Information for class organizers

So you want to organize a reunion • What is a UNB reunion? • What makes a successful reunion? • What do you require to organize a reunion? • What can the Association offices do to help? • Association Special Events • Steps to Follow

So you want to organize a UNB reunion . . .

So you have decided that you want to organize a get-together of your UNB friends, some of whom you may not have not seen for quite some time. How do you find out where they are living now? Where and when should you hold the reunion? What activities should you plan? How will you make sure that the people you want to see, turn out? These and other questions are often asked by individuals or groups wishing to organize a UNB reunion. This web site has been created to answer some of these questions and to provide a path for reunion organizers to follow.

What is a UNB reunion?

A UNB reunion occurs when UNB friends come together after having been separated for some time. Reunions might involve your classmates, people who lived with you in residence, played a sport with you, belonged to the same club or society, or simply might be a group of friends who have no special connection other than being your friends.

Like many UNB reunions, your reunion might take place on one of UNB's two campuses, but it might also occur at a southern resort, on a ski hill, or in someone's home. While being back on campus can add an important dimension to a reunion, it is important to remember that UNB reunions may occur anywhere and at any time, and with any number of people, great or few.

What makes a successful reunion?

A successful reunion in the mind of the participant, is one where he or she leaves the reunion experience with a positive feeling. Most often, success is related to seeing friends, professors and other people who, through a sharing of memories, help to recapture a time in one's life that is fondly remembered. Having people involved in the reunion who evoke these memories is very important. There is nothing worse than making the effort to attend your reunion only to have none or few of your friends, the people you really want to see, in attendance.

What do you require to organize a reunion?

The most important ingredient to a successful reunion is a dedicated group of volunteers who are prepared to do what it takes to organize the activities, and to encourage their friends to make the decision to attend. While the alumni offices will lend a hand, the reunion will only be successful if you and your fellow volunteers put in the effort. The first task, then, is to recruit others to help you with your reunion.

The second is to plan the reunion program and the third, and most important task, is to make sure that people attend. Quite often, this effort includes a personal approach to potential reunion goers. Telephone calls, personal letters and/or visits are the most effective forms of marketing.

What can the Association offices do to help?

Once you have your reunion committee in place, the offices of the UNB Associated Alumni, located on both the Fredericton and Saint John campuses, are ready to help you with your reunion planning. Staff will work with you and your volunteers to make sure that the reunion experience is as successful as it can be. Here are some of the ways that we can help . . .

Where are they now? The Associated Alumni has a data base of over 60,000 UNB alumni living all over the world. In most cases, we are able to track down your friends and send them your letters and notes.

When and where? We can suggest when and where you might like to hold your reunion. We have information on each of the facilities available on our two campuses and a list of special Association and University annual events around which you might like to organize your reunion. (See Association Special Events.)

What activities should you plan? Based on our years of working with reunion organizers, we are able to provide you with suggestions for reunion activities that will make your reunion work for you.

How do you arrange for facilities? If your reunion is being organized on one of UNB's two campuses, we can assist with the booking of facilities and will put you in touch with UNB's various service providers (food, audio-visual, etc.) and help to coordinate your on campus needs.

How do you get people to attend? Our experience tells us that the personal touch is important in getting good reunion turnouts. We can work with you to develop an effective marketing plan. We are able to send your e-mail invitations and we will help you with mailing costs. We will also publicize your reunion in the Alumni News and on the internet.

How about financial assistance? The Associated Alumni has limited resources to assist with the organizing of alumni reunions. In most cases, organizers are expected to recover expenses from participants through ticket sales, registration fees, donations, etc.

Is there anything else? The Association Office is able to provide reunion name badges, make photo copies, and may be able to offer other reunion services as negotiated with each reunion organizing committee.

Association Special Events

When thinking about organizing a reunion of your friends, classmates or teammates, you might want to take into consideration the following Associated Alumni special events:

Reunion Weekend: The first weekend after Canada Day every year will be UNB's Reunion Weekend.

Lobster Dinner: In conjunction with Reunion Weekend, the Associated Alumni hosts an annual lobster boil and silent auction on the Fredericton campus and invites alumni, faculty, staff and friends.

Golf Tournament: In autumn, Saint John hosts an annual golf tournament and dinner.

Proudly UNB Awards: The Associated Alumni hosts an award presentation alternating between Saint John and Fredericton, in odd and even numbered years, respectively.

Other Events: There are other logical times around which to hold alumni reunions during the year. You might like to hold your reunion around a sporting event, a special University anniversary or UNB's Encaenia or Convocation. The choice is yours!

Steps to Follow

If, after reading this website, you have decided that you do want to organize a UNB reunion, here are the steps we suggest you follow:

1. Decide who it is you want to reunite.

2. Recruit a few volunteers on whom you can rely for help.

3. Give the alumni office a call to let us know of your desire to hold a reunion. (Ideally this will be done at least six months prior to the desired reunion date.) We'll work with you to decide when and where you would like to hold the reunion, what your reunion program will look like, and how you will get people to return.

4. Assist with booking your reunion facilities and making your preliminary arrangements.

5. Market your reunion to your friends. While the Association will assist with mailings (depending on the size of the reunion) and other marketing activities, remember that the personal touch will make the difference. Be prepared to make phone calls and to write letters to your friends.

6. Keep the alumni office updated on your progress. Quite often, people will call us to see what is going on.