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Phoebe Knowles '96 Talks About Class Events
Phoebe Knowles '96 Talks About Class Events
Consider hosting a class event between reunion years!
Consider hosting a class event between reunion years!
Engagement activities are the heart of building community. This page provides some creative ideas and inspiration. Please share ideas with class@brown.edu so we can add them here!
Quick Tips:
The award-winning Virtual Engagement Toolkit also offers innovative ways to connect and interact with classmates virtually.
Regional Brown Club events offer opportunities for classmates to make in-person connections.
Find a Brown virtual event and encourage classmates to gather for a watch party in person or virtually. Some classes have held Zoom gatherings after a virtual event to hold robust and engaging discussions.
Event Planning: Best Practices
Event Planning: Best Practices
When brainstorming for the upcoming year of events (July 1 - June 30), you want to ensure your events are well-rounded and inclusive and connect classmates to one another and Brown holistically. The types of events and thinking around planning can include themes for the year, leaving spaces within the schedule to allow more focused wrap-around events and mini-reunions.
When brainstorming for the upcoming year of events (July 1 - June 30), you want to ensure your events are well-rounded and inclusive and connect classmates to one another and Brown holistically. The types of events and thinking around planning can include themes for the year, leaving spaces within the schedule to allow more focused wrap-around events and mini-reunions.
2-3 MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT:
2-3 MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT:
Choosing the right date and time is half the battle. Be sensitive to school vacations, community schedule patterns, religious holidays, major local events, and workday hours.
What is the name of the event?
What would you like the program to accomplish?
How can you appeal to the broadest range of your alumni population?
Who else can help you plan it? Is it time to form a committee?
Will there be entertainment?
Will there be an education component?
How formal or informal should it be?
Will there be refreshments?
Site Considerations:
whether the location is accessible
parking ease and public transportation accessibility
per-person food minimum charges (provided by the locale or caterer)
overall rental cost
Ask alumni who live in the area for input and assistance. They may have recommendations connections or be willing to donate their time or services at a reduced rate.
Talk money—then talk it up! What is the total budget required for the event? Consider:
Expenses of speakers or other program participants
Room and equipment rental fee
Refreshment costs
Publicity costs
How will the event be funded?
What’s your attendance estimate, and what ticket price will help you break even?
Set your RSVP date a few days before your caterer needs the final count!
It’s not too early to start getting people excited! Use Facebook and other online vehicles to let alumni know to save the date. Ensure your event’s date is included in any other Brown emails or promotional materials.
6 WEEKS BEFORE:
6 WEEKS BEFORE:
Make some noise!
How will you spread the word? Consider your group’s website and/or Facebook page, the Alumni Event Calendar, BRAVO email blasts
Who might appreciate a direct call? Phone alumni in the area to encourage them to attend.
3 WEEKS BEFORE:
3 WEEKS BEFORE:
Coordinate with your fellow event planners. Recruit sufficient volunteers to staff the name tag table, register walk-ins, and greet guests.
Consider securing for your event:
Audiovisual equipment, if applicable
Biographical materials to help you write your speaker introductions (if applicable)
Printouts of the lyrics to the Brown Alma Mater or other fight songs
Brown name tags! (Contact your staff liaison.)
Brown napkins! (Contact your staff liaison.)
EVENT DAY:
EVENT DAY:
On the big day…
Bring the RSVP list (one copy for each person checking in attendees), the cash box (if needed), and any items needed to make the event successful, including signs, name tags, supplies, etc.
Be on-site early to welcome guests and take photos.
Check in with your fellow event planners and the event speaker (if applicable).
Make sure your volunteers are working the door and socializing with guests.
DAYS FOLLOWING THE EVENT:
DAYS FOLLOWING THE EVENT:
Post your photos
Send emails to guests, thanking them for coming and volunteers on your team to applaud their efforts.
Send your staff liaison, including a list of attendees, photos, and your feedback on the event.
