THANK YOU WEST MICHIGAN BUCKEYES!

We have some GREAT news about our West Michigan Alumni Club and WONDERFUL opportunities for this year!

With THANKS AND MUCH APPRECIATION to all of you and your participation in so many ways last year from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016, our OSU of West Michigan Alumni Club was recently recognized as one of the 8 Scarlet Clubs out of the 17 OSU Alumni Clubs in the East Coast/Midwest Region!

With this Scarlet Status comes a $2,000.00 Stipend for our Club to use as we choose. We, of course, would like to maintain our Scarlet Status for 2016 – 2017 and thus receive the $2,000.00 again next summer. YOU have the opportunity to help us achieve this again – In fact – we won’t be able to do it without your help!

In order to maintain Scarlet Status for 2016-2017, our Club needs to continue the presence we have had here in West Michigan, but we have so many new avenues from which to choose. OSUAA has designated Category I and Category 2 Events that need to take place to maintain Gray ($1,000.00) or Scarlet Status ($2,000.00).

For Scarlet Status, we will need to do at least:
5 of the 7 different Category I Events and
Unlimited Category 2 Events
Category I Event Descriptions ( At least 5 are needed for Scarlet Club Status with Reimbursement of up to $250 for Pre-approved Event or $500 for a Pre-approved Networking Event). AND help is also available through OSU and their Offices – see **** below the descriptions.

1.) Community Service: Events that allow for members to engage in local and/or national

opportunities to provide service to communities and/or community members in need.

Examples:

· Clean up trash at a local beach or highway

· Pack food at a local food shelter

· Build a house for Habitat for Humanity

· Tend to a community garden

2.) Student Recruitment/Retention: Events that allow for members to assist in student recruitment

and retention efforts, which align with the strategies of The Ohio State University

Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience.

Examples:

· Participate in a formalized mentor/mentee relationship with a current student

· Facilitate a summer send-off with local students

· Collaborate with Undergraduate Admissions to call admitted prospective students *

· Represent OSU at a college fair *

3.) Networking: An event that creates opportunities for alumni and constituents to connect

professionally and socially through casually-or-formally structured programming.

Examples:

· Organize Buckeyes after Work (Happy Hours) in your area **

· Attend a local career fair ***

· Coordinate or attend a professional speaker event ****

· Host or attend a fundraising dinner

4.) Special Interest Events: A structured event or events that feature a specific area of interest that

is held by a significant number of group members.

Examples:

· Invite a speaker to present at your event who has an expertise in the special interest topic

· Organize a bowling or golf league for members of the group

· Coordinate a craft party

· Getting members to run a 5K, or participate in an organized fitness activity

5.) Arts: An event that serves to educate and/or celebrate the fine and/or performing arts. Examples:

· Attend a live theater performance

· Attend an art museum, followed by a facilitated group discussion afterwards

· Attend an orchestra concert or opera

· Participate in a painting or sculpting workshop

6.) Lifelong learning: An educational event that aims to continue learning and development

among participants. –

Examples:

· Utilize career management tools to advance the professional development of members ***

· Provide training and/or certificate-awarding programs to members in a special area of

interest ***

· Attend presentations or discussions on a variety of educational topics

· Organize a book club where members meet regularly to discuss their thoughts, book

themes, etc.

7.) Diversity/Culture: An event that serves to educate and/or celebrate differences among people

within local and national communities.

Examples:

· Attend a local event centered on culture, such as: Irish Festival, Latin American Parade,

Pride, or Jazz & Ribs Fest

· Invite speakers to present on diversity/culture topics ****

· Participate in a march that aims to raise awareness of diversity/culture issues

· Attend a museum, such as the Underground Railroad in Cincinnati or the Holocaust

museum in Washington, DC, followed by a facilitated group discussion afterwards

· Go see a film with strong historical and/or social justice themes, such as Milk or The

Help, and followed by a facilitated group discussion afterwards

Category II Events Descriptions ( At least 2 Social, Family, Sports Events needed for Scarlet Club Status with possible $250 of Reimbursement for Approved Event)

1. Social: A casual event targeted for adults with no formal structure or learning opportunity.

Examples:

· Enjoy a meal together at a restaurant

· Go out to see a movie

2. Family: Family-friendly activities that are appropriate and engaging for all ages

Examples:

· Coordinate a cookout at a local park

· Bring members to a venue such as Dave and Buster’s

3. Sports/Game Watches (Required): Organize and gather members to either attend a sports event, restaurant, or bar, for the purpose of viewing a sporting event.

4. Board General Meetings (2 Required): Facilitate conversations either with the board or a

quorum of group members to discuss orders of business

* Must be an activity approved by The Ohio State University Office of Undergraduate Admissions

** You may reference and/or utilize the Young Alumni Engagement Manager for programming

options

*** You may reference and/or utilize Alumni Career Management for programming options

**** You may reference and/or utilize the Alumni & Constituent Engagement Manager to

coordinate a speaker

WHAT to do NEXT ????

1) Share your thoughts and ideas and be willing to Chair or Host as needed. You may send ideas/thoughts/questions to Donna at OSUWestMI@aol.com

For each Idea or Event – we need as much of the following information as possible in order to submit for Approval and eventual Posting of the Event / Idea:
• What
• Where
• When
• Why
• Who
• Cost
• How will Buckeyes gather at the Event (especially if it is a Public Event)
• Your Contact Info – email and Phone #
• Is this something we will want to have costs reimbursed?

2) Be patient with us – as this is all new to us and there are requirements that we need to do such as the pre-approval and List of Attendees for each event.

But we want AND need your help – so don’t be shy. Let’s work together and keep The OSU Alumni Club of West Michigan GREAT and Scarlet.

3) If your local Dues with our Club are not current, please consider joining the club as we hope to be able to offer Discounts to Paid Club Members with some of the $2,000.00 that will be available to our Club.

Thanks for your patience in reading this very long email. Enjoy the rest of your day. It is supposed to be better weather tomorrow!

GO BUCKS !!

Donna Waters

President, The Ohio State Alumni Club of West Michigan