing in a non-reunion year? We know that reunion years require a lot of planning leading up to the event, and that those events are attended by a large segment of your graduating class. However, it s important to keep the momentum going in non-reunion years, since there s plenty to celebrate and lots of fun ways to connect. We recommend that your help your class plan at least one event per year in non-reunion years. These events can be anything from a happy hour to a flash mob; it s completely up to you (and any impromptu committee members you recruit to help you!). Here are some other ideas: potluck picnic in a park group outing to a sporting event or fine arts performance celebration of a milestone birthday (most of your classmates turn 30, 40, 50, 60, etc. in the same year) talent show recreational sporting game or tournament coordinated attendance at a larger event (State Fair, Christmas in Christ Chapel, Basilica Block Party) workshop or seminar for information relevant for classmates in a particular life stage (home ownership, retirement, financial planning, parenting, etc.) The Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement can assist you with swag purchases, registration forms, mailers, electronic communications, Facebook groups, and other ways to make your event a success, so please don t hesitate to ask just give us enough time (6-8 weeks) to follow process with marketing and other offices to ensure a great event. 9

10 Class Officer Guide How will the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement assist me in the role of Recruitment? Our office is committed to your success; we want to provide you with all the tools available to make sure you shine in this role! Several of our staff members will assist you throughout your time as Recruitment Chair, but a great general contact in our office is Glen Lloyd, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Glen Lloyd Director, Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement (office) (cell) glloyd@gustavus.edu WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE RECRUITMENT CHAIR? Community is key among those who call themselves Gusties. It s often why they chose Gustavus as a student and often what they re most proud of as a Gustie for Life. For you, that s good news, as it means Gusties are dedicated to the cause and are eager to help one another! In short, recruitment means uncovering volunteers to help with various tasks and helping guide those who have indicated an interest in assisting with the work of the alumni association to the appropriate contact. Maintaining contact with other class officers, understanding what work they re doing, and keeping up with timelines of key campus offices will help you greatly in this role. For example, if you re coming up on a class reunion year, your VP/Events Chair will likely be looking for volunteers to serve on the planning committee. In any year, helping your Gustavus Fund Chair find ambassadors for philanthropy will be an incredible asset and paramount to the success of reaching your class giving goals and participation benchmarks. The admission office is greatly assisted by alumni who can help staff college fairs, meet with students, write personal cards, or otherwise connect with high school seniors; and the career development office is always looking for Gusties to mentor current students and recent grads. So, while you don t need to know everything about all those roles, it s at least helpful to know where to direct the alumni you recruit. If you ever feel you need more information, please know that the Alumni and Parent Engagement office is only a phone call or away. This general timeline is meant to guide your work throughout the year so that you find the work manageable and are able to plan your outreach. 10

11 Winter Recruit philanthropy/giving volunteers for Rally Days in consultation with Gustavus Fund Chair Spring Wrap up philanthropy/giving volunteer search Recruit professional mentors for Gustavus Mentoring Program Continue recruitment of professional mentors Summer Recruit reunion committee members if entering reunion year in consultation with VP/Events Chair Begin recruiting student recruitment volunteers Wrap up recruitment of professional mentors Fall Wrap up reunion committee recruitment in reunion year Wrap up student recruitment/admission volunteers search Encourage classmates to recommend prospective students Year-Round Maintain communication with other class officers Report progress and keep in contact with Alumni and Parent Engagement office staff Recruiting Admission/Student Recruitment Volunteers Do you know Gusties who are engaging, articulate, and passionate about Gustavus? We all do! While many alums are able to contribute in a meaningful way to the work of recruiting prospective students, the ones who work well with prospective students often exhibit those traits. Finding alums who want to help find other students who would make great Gusties is easy. Student recruitment volunteers help guide high school students through the college admission process and get to tell their Gustavus stories. There are many opportunities to assist, whether in passive or active tasks executed from home, in their local communities, and/or on-campus. Here are some ways in which these volunteers can make a great impact on the work of the admission office: Referrals of outstanding members of their local community whom they believe would be great Gusties, including friends and family members (anytime; our data system takes eighth graders through seniors, but the earlier the better so they receive consistent communication from the office about events, deadlines, etc.) Letter writing, s, and/or phone calls (normally from application to yield season; November-April) Join admission staff at college fairs in Midwest and/or staff fairs in out-of-state areas to increase coverage and reach of Gustavus (normally fall and spring circuits, depending on the state; training and materials provided) Attend events on-campus or in Twin Cities during yield season (January-April) Coffee shop chats or other individual appointments (anytime, but probably after a student has been admitted in the fall of their senior year) Visits to high schools, especially an alum s alma mater (anytime, but best fall or spring) Feedback about the college search and application process as alums navigate the search process with their own children or remember the process themselves These tasks do not require a significant time commitment yet are highly rewarding. The admission office works diligently to recruit each incoming class, but trends indicate that more sustained, personal interaction from several angles (admission counselor, alumni, faculty, staff, teachers, friends, etc.) is what nudges students to a particular school. Alums are encouraged to use the information mailed to them with the Gustavus Alumni Referral Scholarship packet as conversation starters when continued on page 12 11