Then, deep breaths…you did it! (And you’re awesome.)
As a volunteer leader, it is important to incorporate intentional diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in your event planning process. The goal is to produce programming that engages the interests and meets the needs of your community, having a myriad of identities, experiences, and backgrounds.
What do the terms Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mean in relation to your work around inclusive alumni community building?
As a volunteer leader, it is important to incorporate intentional diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in your event planning process. The goal is to produce programming that engages the interests and meets the needs of your community, having a myriad of identities, experiences, and backgrounds.
What do the terms Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mean in relation to your work around inclusive alumni community building?
Diversity is the representation of alumni with a wide range of identities regarding gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, etc.
Equity ensures historically underrepresented alumni community members have equal access to shaping and participating in engagement opportunities and accessing resources and networks critical to engaging their interests and meeting their needs.
Inclusion is creating and supporting an environment where all alumni are welcomed, valued, and supported.
Inclusive Program/Event Development
Event planning begins with selecting an event topic and speaker/panelists. Recommendations for event topics and speakers should be sourced from your community to ensure that a broad cross-section of your community has an opportunity to contribute ideas that are reflective of their interests and perspectives.
Survey your community about event topics and speaker recommendations
Be mindful of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion when selecting event topics and speakers/panelists.
Being mindful of DEI does not mean only selecting event topics that focus on diversity, inclusion, and equity matters. The goal is to host events on a wide variety of topics and make sure the speakers are selected to represent the broader diversity of the community.
Ensure adequate time is spent researching and sourcing representative speakers/panelists beyond your immediate network. You can use the Brown Alumni Directory and BrownConnect to identify alumni.
Consider partnering/co-sponsoring events with an Affinity Group: Inman Page Black Alumni Council (IPC), Transgender, Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association (TBGALA), Brown University Latino Alumni Council (BULAC), Native American Brown Alumni (NABA), Asian/Asian American Alumni Alliance (A4), Brown Women’s Network.
Venue Selection
The venue selection can impact who can attend the event and how much people feel welcomed.
Is the venue accessible and welcoming to all guests?
Does the venue meet the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) standards?
Does your venue provide elevator or ramp access?
Are there accessible transportation routes to and from your venue?
Is there accessible parking available?
Does the venue offer gender-neutral bathrooms?
Is the venue close to public transportation?
Historically, has the venue welcomed women, people of color, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQIA+ community?
Event Logistics and accessibility
Ensure your event is accessible to all participants and share accessibility information with participants.
Provide alumni with a means of contacting the event organizer with specific accommodation requests.
Include information about parking, public transportation, and additional services such as valet, shuttles, or guest drop-off areas.
For additional information about accessibility guidelines for events, see this blog post by Social Tables.
Event Communications
Words have meaning and power and are key to creating a sense of inclusion and belonging. Historic and systemic injustice toward some groups has created bias and prejudice that seeps into everyday language. We may not always be conscious of the harm our words can inflict, which is why it is essential to be aware and intentional in using inclusive language.
As you are crafting your communication, focus on…
Incorporating language that includes rather than excludes;
Incorporating language that acknowledges, accepts, and celebrates differences;
Incorporating language that is welcoming to everyone.
A guide to inclusive language produced by the American Psychological Association can be found here.
Regional Events (AKA Mini-Reunions)
Regional Events (AKA Mini-Reunions)
Host a mini-reunion in your neck of the woods. Regional events are a great way to help your classmates reconnect with each other in their area. It starts with finding a classmate interested in hosting or organizing a local event.
Host a mini-reunion in your neck of the woods. Regional events are a great way to help your classmates reconnect with each other in their area. It starts with finding a classmate interested in hosting or organizing a local event.
What is a Mini-Reunion?
A mini-reunion is a gathering of classmates, usually regionally based, to reunite classmates between reunion years.
Mini-reunions must be open to all members of the class.
Mini-reunions can be held virtually or in person.
