SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

REUNIONS AND RECEPTIONS

Remember, Rekindle, Reconnect…with a class reunion or a pharmacy alumni reception! Volunteer to coordinate a class reunion on campus or a reception for pharmacy alumni in your area. Volunteering is one of the best ways to keep your connection to Southwestern College of Pharmacy. Even if your event is years away, sign up today to help when the planning begins, which can never be too early. Southwestern College of Pharmacy reunions and receptions are our chance to reconnect and celebrate with each other. Remember, Rekindle, Reconnect!

How to Plan Your Event

This resource is intended for Southwestern College of Pharmacy alumni who are or who are considering serving on a class reunion planning committee It has been compiled primarily as a tool to be used in the planning, development, and implementation of Southwestern College of Pharmacy class reunions. However, this information is helpful for planning receptions, too. We hope it will help answer the questions you may have as well as clarify the duties and responsibilities of the event committees.

How do you plan a class reunion?

A class reunion doesn’t just happen. It is made possible because a group of enthusiastic, committed, and interested alumni get together and plan, organize, and implement it. A successful class reunion requires a great deal of preliminary planning and work. A few motivated classmates work in conjunction with the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff to make it all happen.

When to have the reunion?

Most Southwestern College of Pharmacy alumni come back to Southwestern during Homecoming Weekend, typically in October. This is an ideal time to schedule a class reunion because alumni are able to take advantage of the many interesting and enjoyable activities occurring at Southwestern at that time. Some of the events traditionally scheduled during Homecoming Weekend include Golf Outing, Style Show, Parade, Brunch, Tailgate Party, and Football Game. Additionally, the College of Pharmacy opens its doors for a Post-Game Reception for pharmacy alumni. Furthermore, there is a Pharmacy Continuing Education Program scheduled on Sunday during Homecoming Weekend. The campus is the best place to hold a gathering, but other locations are possible, i.e. hotels, restaurants, community centers, etc.

Taking advantage of Homecoming Weekend is encouraged, but it should be noted that class reunions can be scheduled at any time during the year provided that adequate notice has been given and that the required facilities are available. Each individual class reunion planning committee should meet with a representative from the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff to choose a suitable location and date for the reunion. Keep in mind when coordinating your class reunion activities that most alumni just want to talk, reminisce, eat/drink, take photos, and spend time with their former classmates.

How often do class reunions occur at Southwestern College of Pharmacy?

Class reunions do not occur at any set time. They may occur every twenty-five years, every ten years, every five years, or every year if enough people express an interest in having them. And they only happen because a group of alumni get together and make them happen. Only by classmates expressing an interest in attending a class reunion can the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff know that the desire for a class reunion is there. A representative from the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff will then meet with interested classmates to coordinate with them as to how to proceed with planning the reunion.

How do I determine if enough of my classmates are interested?

If you are a Southwestern College of Pharmacy alumna/us interested in planning, organizing, or attending a reunion of your classmates, you can begin by contacting other classmates to see if there is sufficient interest to warrant planning a class reunion. You may want to consider a class cluster or even an organizational reunion. (You may also choose to post a message on the website.)

If, after contacting several classmates and discussing the possibility of a reunion with them, you think enough people are interested to justify the effort involved, you can contact the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff for help and guidance in getting started. They will work with you to help plan and implement the class reunion.

How do I form a reunion planning committee?

You can form a reunion planning committee by contacting several of your classmates and arranging a get-together (meeting/phone conference) to discuss the proposed reunion. Start by contacting the class leaders, whom you can identify by looking in your Apothecary, and go on from there. It is recommended that this be done no later than one year prior to the month in which you would like to schedule the class reunion. This will allow for plenty of time to contact class alumni in order to determine overall class interest as well as to plan and organize the reunion. Keep in mind it would be ideal for an event to be prepared well in advance, but it can be done in less time.

How many members should be on the reunion planning committee?

The structuring of individual committees will depend largely on the number of classmates comprising the reunion planning committee. The more classmates who assist with planning the reunion, the less work will be required of each individual committee member. Therefore, it is recommended that the reunion planning committee consist of at least 4-8 members. This is not to suggest, however, that the committee cannot function with less than this suggested number of members. Should there be a shortage of reunion planning committee members and efforts to recruit more members have been unsuccessful, individual committees may simply need to be combined to facilitate accomplishment of required tasks on time. It should be remembered, though, that the more people involved with the planning and preparation of the reunion, the more people there will be in attendance during the reunion.

What should the reunion planning committee do first?

Once you have some people interested in helping to plan and organize a class reunion, you should choose a core group of classmates to maintain order and facilitate communications with the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff. This will help eliminate confusion as to the duties and/or responsibilities of individual committee members. We recommend you have a Chairperson, Co-Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer.

If there is a sufficient number of committee members, subcommittees should be formed to simplify the task of planning, organizing, and implementing different aspects of the reunion, i.e. Hospitality Committee, Entertainment Committee, Food & Beverage Committee, etc.

What kinds of committees should be formed?

