Virtual Programs for Regions

callmanmorton — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 15:43:23 +0000

Virtual Programs for Regions Carol A. Allman-Morton (inactive) Monday, 6/22/2020, at 11:43 AM

In this time of increased virtual engagement, alumni are participating in regional gatherings via Zoom and other platforms. We are grateful for the efforts of alumni volunteers to keep their classes and the College community connected during this time. This page includes information about support available for programming from the Advancement Office and guidelines for programs.

Scope of Programming

As you begin your planning, please be sure to check the College virtual programs calendar for alumni and families to see upcoming events hosted by the College. You will also need to speak with your regional liaison in Alumni and Parent Programs to learn more about programs in development with your class officers or regional volunteers to be sure you're not duplicating other volunteer or staff efforts, or tapping a speaker who has already committed to another College or class program.

Similar to the panels and presentations planned by classes for Reunion, virtual regional programs provide opportunities for intellectual engagement, community and connection. You and alumni in your region represent a wide variety of professional and personal experiences, and you’re encouraged to draw on this breadth of expertise to create engaging programming. As you develop program topics, consider what will be most meaningful to your audience and what skills and knowledge alumni in your region can bring to the discussion.

Regional volunteers should work directly with staff to determine an appropriate number of events based on the alumni population in their area.

Please note that only programs that follow the Amherst College Terms and Conditions of Use will be supported by College staff and resources.

Volunteer Support

If your region is planning a virtual program, please speak with regional volunteers to determine if a Virtual Program Coordinator has been appointed. If not, regions should identify a volunteer to fill this role.

Virtual Program Coordinator Job Description:

The Virtual Program Coordinator acts as the liaison between the Advancement Office and regional volunteers for the purpose of proposing and orchestrating region-specific virtual programs. Chairs may bring ideas for programs to their liaisons in Advancement and will work with these staff members to identify potential participants, manage scheduling and assist in drafting communication about planned programs. This person serves as the primary point of contact between Advancement and groups or committees of volunteers involved in program brainstorming and development. The Virtual Program Coordinator should be familiar with Zoom and comfortable responding to and helping to troubleshoot technical issues that may arise for attendees before and during programs.

Support from Advancement staff

In concert with the Virtual Programs Coordinator, Advancement staff will manage the following tasks:

Coordinating Zoom planning meetings for program planners, as needed, to manage final program details prior to the event. This may also include practice meetings for presenters.
Sending out email communications to the region announcing programs, managing registration and providing Zoom links. Virtual Program Coordinators will assist with drafting these communications, including program descriptions; final decisions on wording and timing of emails rest with the office of Advancement Communications, to ensure consistency in messaging and manage email frequency.
Hosting the event and assisting the Virtual Program Coordinators with technical issues behind the scenes.
Events cannot be recorded without written permission from speakers and all visible participants (Zoom Webinar is an option that will ensure only speakers are visible, not participants). The College may occasionally share recordings on its website or via social media or email, depending on the content, the intended audience and what other virtual events are happening, but we can’t guarantee that ahead of time.
In some cases, regions may desire to invite faculty or staff to participate in programs. These invitations will be managed by Advancement staff. Please see the requirements below for more information.

Requirements for rEQUESTING Faculty, Staff or Student PARTICIPATION

If you would like to invite students, faculty or staff members (e.g. a coach, a librarian, museum staff, etc.) to be part of your program, you must work through a member of the Advancement office, so that we can first consult the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of the Provost and Dean of Faculty, the director of athletics or the relevant department head. In this increasingly busy digital world, those department heads need to ensure that no one faculty or staff member is overburdened with event requests, and that we’re being mindful of student schedules. We greatly appreciate your cooperation with this requirement—we’re not the only office that sponsors events, and working with your Advancement liaison helps make sure we don’t have competing or repetitious events.

Amherst College: Virtual Event Planning for Regional Volunteers

Virtual Programs for Regions

Scope of Programming

Volunteer Support

Support from Advancement staff

Requirements for rEQUESTING Faculty, Staff or Student PARTICIPATION