A job fair is always a good option, and I would invite not only the graduates but also the active students, this way not we help our graduates to find jobs, but also the active students can see that the school cares about their future, and would do anything they can to place them once they graduate.
Kathryn,
This sounds like a great starter event!
June Gudeman
As of right now, I am now going to plan an event around the holiday season, probably mid December. The advantage that we have is that we are a training center who trains and certifies students to become Home Health Aides and Certified Nursing Assistants and we are also a Home Health Agency (aside from training). Therefore, when we have events, we also invite other health care providers and community partners for our Home Health Agency and our training center students can benefit from other attendees by attending our events.
To make sure we have everything in order, I will probably look at a catering menu and confirm what we would be ordering, make goodie bags and order promotional materials to have for the events. We would also probably decorate with balloons and festive decorations to make it feel like a nice get together.
Our envision would be to connect with our students and follow up with our students regarding job placements as well as connecting our students with other health care providers in our community.
Lauren,
I'm in total agreement! Don't ask a thing of them - just let them feel appreciated!
June Gudeman
Lauren,
Sounds perfect! I think starting with a small program event is certainly the way to go. It will give you a feel for how it goes, what works and what doesn't, and it will help you prepare for a larger event down the road.
Good ideas.
June Gudeman
Also, I do not think we will ask anything of the graduates at first. The perk for them to join would simply be to come and enjoy free food and drinks with their classmates, instructors, and other staff that had a hand in their success. My goal is to celebrate them because without our graduates to help us, we would not continue to have a school. Our students/ alum are our biggest assest, and I want them to feel like they are continually part of our "family".
After reading through the ideas of having an event, I know the first goal of our school is to focus on job placement in one of our programs. It has slowly fallen behind our other technical trades, but enrollment continues to grow. Most of the students in this program enjoy working alongside one another and the atmosphere in the shop is definitely one that is different from the rest of our programs. They speak candidly amongst one another and develop somewhat of a brotherhood. All of our instructors are past graduates who have come back to work with the company. Two of the instructors are even from one of the first classes our school ever had before we were big enough to expand into other fields. They know the ins and outs of the company as well as what is expected out of students in the field. Their camaraderie with one another as instructors is something to be admired but lost when it comes to students graduating. I would like to hold a casual/informal event that mirrors more of a reunion than anything; a common ground place for everyone to feel relaxed and speak with alumni that have been out of the program for years and what they have accomplished since. Plus, it would be a great way for recent grads to connect and gain new networking skills from past graduates. Once we see how a smaller, one program event goes, I think we will be able to get a firmer understanding of what our alumni is looking for and how to create bigger and better events that include alumni from the entire school.
Coryne,
An anniversary event might be a big one to start with, on the other hand, it may be a great place to start. Certainly, if you have the support of your staff and the other departments at your institution, it may provide a powerful start. I don't think you need to wait till you have everything in place with your site.
June Gudeman
I think our first Alumni event would be something along the lines of our 25th Anniversary. I would like to invite all of our grads in that time span to show the size of the Alumni and how many lifes have been changed. It would have to be done this year as this is our 25th year. This may be a little big and too much for my first event. So maybe something on a smaller scale like graduates from just a certain field for the last 5 years. I would want to have marketing, website (Alumni)and what else we can offer the Alumni during the event in place before I went ahead with this social event.
Samantha,
I like your focus on making sure the alumni recognize the benefit to them.
June Gudeman
First event would be a luncheon. Bring them in to to gather information, obtain buy in and announce next event. make sure all decorations and food arrangements are in place. Must look smooth and organized in order for it to be successful. Needs to be focused on the goal and the benefits to them.
James,
Great idea! When we plan events for our alumni, we HAVE to think about why they would want to come. Certainly, a Job Fair setting (especially with food) will be a draw for those graduates. Good ideas!
June Gudeman
The first social event that we would envision holding would be a job fair and food (barbeque, etc.) event to help broaden the job field for different individuals graduating from our school. There are so many different avenues that our graduates can take advantage of job wise that it would be an excellent opportunity to expose them to different companies and jobs that they would have otherwise not been aware of.
Camille,
It does sound like a good environment and will be much cheaper than renting another facility. You'll need to decide whether to make a a 'pure' open house type of event or whether to offer a type of program or a time where someone will speak or provide information.
June Gudeman
The first social event would be held here on campus at the school. The largest classroom provides plenty of space for mingling and networking. The environment is so inviting here, we have a decorative waterfall at the entrance, wood floor and art work all over the wall along with snapshots of past students.
I would want to make sure that we have some ideas in place, a few meetings and new connections with alumni.
Virginia,
Great ideas! Wouldn't it surprise our graduates if our first event was all about 'appreciating' them rather than asking for something from them.
June Gudeman
For the first social event, I want it to be about respect and open-mindness. I think that it should be something that interests all of the graduates and would bring as many of them together as possible. I think maybe an outing or some type of reunion style atmosphere, would definately ake the most of being a graduate and coming back to see how everyone is doing. I think it is a good way for graduates to even gain connections that they did not get the chance to have in college, its a good way to build and enlarge a social circle. I think that after entering the workfield many people opinions and perspectives cchange, so it would be good to get a dosage of different views and perspectives.
Christian,
I like how you're thinking. So, often alumni events seemed to be planned with the - what can we get from them? - mentality. Thinking about how you can appreciate your alumni changes the whole atmosphere and they will notice that and, in the end, want to give back to your institution.
June Gudeman
Christian,
I like how you're thinking. So, often alumni events seemed to be planned with the - what can we get from them? - mentality. Thinking about how you can appreciate your alumni changes the whole atmosphere and they will notice that and, in the end, want to give back to your institution.
June
I would think a Alumni Appreciate event would be best so the school would be able to gain updated information with graduates, explain the AA and the benefits of joining and keeping contact info and employment info current.