The most effective committees are those that are well organized and involve a broad range of members. Assigning specific responsibilities to committee members will help clarify their role in the planning process and will position your committee for success. It is suggested that you establish the following committees:

• Chairperson (or Co-Chairs). The primary function of the Chairperson is to facilitate communications between classmates and the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff. The Chairperson should facilitate contact with subcommittees and classmates by telephone/e-mail/snail-mail to remind them of the upcoming reunion. Lists of classmates and their addresses can be acquired from the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff. The Chairperson should also be available to welcome classmates to the reunion. Two members of the class may share the responsibility of co-chairing the reunion committee.
• Publicity Committee. ‘Save the Date’ postcard; build excitement using the Internet by adding a message on our website and inviting classmates to send messages for posting online; design and mail invitations; develop press release for University Public Relations office for publicity; arrange for a group photo.
• Food & Beverage Committee. Selecting beverages and food to be served; arranging for the purchase and delivery of beverages and food; and collecting receipts of purchases for subsequent reimbursement.
• Decorating/Spirit. Assisting with designing and arranging decorations at the scene of the class reunion; removing decorations and debris after the reunion; deciding on give-aways, favors, etc.; planning and creating a float for the Homecoming Parade (optional).
• Research and Survey. Developing a survey of classmates in order to provide general information about the current status of classmates; researching classmates to determine interesting anecdotes and/or noteworthy achievements; provide a compilation of surveys in booklet form for those attending the reunion; searching for missing classmates.
• Entertainment Committee. Selecting and reserving a band or DJ for a reunion dinner/dance; planning the agenda of the dinner/dance program, which may include: arranging speaker for invocation (optional), arranging key speakers from reunion class; arranging seating for key guests, collecting and soliciting memorabilia for exhibition during the reunion.

You are by no means limited to these specified committees and should feel free to establish any other committees that would make accomplishment of required tasks easier. By allocating portions of the reunion planning to various subcommittees, you will find that tasks are more easily definite, more manageable and more easily accomplished. It should be noted that the primary responsibility of the class reunion committee is contacting classmates to encourage their attendance at the reunion.

Tips for Successful Committees

Managing a committee effectively can be a challenging task. Listed below are a few tips to help make your committee successful. For additional guidance or resources on committee management, contact the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff.

1. Assign specific responsibilities to committee members. Based on the job to be done, determine what qualities are necessary in a volunteer and select a committee member for that role who is a good match.
2. Increase the efficiency of your committee by delegating tasks among members. Effective delegation can help a committee reach its maximum potential. To make delegation work for your committee, the chair should give clear instructions, grant the necessary authority, and inform delegates of the resources and information available to assist them in their tasks.
3. Establish goals for your reunion. Setting goals can help provide focus to the work of the committee. Goals may include finding “missing” classmates, participation in pre-reunion events or reunion attendance.
4. Keep in touch with other class volunteers. Class volunteers should keep in touch with each other during a reunion year to ensure that activities and communications with the class are coordinated.
5. Establish effective communication within the reunion committee. Reunion committees should determine the best way to communicate with one another to share information and report on progress. Committees often conduct regular in-person meetings or conference calls. These meetings can be supplemented by other communications such as sub-committee meetings, conversations between the chair and sub-committee chairs, or use of a committee e-mail list.
6. Make the most of committee meetings and conference calls. It is important to use this well.
• Define the purpose of the meeting and set an agenda.
• Distribute the agenda and necessary background materials in advance so members will be prepared.
• Keep the conversation focused on the topic and encourage group discussion to get all points of view and ideas.
• Write up and distribute minutes, including action items and delegation decision, within a few days of the meeting.
7. Recognize accomplishments. Your reunion will be a success because of your efforts. Take the time to recognize individual and committee accomplishments and acknowledge milestones in your planning. Be sure to thank classmates who are involved for their assistance.

Coordinating with the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff

The College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff is available throughout the planning process to assist volunteers. Their goal is to work with committees to ensure a successful event. Many of the responsibilities of planning, organizing, and implementing the event, particularly an event planned on campus, can be coordinated with the College of Pharmacy Alumni Staff. The COP Alumni Staff can:

• Provide lists of classmates and their addresses.
• Coordinate payment information for reunion.
• Schedule meetings of reunion planning committee to meet and discuss the reunion.
• Suggest activities, as well as locations, and offer advice regarding logistical arrangements.
• Provide vendor contact information for catering, equipment rental, entertainment, etc.
• Publicize reunion information on website.
• Provide reunion information to University Public Relations office for press release.
• Assist in reserving university facilities for the event.
• Suggest ideas for reunion favors, etc.
• Provide local hotel/motel contact information.
• Other various organizational assistance.

More Tips

• At alumni events, alumni want to talk, reminisce, eat/drink, take photos, and spend time with their former classmates.
• Mailing information is important, but telephone calls to classmates may be the best way to get fellow alumni to attend.
• Be prepared, a lot of the reservations will come 5-7 days prior to the event.
• In ordering food, buffets or fixed-menu table service work best.
• Bring old yearbooks, scrapbooks, photos, etc.
• Invite classmates to send messages to www.southwesternpharmacy.com for posting online.
• Take a group photo at the event and send it to us as well as to everyone in the photo.
• Find ‘lost’ classmates: ‘Lost’ means we do not have their current address information.
• Letter from classmate with who, what, when, where, etc.
• Send class questionnaire form to alumni to collect data for class reunion
• Offer suggestions for hotel reservations, dress attire, etc.
• Launch a Class Gift Campaign and present a special ‘class’ gift to College of Pharmacy at event

Remember, Rekindle, Reconnect! We hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to volunteer! Reunions and receptions are times for reflection and celebration. We hope you will join us as you renew your ties to Southwestern College of Pharmacy this year…and years to come. If you have any questions about volunteer opportunities, contact us. Remember, Rekindle, Reconnect!

Southwestern Pharmacy Alumni Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 702
Weatherford, OK 73096
E-Mail: swpharmacy@swosu.edu

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