Classes are encouraged to plan yearly mini-reunions to keep classmates engaged between reunions.
Mini-reunion organizers should track the dates, locations, and attendees and report the information to their class programs liaison.
Wrap-around Events
Wrap-around Events
Wrap-around events can be in-person or virtual. Consider gathering classmates at a pre-existing club, athletic, or University event and wrap a mini-event around it. Organizing around an existing event often means a larger turnout and no additional planning resources. You can use previous webinars to build out virtual class events.
Wrap-around events can be in-person or virtual. Consider gathering classmates at a pre-existing club, athletic, or University event and wrap a mini-event around it. Organizing around an existing event often means a larger turnout and no additional planning resources. You can use previous webinars to build out virtual class events.
Find an event to WRAP around in the:
Plan the scope of your event:
Attend existing events only.
Attend existing events and WRAParound a class event before or afterward.
Decide whom to invite: Offer a WRAParound event to your class only or to a range of classes.
Consider your event location and estimate expenses.
Virtual Events
Virtual Events
Check out the VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT for everything you need to know about virtual events, including:
Check out the VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT for everything you need to know about virtual events, including:
networking events;
faculty events;
social events (Trivia, Open Mic, Happy Hours, Dance Parties, Netflix Parties);
book clubs;
open mic nights;
and more!
Helpful forms:
Generational Events
Generational Events
Don’t have enough classmates in your area for an event? Think vertically, and plan an intergenerational event! Alumni Relations will be developing generational events in the near future. Please share your ideas by emailing class@brown.edu.
Don’t have enough classmates in your area for an event? Think vertically, and plan an intergenerational event! Alumni Relations will be developing generational events in the near future. Please share your ideas by emailing class@brown.edu.
Multi-Day Destination Events
Multi-Day Destination Events
Take a vacation with your class. Ready to take a short vacation with some of your favorite people worldwide? Create a multi-day destination event for your class. Even better, let Brown plan your trip by joining the Brown Travelers!
Take a vacation with your class. Ready to take a short vacation with some of your favorite people worldwide? Create a multi-day destination event for your class. Even better, let Brown plan your trip by joining the Brown Travelers!
Location, location, location. Choose a destination with rich sites, attractions, and activities befitting your classmates’ interests.
Get good digs!
When choosing a hotel, think about the possible budgetary restrictions of your classmates, as well as their comfort needs.
A three-star hotel will be less expensive, and there may be more room for negotiating a price, but it may also offer fewer amenities and facilities.
A four-star hotel may be more costly, but offer better amenities and facilities.
Once you have selected your hotel, reserve a block of rooms for your classmates. You should do this as soon as possible, about six months before the event.
If you can negotiate a discounted rate, make sure the rate is available a few days before your event and a few days after for those who want to come earlier or stay later.
An itinerary a day keeps the chaos away.
Day one: Travel to your destination city and check into the hotel.
Night one: Organize a welcome event such as a reception or dinner. These kickoff events break the ice, build camaraderie, and start the trip positively. If your hotel has banquet facilities, consider using them. Your classmates may appreciate the convenient location on their first evening.
Day two: Plan one or two major events for the day, for example:
Take a tour of the city or major attractions.
Attend a local sporting event.
Plan a lecture or debate followed by a wine and cheese reception.
If your event is in Providence, attend a Brown football home game and enjoy a tour of historic Benefit Street.
Night two: The options are endless, but here are a few suggestions:
Plan a gala dinner at your hotel.
Engage a local alumna/us from your class or another Brown class year to speak on a topic of interest.
Arrange an outing to enjoy local entertainment (depending on the cost).
Have a “free night” where classmates can try a local restaurant with classmates or meet friends who might live in the area.
Day three: Before your classmates’ late-afternoon departure, plan another event:
Ask a local classmate to host a brunch.
Enjoy brunch at the hotel or a nearby restaurant.
Organize an early afternoon event such as a lecture or debate or attend a local concert.
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