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Volunteers

Information and resources for Vassar College volunteers

General Checklist–Before You Get Started

Use this checklist to help you plan and present your idea for an in-person mini-reunion to the class events chair/or class president, and Volunteer Engagement staff partners. Depending on the scope of the event, allow anywhere from six months to eight weeks from starting to plan the event to the event itself. Allowing yourself more time is better to ensure that dates are available and free of competing events.  

It is best to complete as much information from #1 on this checklist as possible before presenting your idea to the class officers and Volunteer Engagement staff partners, so that no time is lost in gathering more information.

Please use this checklist in conjunction with these other mini-reunion event planning documents:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Volunteer Engagement staff partners are unable to support virtual or in-person mini-reunion programming during April-June due to their concentrated involvement in Reunion planning, execution, and wrap-up. 

There are four steps to planning and executing an in-person mini-reunion:

  1. Propose the event to the class officers and Volunteer Engagement staff partners, along with a detailed description of your idea and purpose. Why do you want to bring classmates together at this specific time? What outcome do you hope to achieve, i.e., encouraging classmates to participate in Generation Vassar, showcasing classmates’ talents, and/or building interest and enthusiasm for Reunion? Once you define a purpose for your event, you are ready to begin planning! 
  2. Once approved, provide marketing details to Volunteer Engagement staff partners and your class Social Media Coordinator, and do some marketing yourself by enlisting fellow classmates to encourage attendance.
  3. Execute the event.
  4. Provide wrap-up information to class officers after the event, and provide Volunteer Engagement staff partners with the attendee list and any other appropriate feedback.

Checklist

  1. Propose your idea
    • Purpose of the event? 
    • Date of event?
    • Is there any flexibility with the date if another event may already be planned?
    • Title of the event?
    • Type of activity?
      • Social
      • Educational
      • Other
    • Venue/location?
    • Name(s) of organizer(s) and contact information (phone and email address)?
    • Costs to attend selected activities (including taxes and handling or service fees)?
      • Venue rental
      • Food/catering costs
      • Beverages (non-alcoholic/alcoholic)
      • Tickets at cost, including taxes, handling, service charges
      • Transportation
      • Other
    • Who is invited?
      • Classmates only
      • Guests
      • Other classes
    • Attendee number goal?
    • How do attendees register?
      • Online registration through the College
      • Email the event organizer
      • Other
    • How will payment be collected?
      • Paid directly to venue on-site
      • Purchase tickets through a third-party vendor
    • Other resources needed?
  2. Marketing
    • Know and, if applicable, share with other committee members the deadlines, information, and format needed for the alum event website and class communications for the save-the-date, registration, and, if necessary, reminder email broadcasts.
    • Share the event details and, if applicable, the online registration link with your class’s Social Media Coordinator to post on the class’s social media.
    • Market the event yourself by contacting fellow alums on your own via phone, email, or your social media with an online registration link and details. 
  3. Execution
    • Obtain the registration list from Engagement staff partners prior to the event to communicate directly with registrants about where to meet, dress code, etc. 
    • On the day of the event, check on set up, greet attendees, and track attendance and no-shows.
    • Have a great time at the event and take lots of pictures! 
  4. Report back/Follow up
    • Within a week of the event, provide details to class officers and Volunteer Engagement staff partners, including the attendee list and any other appropriate feedback.
    • Ask your class Social Media Coordinator to post pictures and details of the event on your class’s social media. 
    • Send “thank you” note(s) to the presenter(s), etc., as appropriate, and an email to the participants to thank them for attending, including pictures if available.