12 Class Officer Guide engaging with young people in their local communities. Your role as Recruitment Chair is to keep this information fresh in your classmates minds and encourage them to step up to take on more active roles in the student recruitment process. Once you ve identified an alum interested in helping in the work of student recruitment, your role is to serve as a master facilitator. That means knowing who to notify so that the conversation can continue and he or she can pitch in. Angela Erickson 01, Assistant Director, Programs and Engagement is a great first contact. She worked in the admission office at Gustavus and serves as the liaison between the two offices; she is happy to answer your questions. Please contact her at aerickson@gustavus.edu or Recruiting for the Gustavus Mentoring: Engaging for Success Program Mentoring a young professional is a highly rewarding experience and vital to the success of our graduates. In recent years, the economics and management department developed a mentoring program, and its success prompted the Office of Career Development to expand beyond that department and encourage mentorship pairings in a variety of disciplines and career areas. The mentoring program at Gustavus runs October through May, and mentoring pairs are expected to make contact at least once per month. Conversation starters and other resources are provided through the career development office, so alums interested in helping in the program should feel confident that volunteering will not represent a heavy burden. Mentors are expected to assist current students and/or recent graduates with the following: Resume building Interview preparation Networking protocol, tips and tricks Job search resources and techniques General professional guidance and advice Mentors looking to be paired with students should register online prior to September 30 and can register online at gustavus.edu/mentoring/registration. This means while you can always be looking for professional mentors, your most active recruitment takes place from January-September with a push during the summer and fall months. For questions about the mentorship program, please contact Amy Pehrson 91, Director for Mentoring and Peer Education, at apehrson@gustavus.edu or Rally Days and Philanthropy Recruitment Working with the Gustavus Fund Chair in your class and the Manager of the Gustavus Fund in the Alumni and Parent Engagement office is the key to success with this aspect of your role. Your goal should be to recruit as many classmates as possible to help spread the word on fundraising efforts and inviting gifts to the College. These individuals may be classmates who have been generous in their philanthropy in the past, but may also be people who benefitted from generous financial aid at Gustavus (thus understanding the direct impact of philanthropy on the student experience) and/or those who are very savvy in communication and building excitement around a cause. After all, the message during Rally Days (our week-long fundraising push in the spring) is all about participation, not just major donations, so it s most important that these people realize that every gift counts and that even small gifts impact the College s operations in significant ways. When soliciting volunteers for this effort, knowledge about your class giving history, current giving percentage, and goals for the year will be helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact your Gustavus Fund Chair or Kasey Linde, Manager of the Gustavus Fund, at klinde2@gustavus.edu or for information or tips on how to be successful in this work. In terms of timeline, Rally Days take place in April, so developing a team of volunteers during the winter months will likely be your strategy. These volunteers will be asked to participate in social media outreach (liking, sharing, commenting on Facebook or tweeting/retweeting on Twitter, for example) and will also be involved in making direct peer-to-peer solicitations (phone calls/texts/ s) to get the word out and boost participation numbers. 12

