A Touch of Class

A Guide to Planning Your Class Reunion

This planning guide is designed to help you plan and conduct a successful reunion event.  We have taken all the resources at the Alumni Office and combined them into one kit for easy and quick reference.

 

       

How Do I Get the Process Started?

The main goal of any reunion should be to bring back to campus as many alumni as possible and to maximize the opportunity they will have to visit each other and Bethany College.

 

The keys to creating a successful reunion involve a reunion committee and as much advance planning as possible.  The class agent and classmates who live near the Lindsborg area should be invited to be a part of the reunion committee.   Successful reunions are the result of successful committees.  Your reunion committee can meet as often as you feel necessary in person or via conference call or e-mail.

 

You can request a copy of your class list by contacting the Alumni Office (aschej@bethanylb.edu).  The staff can also provide you with the names of the “lost” classmates, and reunion planning time is a great time to ask for your class’ assistance in locating them.

 

How to Inform Your Classmates

Besides the two mailings explained below, the letters sent by your class agent three times a year can be a useful tool in promoting your reunion.

 

First Mailing – this will be an initial “save the date” invitation, mailed out approximately 6-9 months before the reunion date.  Here you can Include a missing classmates list and ask people to respond if they have any information about the lost alumni.  This first mailing will announce the date of your class reunion, tell of the tentative plans, and encourage classmates to attend.

 

Second Mailing – (3-4 months prior to date of reunion) will include detailed plans for the reunion, including costs and the registration form. (FYI:  please emphasize the importance of the RSVP deadline– this ensures that we will have an updated reservation count for the meal, etc.)

 

The Alumni Office will also make use of the Bethany website to promote your reunion.  (I know this needs to be expanded to inform them of the reunion packets available there also, etc.)

 

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!!

 

1) Select the date, time and type of event

(Reunions can be held at any time the class wants to hold them.  By tradition, all reunions have been held in the fall during Homecoming.  This is being reviewed for possible future changes.)

 

2) Select a site

Your on-campus choices are the Levin Room, AAL Room, Cafeteria, or Lindquist Hall.  Another great option since there is limited campus space is asking a local class member to host the event in their home.  Lindsborg also has two parks, both with picnic facilities. (see attached list of possible locations available to rent.)

 

3) Reunion Meal

All meals inside college buildings are catered by Marriott Food Service.  They can prepare a menu based on your cost-per-person registration fee.  If you plan to have an at-home event, the Alumni Office can assist you in securing catering through the college food service or a local caterer in Lindsborg.)

 

4) Children

Bethany does not have a facility to provide child care.  Children are always welcome to accompany their parents and should be supervised by the parent.  In the registration information, you can offer a discounted meal fee for the children’s meals based on the age.

 

5) Inviting Special Guests

The Alumni staff can help locate available addresses for former faculty or staff members you may wish to invite.   

 

6) Nametags

All those who register before the event will have a nametag ready for them when they arrive.

 

7) Class Photo

The Alumni Office will have a photographer stop by your reunion (at an agreed on time) to get a group shot of you and your classmates.  This is the photo we will include in the next issue of the Bethany Magazine and on the Bethany website.

 

8) Special Needs/Requests

(podium, microphone, yearbooks, etc.)

 

The Role of the Alumni Office

 

The Alumni Office staff will assist you and/or your reunion committee in any way possible to make your reunion a success.  Below is a list of the duties the Alumni Office will routinely do:

1.       Send out any communications you wish to your committee members

2.       Assist with a reunion planning meeting in the Alumni Office

3.       Type, copy and mail your reunion invitation letters

4.       Receive and track reservations

5.       Assist you with making facility and meal arrangements for on-campus reunions

6.       Provide an updated class list (alphabetically or by zip code)

7.       Reserve requested campus facilities (including food), and coordinate arrangements with staff

8.       Provide nametags for each attendee

 

We are available throughout the year to answer questions about reunion planning and to help you prepare for a wonderful event for you and your classmates.  Good luck planning your reunion!

 

  

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