Join conference Co-Chairs, Bobby Dunlap and Dominique Mendoza, to meet the conference faculty, learn about our conference group, and discuss how to get the most out of your time in Atlanta.

Mix and mingle with other attendees while learning about shared goals for their time at the conference.

Welcoming alumni and guests back to campus for their Reunion requires a dedicated reunion committee, and the foundation of any strong committee lies in strategic recruitment and volunteer management. Join us to explore innovative approaches to committee recruitment that fosters volunteer engagement and harnesses committee members' efforts to gather valuable data, ensuring the most up-to-date information on their fellow classmates. This session will dive into the essential strategies and best practices for assembling an enthusiastic and capable reunion committee, as well as effectively managing volunteers to ensure a seamless and memorable event.

Hear from seasoned homecoming planning professionals on how they foster spirit across campus through collaboration and strategy.

Traditions provide a strong sense of familiarity and community within alumni bases, but what happens when they’re not received as well as they once were? This session will explore when it’s time to sunset a tradition, and how to consider change processes needed to help internal and external stakeholders jump on board for new opportunities.

Affinity-based reunion programs can be tricky to develop and establishing campus buy-in can be another challenging layer. This session will explore strategies that the University of Maryland College Park used to develop the inaugural Black Alumni Weekend - a weekend with more than 20 events, hosted by 21 campus units, that brought in over 700 attendees. During this session we will also discuss methods for establishing cross-campus buy-in, creating positive alumni affinity to the university and engaging donor prospects.

Giving is in the university’s DNA. Our founder, John Purdue, led the way in 1869 with his original gift of $150,000. Following his example, President’s Council has continued to set the standard for private giving at Purdue since 1972. The council commemorated its golden anniversary throughout 2022. Highlights throughout the year included a heavily researched “yearbook,” large-scale environmental signage, curated print pieces and event collateral, athletic-event sponsorships, and a golden finale and gala dinner coinciding with Homecoming weekend and former Purdue President Mitch Daniel's final President's Council Annual Dinner. This presentation will discuss the design of this historic year, and the culmination of the celebration during Purdue's Homecoming weekend.

In-person? Virtual? Hybrid? The pandemic brought on a whole new way of thinking when it comes to event planning and alumni engagement. Now that we’re in a post-vaccine world, how do we move forward with the lessons learned? This session will examine the benefits and setbacks of modernizing homecoming and reunion programs in the 2020s.

Ensuring a successful homecoming requires cultivating strong partnerships – but where does one begin? What about partnerships that are no longer productive? This session will review strategic considerations for on-campus and external partnerships and how to foster meaningful, positive relationships.

Reunion celebrations are the culmination of a year's worth of event planning, volunteer engagement, fundraising, and outreach. So why not start the festivities sooner? Join the University of Chicago team to gain insight into additional opportunities for reunion programming and team collaboration to build momentum for Reunion Weekend and class giving. This session will discuss spreading the magic of reunion milestones throughout the year with pre-reunion engagement, collaborating with signature events, and leaning on your volunteers to make reunions a success.