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Key
Volunteer Coordinator (Decade/Division Chair)
Recruitment
Drive Participant
Class/Option/Group
Chair
Reunion Gift Chair
Solicitor
On-Campus Alumni Caller
Solicitation
Letter Signer
Appreciation Contacter
Leadership Steward
Event Participant/Host
Researcher
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OPPORTUNITIES PAGE
 Key
Volunteer Coordinator (Decade, Division)
Role:
Key Volunteer Coordinators assist the Alumni Fund staff with volunteer recruitment and management for the alumni contact effort in their Decade (for undergraduate degree holders) or their Division (for graduate degree holders). Their main function is to recruit and supervise Class, Option, or Group chairs. Their secondary responsibility is to assist the Alumni Fund staff with developing and implementing strategies to identify, train, retain, and recognize Alumni Fund volunteers, which will continue to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Alumni Contact Program.
Time Commitment:
Key Volunteers are asked to make a three year commitment (negotiable and renewable). Mid-July through mid-September is the peak activity period for this position. Supervision efforts vary, although most contact with fellow alumni volunteers (by phone or email) are required 1-2 weeks prior to the volunteer recruitment, appreciation or solicitation activities. Key Volunteers are expected to attend the annual Alumni Fund Conference on campus.
Responsibilities:
• During the Summer Recruitment Drive: To renew current Chairs (Class, Option or Group) and to contact and recruit alumni to serve as Chairs (Class, Option or Group) to fill vacant chair posts (contacting about 5 potential volunteers per Class/Option/Group). The immediate goal is to fill one vacant Chair position each year.
• Discuss the responsibilities with each volunteer agreeing to be a Chair and train them as necessary.
• Complete volunteer interest forms for all alumni contacted who agree to volunteer in some capacity and return them to Alumni Fund Office at end of the Recruitment Drive.
• Maintain regular contact (monthly suggested) with each Chair between October and May to determine their needs and to thank them for their efforts.
• Receive and respond to requests by the Advisory Council and Fund staff for suggestions and comments regarding the strategies being implemented in the Alumni Contact Program.
• Make an annual contribution to Caltech.
Summary of the Process:
• The Alumni Fund office will send each Key Volunteer Coordinator a list of current Class, Option or Group Chairs within their Decade or Division in July. During July, Key Volunteers will contact current Chairs and try to get them to renew for the coming year. If they choose not to renew, determine if there is another volunteer position they wish to fulfill (Materials on all the volunteer opportunities in the Alumni Fund and in the Association are accessible on the Caltech website).
• In July the Fund office will send each Key Volunteer a list of five to ten current and potential volunteers in each Class, Option, or Group without a Chair or where a Chair has chosen not to renew.
• During the year, Key Volunteers are asked to support their Chairs with any needs and to work with Fund staff to quickly resolve any issues. From time to time, Key Volunteers will be asked to respond to provide input to the Alumni Fund staff and Advisory Council.
• The Alumni Fund staff will provide electronic volunteer progress reports on a regular basis so that Chairs may determine the progress being made by their solicitation contacters.
Recruitment
Drive Participant
Role:
Recruiting Drive participants assist the
Alumni Fund staff identify and contact fellow alumni interested
in volunteering for the Alumni Fund. Typically, recruiting drive
participants assist with renewing (“renewers”) current
volunteers for future activities, reactivating former volunteers
(“reactivators”), or recruiting alumni (“recruiters”)
to become new volunteers for the Fund (some may have previously
volunteered for other Caltech groups).
Time Commitment:
Participate in a two-week Recruitment
Drive (January, May or August). Generally this activity requires
between 4-6 hours for each recruitment drive.
Responsibilities:
• The number of expected contacts will vary depending on whether
the recruiting drive participants are asked to help by renewing,
reactivating or recruiting alumni volunteers. The typical contact
goals for renewer-types is 15-20 current alumni volunteers; reactivator-types
is 12-15 former volunteers; recruiter-types is 10 potential alumni
volunteers – all as identified and provided by the Alumni
Fund office during the two week recruitment period. The typical
recruiting drive goals are: for renewer-types - 80% renewal percentage
of current volunteers; reactivator-types - 30% reactivation percentage
of former volunteers; recruiter-types -10% recruitment of new volunteers.
• Discuss various volunteer positions with each potential
volunteer: Solicitation Contacter, Appreciation Caller, etc.
