Digital events
Your classmates are connecting through digital media now more than ever, and class engagement should be no exception.
Providing digital ways of engaging with the university helps Cornellians around the world still feel a part of the Big Red community.
Cornellians love to hear from staff and faculty as a way to connect and have exclusive access to today’s Cornell. You can also feature classmates in a particular industry that may be of interest to your demographic.
Quick tips
- Always keep in mind the strategic goal of your digital event: more dues payers? Higher Reunion attendance? Recruiting new class officers?
- If you wish to feature a faculty speaker, it is imperative that you work through your class staff contact to connect with the faculty.
Utilizing existing Cornell events
Cornell events will help boost your numbers and provide additional incentive for classmates to attend. Consider large events such as:
- Homecoming
- Trustee Council Annual Meeting (TCAM)
- Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC)
- Sy Katz Parade
- Red Hot/Frozen Apple Hockey at Madison Square Garden
Quick tips
- Work with your class staff contact to ensure that you’re not programming against a featured event (i.e. fireworks show at Homecoming).
- Use class events to publicize your upcoming Reunion.
Examples
- Pre- or post-event reception
- Tailgate at an athletics event
- Class dinner at CALC
Partnering with other classes
You can get larger numbers and more involvement by partnering with sister classes, classes on your Reunion cycle, or your entire decade for events. Doing so helps spread out the duties and responsibilities, as well as the cost.
Quick tips
- Establish up front a clear budget and how much each class will contribute from their treasury.
- Event co-chairs are important; delegate and give people ownership.
- Conduct a post-event debrief where you share your successes and lessons learned with your class staff contact so the event can be replicated by other classes.
Pre-Reunion events
Make the most out of pre-Reunion events to connect with peers and keep the momentum going between Reunions.
Classmates are more likely to attend Reunion if they know someone else attending, so establishing those connections through pre-Reunion events can ensure higher attendance.
Utilizing existing Cornell events makes the planning and execution more manageable; logistics such as venue, marketing, and entertainment are already established.
Quick tips
- Use Cornell demographic reports to locate classmate ‘hot spots’ when planning regional events.
- It’s never too early to start building the hype around your next Reunion.
- Follow the event planning guidelines and work closely with your class staff contact.