Volunteering for Middlebury Events

Want to help plan a Middlebury event?

Contact Jon Cormier ’01, Assistant Director for Alumni Relations, at jcormier@middlebury.edu or 802-443-3002. Even if there isn’t a local chapter planning board in your area, Jon may be able to connect you with other active alumni and friends of Middlebury to share event ideas.

Have a specific event in mind?

Before you start planning, contact Jon Cormier ’01. He will be able to confirm if there are any other College events going on at that time that might compete against yours. He will also be able to advise you on when/where/and how certain types of events work best. Here is checklist of things to keep in mind throughout the planning process.

Early planning stage questions to ask:

1. Where can I hold this event? Be cheap—most bars love to host events that bring in patrons (if a bar forces you to rent a private room, go to the next bar—you don’t always need a private room, but most bars will give you one at no cost), public buildings (libraries/historical societies) or parks, private homes, and workplace conference rooms.
2. Is the location easily accessible with parking and/or nearby public transportation?
3. How many alumni should I expect to attend? Usually about 10% of invitees will attend. The Alumni Office will be able to help you with this estimate.
4. What is my budget for this event? The Alumni Office is not able to provide funding for events that don’t involve Middlebury faculty, and so events must be paid for by a host and/or attendees through ticket sales. The Alumni Office can help you with these transactions.

You’ve set a date, now what?

1. Are there any contracts that must be signed? If so, DO NOT SIGN and forward to Jon Cormier in the Alumni Office. He will ensure that all contracts, paperwork, and/or terms of agreement meet compliance standards.
2. How does funding work? Most events must be paid for by attendees through ticket sales. When a deposit or payment for an event must be made in advance to ensure a reservation, the Alumni Office can often help but cannot assume financial risk.
3. How do I publicize my event? The Alumni Office has lots of experience with this and is happy to strategize with you. The Alumni Office will send out all email communications to alumni to avoid confusion and allow for one clear message. We encourage you and/or fellow regional volunteers to use Facebook.

Crossing the finish line:

1. One week prior: Coordinate with Alumni Office to reconfirm all the details. Check in with the Alumni Office and see if it might be appropriate to send out a reminder email, with any new details.

1. Day of event: Arrive to the event site approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour before the event start time to set-up and get a lay of the land (where the restrooms and/or coatcheck are, for example). As alumni arrive, have them sign in. Mingle, make friends and recruit volunteers to help you with more great events!
2. Follow up: Please contact the Alumni Office within the week of the event so we can get a final attendance list and hear how it went. Should we consider the venue again in the future? Was the program/event worth repeating again? Did you find other volunteers who offered to help with future event planning?

Your efforts are greatly appreciated by all of us in the Alumni and Parent Programs office and important to the continued success of the College. Without volunteers like you coordinating things at the local level, we wouldn't be able to connect with so many other alumni across the globe. So thank you!