• Complete volunteer interest forms and return to Alumni Fund
Office at end of Recruitment Drive.
• Make an annual contribution to Caltech.
Summary of the Process:
• The Alumni Fund staff will outline the preference for the
type of recruiting preferred (renewal, reactivation, new recruiting)
for each Recruitment drive and will ask the recruiting drive participants
to rank their recruiting preferences. Due to the needs of the Alumni
Contact program, recruiting drive participants may be asked to help
in their second or third preference area.
• The Alumni Fund office will send volunteering information
to a pre-determined group of potential volunteers to target for
the upcoming Drive. This group of potential volunteers is based
upon those areas with the greatest need for volunteers.
• The Fund office will next send each Recruiting drive participant
a list of volunteers to renew, reactivate or recruit who the Recruiting
Drive participants are expected to contact during the recruitment
drive. An effort will be made for recruiters to contact potential
volunteers who have some commonalities with them—same class
year, same option, etc. However, recruiters may be asked to help
recruit volunteers across class and division lines where volunteer
numbers are low.
• Recruitment volunteers need to be familiar with the Alumni
Contact calendar to be able to ask volunteers about specific events
and times for their participation.
Class, Option or Group Chair
Role: The Class/Option/Group Chairs assist the
Alumni Fund staff and Key Volunteer Coordinators with volunteer
recruitment and management for the alumni contact effort in their
Class (for undergraduate degree holders), their Option (for graduate
degree holders) or Group (Groups are portions of large options or
combinations of small options; for graduate degree holders). Chairs
will also be asked to participate in the Solicitation Sprints and
can choose as many “optional” responsibilities as they
wish (listed below).
Because of the size of some classes/ options/groups, co-Chairs
are often named and divide the responsibilities (often
by time zone or season). Persons interested in being a co-Chair,
but not able to accept the full Chair responsibilities should let
the Fund office know when they are recruited.
A calendar has been created to display the timeframes and weekly
responsibility levels of the Chair position (see Chair Calendar).
Time Commitment: Class/Option/Group Chairs are
asked to make a two year commitment (negotiable and renewable).
The basic responsibilities typically require 4 hours for recruiting
volunteers, up to 6 hours managing volunteers, and another 5 hours
for participating in solicitation sprints. August through October is
a peak activity period for this position. Supervision efforts vary,
although most contact with fellow alumni volunteers (by phone or
email) are required 1-2 weeks prior to the volunteer recruitment,
appreciation or solicitation activities. Chairs are expected
to make every effort to try to attend the annual Alumni Fund Conference
on campus (with partial reimbursement of travel expenses).
“Basic” Chair Responsibilities:
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of the Institute and the
role of the Alumni Fund.
• Basic recruiting and stewardship: thank and renew current
solicitation contacters for next year from the previous year. Fill
at least one vacancy of non renewing contacters. The typical volunteer
goal is to maintain at least five solicitation contacters for the
class/option/group.
• Volunteer management: communicate with solicitation contacters
1-2 weeks prior to the upcoming solicitation sprint and verify that
materials sent from the Alumni Fund office have been received and
answer any questions about the, and to remind them to send in their
forms after the solicitation sprint. Chairs also check to see if
solicitation contacters want to make thank you calls to the alumni
they contacted who follow through and make a gift.
• Basic Solicitation: participate in at least one solicitation
sprint (will be asked to contact six alumni unless more are requested).
• Make your annual contribution to Caltech.
“Optional” Chair Responsibilities:
Additional Recruiting:
• If more than one previous contacter did not renew, fill
the additional vacancies. Since the goal is to have at least five
solicitation contacters per class/option/group – work with
the Fund staff and obtain a list of 15 to 20 potential volunteers
and former volunteers and attempt to recruit new volunteers and
reactivate former volunteers.
Additional Volunteer Management:
• Chairs may desire to distribute the materials directly to
their solicitation colunteers (some Chairs want to distribute pledge
forms and let the office send envelopes and training materials).
• Chairs may contact their volunteers (mostly by email) at
some point during the two weeks of the Sprint to see how things
are going.
• Chairs may contact their volunteers to gather feedback and
submit to the Alumni Fund staff as well as enroll them for the next
sprint, for appreciation calling, or for an upcoming recruitment
drive.
• Encourage volunteers to participate in one of the two Recruitment
Drives that take place each year.
