Reunion offers a wonderful opportunity for alumni of all ages to return to the College’s beautiful campus and connect with fellow alumni, faculty, staff, and even current students.
Reunion Volunteers are the most important component of the Reunion planning process. Alumni have the best insight into the kind of celebration their classmates enjoy and that can make a real difference in the quality of the experience. By calling friends to invite them to Reunion, assisting in the planning of the weekend, and asking others to pledge financial support to Sarah Lawrence College, Reunion Volunteers truly make Reunion weekend a great occasion for all.
If you would like to be a Reunion volunteer, please complete this form.
Being a Reunion Volunteer
Your class Reunion is the perfect occasion for reconnecting with old friends, visiting campus, and sharing news and memories. The Alumni Relations and Advancement staff greatly appreciate the time that Reunion Volunteers give to the College, and we want to make your role as simple and as satisfying as possible. Below is a list of general Reunion Volunteer expectations:
- Make every effort to participate in meetings by phone or zoom
- Contribute to the Reunion Class Gift
- Contact classmates to promote attendance and to support the Reunion Class Gift
- Notify Alumni Relations of updated classmate contact information
- Make every effort to attend Reunion!
Gathering and Supporting Our Volunteers
Sarah Lawrence's Offices of Alumni Relations and The Fund for Sarah Lawrence reach out individually and send an email or letter to recruit volunteers. We also rely on classmate referrals to help us identify alumni who would be active volunteers. Your personal contact is a helpful and meaningful way to engage potential volunteers.
We strive to have a diverse Reunion Committee – one that embodies the various interests, backgrounds, and professions represented in the class. You do not have to be in the Metro New York area to be involved in your reunion; volunteers often come from across the country and around the world. Reunion Volunteers can provide different levels of involvement including brainstorming programs, participating in fundraising initiatives, and writing and editing class letters. We ask that our volunteers sign a confidentiality agreement, acknowledging that the information they receive about classmates will be used only for the purposes of Reunion fundraising and outreach.
Ways Reunion Volunteers Can Help
Communications
There are a number of Reunion communications scheduled leading up to the big weekend. Some of these letters and brochures will be generated by the Offices of Alumni Relations and Advancement, and they will be sent to all Reunion classes. Others will be generated with the Reunion Volunteers from each class and then forwarded through our offices by e-mail, postcard, or letter.
Office-Sponsored Communications
- Save the Date Reunion Magnet
- Reunion Giving Appeals
- Citation Awards Ballot
- Are You Planning to Attend? E-Mail
- Reunion Brochure and Registration Forms
- Registration Reminders
- Call for Participation in the Art Show and Cabaret
Volunteer Communications
- Class Gift Appeals
- Personal Outreach (phone/e-mail) for Fundraising and Attendance
- Social Media
- Registration Reminders to Classmates Highlighting Exciting Reunion Events
E-mail vs. Snail Mail
In an effort to be green, the Offices of Alumni Relations and Advancement will use e-mail to contact alumni when possible. Reunion e-mails will always contain links to Reunion web pages and class Facebook groups.
Updating Contact Information
To make sure classmates are in the Reunion loop, it is important for the Office of Alumni Relations to have current contact information, particularly e-mail addresses. You can help by sending updates to the office or by asking classmates to contact us directly with their updates. The Office of Alumni Relations can be reached by phone at 914.813.9219 or by e-mail alum@sarahlawrence.edu.
The Office of Alumni Relations honors all "exclusion" requests. We will not send mail or e-mail to classmates who have requested they not be contacted by the College.
Programming
You know your class best, and we rely on you as Reunion Volunteers to provide suggestions (faculty, seminar topics, performers, alumni performers and artists, and programs) that will draw your classmates.
Attendance
Here are a few pointers on getting a great turn-out:
Divide the Class List for Phone Calls
The best part of volunteering is catching up with people you have not talked to in 5, 10, or 50 years! The class lists that we provide can be divided geographically, or by other criteria.
Lead by Example
Always start your phone calls, social media posts, and/or e-mails by letting classmates know that you plan to attend. Some people may be hesitant to attend Reunion because of the common fear that they won’t know anyone there. Nothing breaks the ice like a volunteer saying, "I am planning to attend our Reunion, and I hope you and your friends are too."
Update Contact Info
During your outreach, always ask for contact information updates. Please share any updates you receive with the Office of Alumni Relations so that we may correct our records, and keep everyone in the Reunion loop.
Class Gift
An important part of the Reunion tradition is the Class Gift Campaign. Reunion Volunteers will work in conjunction with Fund for Sarah Lawrence staff to raise money for their class gift. Any gifts donated between July 1 through June 30 are counted toward your Reunion class gift. Learn more about Reunion Giving.
Your gift and your involvement will provide support to Sarah Lawrence on a day-to-day basis, enabling the College to meet the needs of current and future students. Reunion giving helps provide financial aid, much needed professional support for faculty, as well as service programs and leadership opportunities. Your gift demonstrates your belief in the importance of a Sarah Lawrence education. Reunion is a perfect time to give back. Many alumni consider a gift two or three times their annual support as their reunion gift.
Reunion gifts are celebrated during the Reunion Awards presentation. Established in 2007, Reunion Awards recognize outstanding fundraising efforts by classes celebrating their reunions. In 2023, another award was established, The Golden Gryphon Award. This award recognizes the Reunion class who has the highest number of donors, regardless of dollar amount.
Specific Duties for Fundraising Volunteers
Classmate-to-Classmate Fundraising: The personal touch is always the best way. Asking for support in person or by phone, signing your name to letters, and sending e-mails to your classmates are the most effective ways of reaching out to ask for a gift. As a volunteer, you can connect with classmates in ways that general requests from the College cannot.
Making Your Own Gift to Sarah Lawrence gives volunteers the opportunity to lead by example when asking classmates to make a Reunion gift.
Reviewing volunteer training materials in advance of making any personal contacts with your classmates: Your Fund for Sarah Lawrence representative will work closely with you to help support your efforts.
Reporting the results of your communications to your FSL team member so that we can accurately measure class giving and respond to any questions raised: Prompt reporting will ensure that classmates are not asked to donate after having already pledged or given.
Personally thanking classmates for their gifts by phone, e-mail, and/or handwritten notes: Fund for Sarah Lawrence staff will provide volunteers with note cards.