Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Office of Alumni Relations – The Red & White Student Organization Red & White Student Organization Web site - http://redandwhite.alumni.rpi.edu/

Program Description: Alum101, created in 2009, is a series of programs created by the Red & White Student Organization in conjunction with the Office of Alumni Relations that run throughout senior year. (Red & White is a group of students who serve as ambassadors of Rensselaer, representing the Institute to alumni, the campus, and the community. They operate in conjunction with and under the direction of the Alumni Office.) Alum101 programs are designed to help graduating seniors successfully make the transition from student to alumnus/a. The series provides the tools they will need to grow personally and professionally as they enter the 90,000+ member Rensselaer Alumni Network. The program is special in that engages our next class of alumni while they are still on campus, and not just through one event, but through a whole series of events designed specifically for them. We help create and strengthen ties to the RAA by offering assistance with the personal and professional issues that are unique to graduating seniors. The strategy is to create those connections very early, so that as they move throughout their life, they will continue to keep those Rensselaer connections. The program name and the logo were designed so that students would become familiar with the Alum101 brand while on campus, and then would recognize it as it was used going forward for young alumni events to be produced in the regions under that same branding. Alum101 Programs and Events: Senior Welcome Barbeque The goal of the Barbeque is to introduce the senior class to the Alum101 program, and give them a calendar of events for the year. The calendar is in the form of a magnet, with a list of events and dates. They also receive an Alum101 can koozie to use at the BBQ. The event gives them the opportunity to get to know members of Red & White and the alumni staff, and to learn about the benefits of the program. Resume Critiquing/Mock Interviews & Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions This program was produced in partnership with Rensselaer’s Career Development Center (CDC). The program began with time for resume critiquing, followed by the CDC’s “Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions.” After the CDC event, alumni (in person and on the phones) were available to do mock interviews with the students. Culinary Engineering This event (named with a nod to Rensselaer’s flagship Engineering school) was designed to teach students how to prepare and cook a real meal from scratch. We offered this program twice, once with a cooking basis and the other with baking. Students are taught by the head chef of the Student Union how to cook pasta primavera. They learn proper knife techniques, how to chop vegetables, how and why to blanch vegetables, how to make an alfredo sauce, how long to cook pasta, and how to properly grill a chicken breast. Students then get to eat what they made. For the baking segment, a baker from our campus bake-shop taught students how to prepare pastry and make a variety of different torts. Senior Tailgate Alum101 and the Senior Class Council collaborated on a tailgate event prior to the last home football game of the season. At the tailgate there were representatives from two local car dealerships who were available to talk with students about their recent graduate programs for purchasing cars. There also was a chili cook-off and live DJ to attract and entertain students. Regional Pub Nights These events give students an idea of what a social/networking pub night is like in the various chapters around the country. A packet of resources from the NYC, Boston, and D.C. areas (where a great deal of our students end up) was prepared for those students moving there. The packets, and the accompanying brochures, were created by a Rensselaer student, who did the research, gathered the materials, and produced the pieces on her own. Resources typically include public transportation maps, entertainment guides, museum pamphlets, neighborhood guides (which talk about the best areas to live), and mass transit cards. In order to get seniors acclimated to the “networking”

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Red & White Student Organization

aspect of the event, they were required to talk to one of the Alumni Relations staff about their future plans before they received their coupon for a free “wing burger” (a popular food item at the bar).

Investing for the Long Run Rensselaer professor Deborah Kaminski spoke to seniors about how to pick the right 401K when they begin working, and how to understand stocks so they could be better informed when planning for retirement. She shared a copy of her PowerPoint presentation with them for future reference. Thinking Ahead: Alum101 (Poly column) Member of the Rensselaer Alumni Association Board take turns writing a column for The Poly, Rensselaer’s student newspaper. The column would is directed towards current students, and in it, alumni will share what they learned at Rensselaer that helped them be successful - advice to help students succeed while in school, and to plan accordingly for the future. They share their unique perspective on what they are doing now, and how Rensselaer helped get them there. While the main focus of Alum101 is graduating seniors, the column has the added benefit of being available to the entire student body. Senior Data Boards During the spring semester, we asked seniors to put a Post-It note with their name and email address on a posterboard featuring one of 9 areas, to show classmates where they were moving to. We then compiled all of this information and sent it back to them, so that students could see who was moving to the same area with them, and allow them to find a roommate or just someone to connect with. MyFav5 The seniors were asked at Status Check (an end of the year event they are required to attend to make sure they’re eligible to graduate) to tell us who their five favorite faculty or staff members were during their 4 years at RPI. In addition, we asked them to provide us a non-RPI email address. The majority of students who came to Status Check participated in MyFav5. In addition, they were given a keychain with a number and the alumni web address on it. If the number on their keychain matched the numbers at the website, they would win a prize. The purpose was to drive students to the website, where they would find a rundown of program and services available to Rensselaer alumni, in a format specifically tailored to new alumni. (http://alumni.rpi.edu/class2011) Objectives and Goals:

To create a connection between graduating seniors and Rensselaer and the Rensselaer Alumni Association that will last throughout their lifetime.

Help to prepare the students to become alumni, so that when they move into their new areas and begin their careers, they’re well-adjusted, have the tools they need to succeed, and feel comfortable getting involved in alumni activities in their area.

Allow opportunities for students to connect with alumni for professional and personal networking Introduce students to Regional Alumni Chapters, and share the benefits of being an active participant in Chapter activities. Provide students with real-world skills that are necessary post-graduation, such as how to invest, and cooking skills. To create branding that will generate awareness of the program among juniors and seniors, and carry through to Alum101 events

that will be produced for young alumni after graduation. Budget: The total budget for the program is $5,700. Measures of Success:

332 students attended the Senior Welcome Barbeque 70 students took advantage of the resume critiquing/mock interviews program, and six alumni (three in person, three via phone)

assisted afterwards by providing mock interviews. One student obtained an actual interview as a direct result of this program. Due to space limitations, we could offer only two Culinary Engineering classes, with 25 people at each. Both sold out almost

immediately. 60 students took part in the Senior Tailgate event. 94 students attended Regional Pub Nights, and received resource packets for the region they would be moving to. 25 students attended Investing for the Long Run The Poly has asked the RAA to continue to provide their “Thinking Ahead: Alum101” column for the coming year. The editors

report getting a great response to the column from their student readers. Through the MyFav5 program, we were able to obtain new email addresses for over 50% of the class.

For more on Alum101, visit http://redandwhite.alumni.rpi.edu/alum101