Trivia nights have long been a staple of many alumni group event calendars. During this time of social distancing, you can still offer ways to build knowledge and comradery with friendly virtual trivia competitions.
Step 1: Decide on a trivia platform
Options abound for methods of creating your trivia quiz. You can go the no-tech route, and just compile your list of questions to ask over video conferencing. Perhaps you want to have the questions up on a screen, in which case you might opt to create a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation to share. There are also trivia platforms that you might choose to use including: Random Trivia Generator (free), Let's Roam Virtual Game Night, QuizWitz, Kahoot! (Kahoot!Pro access available through Alumni Relations until June 30,2022 ).
Step 2: Decide on the event format
Do you want to gather virtually to play trivia in real time during a social hour? Then you'll want to host your trivia over video conferencing. Would you prefer to host this challenge in a self-paced format? Then put together your questions, and email the quiz with a submission deadline. Kahoot! allows you to create quizzes for either format.
Step 3: If hosting a real-time trivia game, decide on video conferencing technology
There are a number of video conferencing options out there, including:
Cisco WebEx, Zoom, FreeConferenceCall.com, GoToMeeting
Choose a platform that allows the host to share their screen to display questions and mute/unmute participants so that you can be silent during quiz rounds/while answers are given and then cheer and chat (and brag!) between rounds. Perhaps you'll want to use a platform that allows for breakout rooms so that you can separate into teams to work on answers.
Step 4: Pick a date and time
You know your communities best. Are weekend afternoons popular for engagement, or are you better off selecting a weeknight? If you’re encouraging people to have their children attend/join in, you should factor that in when choosing your time. If you're running a self-paced quiz, perhaps you want to hold it in the week leading up to a big Brown event like Carberry Day, Giving Day, a tailgate event for a big game, or Commencement/reunion.
Step 5: If hosting a real-time trivia game, select a volunteer to serve as the MC
Select an MC for this event. Has someone on your board always harbored secret dreams of hosting their own game show? This is the job for that person! The MC will kick things off, explain the rules of the game, share their screen, and read the questions/answers. This volunteer should agree to test the technology in advance.
You may also want to recruit a volunteer or two to keep track of scores and answer technical questions, so that the MC can focus solely on hosting.
Step 6: Create a BRAVO event page and advertise
Create your BRAVO event page so that guests can register to participate online. Be sure to include instructions for game play. Then, start inviting people with scheduled emails!
Step 7: Get Social
Make sure to advertise across your group’s social media platforms. Use appropriate hashtags to spread the word about your event and to encourage people to join in on the fun by registering for the next event. Hashtag possibilities include: #BrownTrivia #EverTrue, #BrownReunion, #BrownAtHome, #BrunoniansAtHome, and #Brown(insert last two digits of class year here).
Sample Quiz Topics
Holiday Trivia (create questions relating to an upcoming holiday)
Seasonal Trivia (Sample Summertime in Rhode Island Trivia)
Brown Trivia (Sample Questions Coming Soon)
General Knowledge Trivia