13 COMMUNICATION CHAIRS Class Letters Develop, write and submit semi-annual class letters. Concisely include professional, volunteer, family (weddings/births), and all other news submitted by classmates. Letters are due in August and January. News received by the Alumni and Parent Engagement office will be ed to all Class Officers approximately two weeks before a class letter is due. The Communications Chair is responsible for compiling the letter. If there is no Communications Chair, then the President is responsible. Include as many different classmates as possible in each letter. Stay informed and involved in events of the College and write about them. We encourage more frequent letters during a reunion year. Each letter will be edited/proofed and campus news added. The letters are sent by to those classmates who have an address listed with us. For those who don t have an listed with us, the letter will be printed and mailed. Maintain Social Media Presence If one doesn t exist already, create a Facebook page for your class. It s simple open your account, under Groups, click on Create a Group, it will walk you through it. Be sure to select the Closed group option, so only your classmates can view the posts. Add updates to your posts by taking updates from the College event posts, College news posts, and class notable news. If you have a Twitter account, share Gustavus news in your tweets. Note: Class Officers no longer have responsibilities for The Gustavus Quarterly which the Gustavus staff will produce. Tips For Class Letter Writing Incorporate a few pictures in your letter to help create interest and memories. If you ve run out of ideas for an opening paragraph, write about a memory from your college days. Invite a classmate to be a guest letter writer you don t have to do all the work! Some officers have specifically written in a letter that they want to hear from Jane Doe, Pat Johnson, and Ole I. Dunno. Classmates will usually come through with an update if they ve been called out. Some officers have ed or called on five or six different classmates per letter to ask for news. Be truthful (no false reporting) and stay positive. Send your Class Letter to Philly or to the Alumni and Parent Engagement Office at pkauffma@gustavus.edu or alumni@gustavus.edu. If you have any questions feel free to call continued on page 14 13

14 Class Officer Guide CLASS LETTER CONTENT SUGGESTIONS PER ROLE Note: If you invite other Officers to write some content for the letter, please put it together and submit one written letter, rather than four or five people submitting to Gustavus for the same letter. President Communicate class accomplishments and objectives for year Introduce class officer team and invite classmates to help officers Recap of the previous year s activity and giving Mention class notes in The Gustavus Quarterly and promote class news updates Encourage classmates to attend on and off campus events Include campus news of interest Vice-President/Event Chair After reunion thank reunion committee for their work and classmates in attendance Write a summary of reunion activity and afterglow message Dates of next reunion and reunion planning timeline Message to recruit reunion committee members and reunion Announce non-reunion year annual class gathering Gustavus Fund Chair Communicate previous year s Gustavus Fund dollars, donors and percentage Current class Gustavus Fund goals, dollars, donors, percentage, and plan for current fund year Inform class members about the importance, need and outcomes of the Gustavus Fund Communications Chair Include more extensive and detailed class news not printed in Quarterly Recruit classmates to help with communication team (class web page, Facebook) Ask classmates to update addresses Promote web-based Gribly to connect with classmates Recruitment Chair Encourage class to help recommend potential students.inform class about current enrollment, applicants and other admission data.encourage Gustavus Mentoring Program and becoming a mentor for current Gustavus students Mention success stories from the mentoring program from within the class Recruit volunteers for Rally Days outreach 14

15 THANK YOU FOR SERVING AS THE GUSTAVUS FUND CHAIR! We are grateful for your service and understanding the vital role the Gustavus Fund plays in the day-to-day operations as well as the future of the College. As the Gustavus Fund chair, you directly influence your peers and their decision to support Gustavus. Those gifts are the reason we can increase the number and size of scholarships to students, grow the services and opportunities for students, and provide a worldclass liberal arts education. On behalf of the students, thank you for making the difference in their Gustavus experience. We are all appreciative of your time, energy, and effort. Go Gusties! 15