Summary of the process:
• The Alumni Fund staff will send each Chair a list of current
Class, Option or Group Chairs within their Decade or Division in
July. During August and September, Chairs will contact and renew
solicitation contacters for the coming year. If they choose not
to renew as a solicitation contacter, determine if there is another
volunteer position they wish to fulfill (Materials on all the volunteer
opportunities in the Alumni Fund and in the Association are accessible
on the Caltech website).
• The Alumni Fund staff will check with the Chair to determine
what materials will be distributed by the Fund office and what will
be distributed by the Chair in preparation for Solicitation Sprints.
• The Alumni Fund staff will provide electronic volunteer
progress reports on a regular basis so that Chairs may determine
the progress being made by their solicitation contacters.
• The Chair will communicate directly with the Fund office
about needs of solicitation contacters and will serve as the “eyes
and ears” of the Fund among the alumni volunteers.
Reunion
Gift Chair
Role:
The Reunion Gift Chair works closely with
the Alumni Fund staff to assist with implementation of their class
reunion gift drive (for undergraduate degree holders at this time).
Chairs will also be asked to participate in the Solicitation Sprints
and can choose as many “optional” responsibilities as
they wish (listed below).
A calendar has been created to display the timeframes and weekly
responsibility levels of the Reunion Gift Chair position (see Reunion
Chair Calendar).
Time Commitment:
Reunion Gift Chairs are asked
to make a two year commitment (negotiable and renewable). The basic
responsibilities typically require 4 hours for recruiting volunteers,
up to 6 hours managing volunteers, and another 6 hours for participating
in solicitation sprints and editing solicitation letters. September
and May are peak activity periods for this position. Supervision
efforts vary, although most contact with fellow alumni volunteers
(by phone or email) are required 1-2 weeks prior to the volunteer
recruitment, appreciation or solicitation activities. Chairs are
expected to attend the annual Alumni Fund Conference (September)
and Reunion Weekend (May) on campus.
“Basic” Chair Responsibilities:
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of the Institute and the
role of the Alumni Fund.
• Basic recruiting and stewardship: thank and renew current
solicitation contacters for next year from the previous year and
work with Alumni Fund staff on reactivating former volunteers during
the Summer Recruitment drive. The typical volunteer goal is to maintain
at least five solicitation contacters for the class/option/group.
The recruiting drive goal for renewing current volunteers is 80%;
reactivating former volunteers is 30%; recruiting new volunteers
is 10%.
• Volunteer management: communicate with solicitation contacters
1-2 weeks prior to the upcoming solicitation sprint and verify that
materials sent from the Alumni Fund office have been received and
answer any questions about the, and to remind them to send in their
forms after the solicitation sprint. Chairs also check to see if
solicitation contacters want to make thank you calls to the alumni
they contacted who follow through and make a gift.
• Basic Solicitation: participate in at least one solicitation
sprint (will be asked to contact six alumni unless more are requested)
and edit solicitation letter/email copy for the Alumni Fund staff
to send over your signature.
• Make an annual contribution to Caltech.
• Attend Reunion Weekend (May).
“Optional” Chair Responsibilities:
Additional Recruiting:
• If more than one previous contacter did not renew, fill
the additional vacancies. Since the goal is to have at least five
solicitation contacters per class/option/group – work with
the Fund staff and obtain a list of 15 to 20 potential volunteers
and attempt to recruit new volunteers.
Additional Volunteer Management:
• Chairs may desire to distribute the materials directly to
their solicitation colunteers (some Chairs want to distribute pledge
forms and let the office send envelopes and training materials).
• Chairs may contact their volunteers (mostly by email) at
some point during the two weeks of the Sprint to see how things
are going.
• Chairs may contact their volunteers to gather feedback and
submit to the Alumni Fund staff as well as enroll them for the next
sprint, for appreciation calling, or for an upcoming recruitment
drive.
• Encourage volunteers to participate in one of the two Recruitment
Drives that take place each year.
Summary of the process:
• The Alumni Fund staff will send each Chair a list of current
Class, Option or Group Chairs within their Decade or Division in
July. During August and September, Chairs will contact and renew
solicitation contacters for the coming year. If they choose not
to renew as a solicitation contacter, determine if there is another
volunteer position they wish to fulfill (Materials on all the volunteer
opportunities in the Alumni Fund and in the Association are accessible
on the Caltech website).
