The historic Class of 2020 had an abrupt end to their senior spring. The fanfare and formal celebration of their accomplishments at Commencement have been postponed. But their next chapter at Cornell has already begun and we want your help to welcome them to the alumni family. Use this toolkit as a guide to incorporate this group into your alumni clubs and associations. Go Big Red!
Class of 2020 best practices
- Online presence– This cohort is tech-savvy and before they commit to anything, they’ll head online to learn more about your club/association. If you haven’t updated your website/Facebook page/other social media accounts, now is the time!
- Celebratory – Class of 2020 is still waiting for their in-person commencement, so show lots of Big Red pride and make their welcome festive! Remember that not all grads have ended up in the regions they’d hoped, or with the jobs they wanted, so don’t assume they’re going to “take over the world” and listen to their current frame-of-mind.
- Community-building – Be mindful of “Zoom-fatigue” and keep virtual gatherings less than an hour long. Be sure other volunteers/alumni can commit to joining the call/event. It can feel uncomfortable if there’s only two people in the chat. Set up the space so grads can walk away with actual contact info for at least 1-2 alumni in the group. If using Zoom, check out these Cornell backgrounds!
Questions? Contact your staff liaison first. They will loop in our Student and Young Alumni Programs team where we can be most helpful.