16 WHAT REALLY IS THE GUSTAVUS FUND? The Gustavus Fund is a collective effort of the Gustavus community to finacially support vital people, programs, and places on campus. The Gustavus Fund supports almost 90% of all students through scholarships and financial aid and when a professor requests new technology to teach the latest research method, the Gustavus Fund provides the funding to purchase equipment or materials. The Gustavus Fund ensures that students have access to health services, tutoring opportunities, and extra-curricular activities. At a time where the cost of tuition does not fully cover the amount needed to operate the College, the Gustavus Fund attempts to fill that gap each year. The College practices transparency and fiscal responsibility revolving around our mission and student-centered decision making. Although we encourage donors to consider the Gustavus Fund in their philanthropy, restricted giving (i.e. department, athletic team, etc.) is equally appreciated. All gifts made to the College are counted in alumni giving participation. WHAT ABOUT PARTICIPATION? You may have heard more about participation in the past year and that is because there is a renewed desire to see Gustavus alumni join together and support the current and future Gusties. With your help, we can rejuvenate the Gustie spirit of giving and participating in supporting the College financially. Participating means giving at a level at which you are comfortable, together we can accomplish something great. Popular rankings, such as the U.S. News & World Report, heavily weigh alumni giving percentage into their calculations. Although these rankings are not completely accurate in assessing quality, they are used very often by prospective students when making their college decision. Alumni giving percentage is also a statistic often required on grant applications. Our focus on participation will be highlighted in our reunion giving efforts and during our spring giving week, Rally Days. We welcome you to assist the office with both of those initiatives as able. 16

17 GIVE TO GUSTAVUS DAY BE BOLD GIVE TO YOUR AND GOLD GIVE TO GUSTAVUS DAY Give to Gustavus Day (G2G) is always the Tuesday before Give to the Max Day in November. This year s G2G Day will feature new incentives for donors to personalize their gift to the campus. It is an online/social media giving day which means we would love your help spreading the word for 24 hours. Here are a few ways you can help: your classmates alerting them of G2G Send text or Facebook messages Post, tweet, like, favorite. go social media crazy on G2G Day! If you are interested in helping with G2G Day, please annualfund@gustavus.edu. We will provide you with scripts, photos with the G2G Day design, and ideas on how to spread the word. Your network will make the difference in G2G Day s success. RALLY DAYS Rally Days Many of you volunteered last spring for the inaugural Rally Days and enjoyed the successes of raising nearly $100,000 for Gustavus and welcoming nearly 800 donations. It accounted for 16% of our total gifts made by alumni in fiscal year Rally Days will take place again in the spring (April 1 6) and focus on alumni giving participation. Similar to G2G Day, you can help by: Calling, ing, or texting classmates Updating your class Facebook page with competition results Use social media or personal connections to reach those who are un-located in our database The office will provide volunteers with scripts, photos, classmate contact information, and regular updates on the participation challenges. Last year was a wonderful start and we are looking forward to taking another positive step forward in our alumni giving participation. 17

18 STEWARDSHIP Showing our gratitude for individuals to making a donation is one of the most important aspects of the Gustavus Fund. You play an integral role in showing appreciation and retaining donors year-to-year. We ask that each month when the class giving report is ed to you, that you send a note to those classmates thanking them for their donation. You can connect with donors via phone, , or hand-written card (which the College will supply) with a short note of thanks. This is a step not many institutions take in their stewardship process and we know that it is one of the reasons we have maintained a stronger alumni giving rate than the average college. Any time you have questions, need more thank-you cards, or would like to personalize the process even more, please contact annualfund@gustavus.edu and we can help with the arrangements. REUNION GIVING When that special year rolls around and it is time for your class reunion, we will assist you in the process of forming a reunion giving committee. That committee will help you take on a special project or fundraising initiative. Jennifer Vickerman (jvickerm@gustavus.edu) will be your contact to help with reunion giving. She will share what other classes have done, establish goals, and provide the resources needed to be successful. Planning will begin approximately one year before your reunion. CLASS AGENT Class Agent is an online platform that volunteers will use to contact classmates. The platform can be accessed on any device and even has an iphone and Android app. (Search Class Agent by Reeher LLC in itunes or Playstore.) An informational training packet on Class Agent can be acquired by contacting alumni@gustavus.edu. Live training sessions will be offered at Class Officer day and specific class meetings arranged with the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement. When you receive an message from Class Agent alerting you that you have been added to a campaign, follow the link provided or go to and complete the registration. The Gustavus has on file will be your username. You will create a password the first time you log-in. The College will not have access to your account information. If you need to reset your password, please follow the steps on the Class Agent website. Please contact the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement with other questions about Class Agent. 18

19 Alumni and Parent Engagement 800 West College Avenue Saint Peter, MN gustavus.edu/alumni