Welcome New Agents
Welcome! We’re thrilled to have you on board as a volunteer for the coming fiscal year.
Join us for an orientation
Let us introduce you properly to the Annual Giving Class Agent Volunteer Program! We’ll review your role as a peer fundraiser and introduce you to Annual Giving fundraising basics. Geared toward new or newly returning agents and open to all fundraising volunteers.
Wednesday, September 4, 5:15-6:00 p.m. eastern.
What to expect for the year ahead
Our planning work begins in early fall with a volunteer orientation and kick off meeting. We’ll send those invitations starting in August. The fall meetings are a great chance to become familiar with your committee.
Committee Structure
Most Reunion (and non-Reunion) Committees have a pair of Lead Agents or a small leadership group that helps the college staff organize and communicate with the larger committee. These Lead Agents or Reunion Co-Chairs will sign letters on behalf of the committee and be the touch point when staff has news to share or need a quick response that will then be shared with the full volunteer team.
The committee’s schedule of activity for the year looks a little different for classes celebrating a Reunion and those in between Reunions. Below is a brief overview:
Outline of the year for Reunion volunteers
- Fall: Plan class-specific Reunion events and fundraising initiatives
- Winter: Build interest in Reunion fundraising
- Spring: Encourage Reunion attendance and giving —and attend Reunion yourself, if you can!
Outline of the year for non-Reunion volunteers
- Fall: Proud to be a Panther - athletics-focused crowdfunding campaign (but gifts to any area of Midd are eligible!)
- Winter: MiddWinter Challenge - our biggest challenge campaign of the year!
- Spring: June 30 Challenge - the final push to reach our alumni giving participation goal by the June 30 fiscal year deadline!
Objectives for class agents in a Reunion year
- Generate enthusiasm and engagement through digital and in-person events and mini-reunions.
- Encourage Reunion attendance by reaching out to classmates and/or sharing memories and photos on social media.
- Share ideas to personalize your Reunion weekend celebration.
- Inspire financial support for Middlebury in honor of this milestone.
Objectives for class agents in a non-Reunion year
- Ask classmates to give during one of our three major crowdfunding campaigns (usually in October, February, June).
- Help classmates understand the impact of alumni giving.
- Get your classmates excited about Middlebury.
Class Agent Hub Intro Video
Volunteer resources are all gathered here, on the Class Agent Hub! There’s a lot on this site, so we recorded a quick video walkthrough to welcome you in — you can watch that below.
Resources for your work
Volunteer Portal
At the heart of your volunteer work is getting in touch with your classmates. The Volunteer Portal on GiveCampus makes that easy and efficient. It provides a way to select classmates who are eligible for fundraising outreach and then send personalized emails individually or in bulk. During campaigns, you can share the campaign information directly from inside the Volunteer Portal, see whether or not they’ve made a gift, and send a thank you when they do!
It’s a great tool and it’s easy to get started. We’ve recorded introductory videos to walk you through the features you’re likely to use — and we’re always here to answer questions!
The Annual Giving Team
Along with the rest of your Reunion committee or class agent team, you’ll be working closely with your Annual Giving staff liaison. Reunion committees also have a Reunion staff liaison from the Alumni and Parent programs office for event planning support.
Reach out anytime with ideas and questions or to get help using the outreach resources we provide.