• The Alumni Fund staff will check with the Chair to determine
what materials will be distributed by the Fund office and what will
be distributed by the Chair in preparation for Solicitation Sprints
and other activities.
• The Alumni Fund staff will provide electronic volunteer
progress reports on a regular basis so that Chairs may determine
the progress being made by their solicitation contacters as well
as quarterly progress reports for the class reunion gift effort.
• The Chair will communicate directly with the Fund office
about needs of solicitation contacters and will serve as the “eyes
and ears” of the Fund among the alumni volunteers.
Solicitor
Role:
To serve as a fundraiser for the Alumni
Fund by asking fellow alumni, mostly current donors, to renew their
annual support to the Institute.
Time Commitment:
Solicitors are asked
to make a commitment to participate in at least one 2 week Solicitation
Sprint; three sprints per year (October, March, August).
- Phoning generally entails three one-hour calling sessions per Sprint.
- Emails take about the same amount of time
- Writing personal notes may take somewhat longer.
Responsibilities:
• Of 10 alumni donor cards provided, contact 6 alumni during
each Solicitation Sprint to thank them for their past support and
to ask for their continued support of Caltech with a renewed gift
to the Alumni Fund (phone contact is preferred, personal email and
letters are also used).
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of the Institute and the
role of the Alumni Fund.
• Make an annual contribution to Caltech.
Optional Responsibilities:
• Make appreciation (“thank you”) calls, if possible,
to those alumni you called who later make a gift as part of an appreciation
session (December, June, September).
• Participate in one of the two Recruitment Drives (August,
February).
Summary of Process:
• The Alumni Fund staff or a Class/Option/Group Chair will
distribute materials to you prior to the solicitation sprint, including
ten alumni donors cards selected by the defaults: class/option and
time zone. Solicitors have the option of making special requests
for specific cards (of friends) prior to the start of a calling
sprint.
• Efforts will also be made by Fund office for solicitors
who have established relationships with prospects to be able to
contact these individuals.
• Phone call contact is preferred. If this is not possible
after five attempts, a personal email or letter can be sent.
• Solicitors are asked to return their response
cards to the Alumni Fund office after the solicitation sprint ends.
On-Campus Alumni Caller
Role:
To join current Caltech students Alumni
Fund’s Student Phone Program, making calls to fellow alumni
and asking, mostly current donors, to renew their annual support
to the Institute.
Time Commitment:
On-Campus Alumni Callers are
asked to make a three hour commitment. Weekday and weekend phoning
sessions are available at the Alumni Fund’s Student Phone
Program on campus.
Responsibilities:
• Of alumni donor cards provided, contact 10 alumni to thank
them for their past support and to ask for their continued support
of Caltech with a renewed gift to the Alumni Fund.
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of the Institute and the
role of the Alumni Fund.
• Make your annual contribution to Caltech.
Optional Responsibilities:
• Make appreciation (“thank you”) calls to alumni
who have made a gift to Caltech.
• Participate in one of the two Recruitment Drives (August,
February).
Details of Position:
• Please contact Amy Hasquet at the Alumni Fund office to schedule a calling
session at the Student Phone Program, 626-395-8625.
• The Alumni Fund staff will provide materials to help you
prepare to make calls prior to the calling session.
Letter Signer
Role:
To personalize a mailing for solicitation and/or appreciation (“thank
you”) purposes to alumni by allowing your signature to be
added to the piece.
Time Commitment:
A short time to generate several versions of one’s signature
and send them to the Fund office. An hour or so to review a mailing
piece and make suggestions. A short time to approve the final copy.
Responsibilities:
• Inform the Fund staff whether you wish to sign letters,
emails, or both and if you wish to focus on specific segments of
the alumni population.
• Once the parameters are established, be ready to make a
prompt response to a request by staff to review the draft version
a mailing piece.
• Make a prompt response to the final version of the piece.
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of the Institute and the
role of the Alumni Fund.
• Make an annual contribution to Caltech.
Optional Responsibilities:
• As time permits, all letter signers are encouraged to participate
additional volunteer activities including Recruitment Drives, Solicitation
Sprints and/or Appreciation Sessions.
Summary of process:
• The Fund staff will work with the Letter Signer to select
mailings that fit the volunteers time schedule and they type of
mailing desired.
• The Fund staff will allow for one week for the Signer to
review and respond to the draft version of the mailing piece, then
for three days to receive approval of the final version.
Appreciation
Caller
Role:
To contact alumni donors who have made their gift to the Alumni
Fund this year to say thank you for their continued support.
Time Commitment:
Two-week “thank you” session; Three sessions per year
for a min of 2 and a max of 6 weeks per year. Each session generally
entails 4 one-hour calling periods within the two weeks.
Responsibilities:
• To contact 12 to 15 Alumni Fund donors during the two week
appreciation session that follows a solicitation sprint, to thank
them personally for their gift.
• Participate in one of the two week solicitation sprint if
desired.
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of the Institute and the
role of the Alumni Fund.
Optional Responsibilities:
• As time permits, all volunteers are encouraged to participate
in one of the two Recruitment Drives that take place each year.
• Make an annual contribution to Caltech.
Summary of the process:
• Alumni Fund office selects 12 to 15 donor thank you cards
and mails directly to the Appreciation Caller, with default to the
volunteer’s class/option and time zone.
• Appreciation Callers have the option of making special requests
prior to the two week calling session. Because of the need to thank
special groups of donors, Appreciation callers may be asked to thank
donors from a variety of class years and divisions.
• Appreciation Callers are encouraged to discuss volunteering
with the Alumni Fund with the alumni donors whom they are thanking,
if this seems appropriate.
Leadership
Steward
Role:
To work closely with the Alumni Fund staff and participate in phone
calls and meetings with alumni, both donors and prospects, to increase
their connection with the alumni community and the Institute.
Time Commitment:
Leadership stewards are asked make a one year commitment. There
are no specified sprints or sessions, this contacts will be determined
based on need and the availability of the leadership steward.
Responsibilities:
• Assist the Alumni Fund staff with maintaining contact with
3 to 5 Alumni Fund Leadership-level donors at different times during
the year.
• Help share information of current activities and news at
Caltech that would be of interest to the alumni.
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of the Institute and the
role of the Alumni Fund.
• Stewards are encouraged to discuss volunteer opportunities
with the Alumni Fund with the alumni they are contacting, if this
seems appropriate.
• Make an annual gift to Caltech, preferably at a level of
$1,000 or more.
Summary of the process:
• The Fund staff will work with the Steward to select the
alumni with whom the volunteer would most like to contact.
• The Steward coordinates schedules with the Fund staff for
contact purposes.
Event
Participant/Host
Role:
Event hosts work with Fund staff to organize a particular event,
providing “on site” support. Event Participants attend
Fund-sponsored events and interact with other alumni and guests (often
students)
Responsibilities:
Hosts will help create and sign invitations, assist in local logistics
(sites, caterers, entertainment, etc.), and serve as program emcees
as needed. Participants attend events and interact with alumni and
guests.
Time Commitment:
Event hosts are asked to make a 5-10 hour commitment over one month
period. Event participants are asked to make 4 hour commitment (or
the length of the event).
Responsibilities:
• Event hosts will help create and sign invitations, assist
in local logistics (sites, caterers, entertainment, etc.), and serve
as program emcees as needed.
• Event participants attend events and interact with alumni
and guests.
• Make an annual contribution to Caltech.
Summary of Process:
• The Alumni Fund staff will provide a event calendar along
with additional materials to help determine which upcoming activities
may match your interests.
Researcher
Role:
To improve accuracy of alumni contact information
(mail address, phone, email) by utilizing public records (company
directories, online search engines, operator assisted searches).
Time Commitment:
Researchers are asked to make
a 3 hour commitment. There are no specified sprints or sessions,
these contacts will be determined based on need and the availability
of the researcher.
Responsibilities:
• Once the parameters are established, determine the timeframe
with staff. For example, the researcher may prefer to track down
“lost” alumni (no valid contact information), or try
to get more complete information on alumni with only one valid contact
mode (for example, an alumni with a phone number, but no home or business
mailing address, no fax number and no email address).
• The researcher will be asked provide feedback on what methods
were used to obtain new information on alumni and how effective
these methods were by the agreed-to deadline.
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of the Institute, current
events of interest at the Institute, and the role of the Alumni
Fund.
• Make an annual contribution to Caltech.
Details of Position:
• The Fund staff will work with the Researcher to develop
an appropriate list of names of alumni based on the resources available
to the researcher.
Click
to fill out a volunteer interest form.
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