CONNECT. SERVE. INVEST. Through connections, service and investment, the MSU Alumni Office and our alumni clubs represent Michigan State University throughout the globe.
The alumni club toolkit is a compilation of resources that range from the essentials of basic alumni club administration to fundraising, plus tools for specific initiatives, including Give Green Day, Spartans Serve and Global Day of Service.
The contents of this toolkit are continuously evolving, and we want it to be of use to our alumni clubs. If you have a suggestion for a resource you'd like us to add to this toolkit, contact Meg Quine via email.
LEADERSHIP & FINANCIAL
LEADERSHIP
Ensure that alumni clubs are operating at the most effective level from a leadership standpoint and recruit and retain effective volunteers.
- The Club Admin Panel is the primary “database” of our alumni clubs. The information is used to communicate directly with club leaders, and on your club’s behalf. Forgot your club username and/or password? Refer to page 1 of How to Update Alumni Club Information in Club Admin The MSU Alumni Office does not maintain a master list of user names and passwords. You can update, add or delete an alumni club board member in the Club Admin Panel refer to How to Update Alumni Club Information in Club Admin to do so.
- Volunteer Interest Survey - MS Word. Volunteer Interest Survey - fillable pdf. Users cannot fill out the form online. In order to use the survey as a fillable pdf, you will need to download the file to your desktop and then open it using Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat.
- Athletic compliance - Alumni clubs, by NCAA definition, are a representative of MSU’s athletics interests and any inadvertent action could jeopardize the eligibility of current and prospective student-athletes. Ask before you act! Contact the Office of Compliance Services with any questions about NCAA, Big Ten or University rules.
- Request donations/signed sports items from Spartan Athletics.
- To request MSU coach(es) or athletics administrator(s) for an alumni club event, alumni clubs must contact Sarah Skilling, Director of Donor Relations and Events for Spartan Athletics via email or by calling (517) 355-7701. Clubs should not contact coaches, administrators or their staff directly.
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FINANCIAL
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Ensure that alumni clubs are operating at the most effective level from a financial standpoint.
Alumni clubs shall not use Michigan State University’s non-profit status or tax exempt number for club business. The MSU Alumni Office cannot make recommendations or provide guidance on obtaining non-profit status.
Alumni club activities are not covered under Michigan State University’s insurance. The MSU Alumni Office cannot make recommendations regarding liability insurance. It is suggested that alumni clubs seek the counsel of a local attorney and/or insurance professional who is experienced in working with volunteer organizations and who can best determine and explain a club’s options if an alumni club wished to obtain insurance to protect their assets.
GIVE GREEN DAY
The university-wide Day of Giving, Give Green Day, is an opportunity to give back and make a difference to impact current and future Spartans.
- The Give Green Day toolkit is intended to provide alumni clubs with tips and tools to help you capitalize on this opportunity. You will find suggestions, samples, resources, timing and other information on how your alumni club can effectively leverage this national day of giving in support of your club’s scholarship.
SERVICE
Spartans Serve is a year-round initiative designed to show the world the extraordinary impact Spartans make through service. This organized, collaborative effort brings Spartans together to serve others in their communities while demonstrating the reach and power of the Spartan network.
Every year in April, as part of the Spartans Serve initiative, there is a Global Day of Service to harness the power of this spirit of service and demonstrate what Spartans can do in a single day. Save-the-date for Global Day of Service 2021 – Apr. 17.
All resources related to Spartans Serve and Global Day of Service are located in the Volunteer Tools section of the serve.msu.edu website.
SCHOLARSHIP
Increase awareness and value of giving to Michigan State University
- Alumni club scholarships overview
If your alumni club is interested in establishing a scholarship, contact Jennifer Bertram, Senior Director of Development for University Scholarships and Fellowships via email or by calling (517) 432-7330.
COMMUNICATION, EVENTS & VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT
Amplify Michigan State University’s brand within the market, and inform alumni of opportunities to engage with Michigan State University.
COMMUNICATIONS/EVENTS
- MSU Alumni Club Brand Basics 2019. For a general overview of alumni club wordmarks – refer to page 3. For suggested resources for purchasing MSU themed items for gifts and giveaways – refer to page 10. For a selection of university photos suitable for social media, websites and print available for download at no charge - refer to page 8.
- Download your club's wordmarks from your club folder in the File Share tab of the Club Admin Panel. All clubs have jpg and png files. If you need an eps file for merchandising, contact Kimberly Spalding via email.
- A variety of graphics for social media and other uses are available in the File Share tab of the Club Admin Panel. Additionally, special event, athletic event and MSU Alumni Office event graphics and sample social media posts will be made available as deemed appropriate.
- Tips for Creating an Event in Eventbrite & How to Collect the Best Guest Information. Ready to create an event? Click here to go directly to the Nvite hub to get started.
- Name Tags - Alumni clubs can submit requests for events, leadership meetings, etc. If you would like to request a name tag, please contact Meg Quine via email.
- YouTube playlist - The playlist contains a number of videos including the MSU Fight Song, MSU Shadows and MSU in Motion.
- Request Sparty.
- MSU Alumni Club Social Media Guidelines and Best Practices.
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT
TRAINING & OTHER RESOURCES
RESOURCES FOR ALUMNI CLUB STUDENT SEND-OFFS/ALUMNI PICNICS
- The MSU Alumni Office is aware of the need to host virtual experiences. If a virtual experience becomes necessary, we have a very specific template and instructions to share. If you are interested in hosting a virtual event, please contact your Engagement Director.
FOR CLUB LEADERS BY CLUB LEADERS
For Club Leaders By Club Leaders is an online series of webinars and podcasts developed by the MSU Alumni Office to share best practices and to highlight successful club leaders who are making an impact in their local communities. This series also includes presentations from the annual Alumni Club Leaders Summit, as well as monthly conference calls with the MSU Alumni International Board.
MONTHLY CONFERENCE CALLS WITH THE MSU ALUMNI INTERNATIONAL BOARD
Conference calls are on a variety of topics pertinent to alumni club leaders. All files are audio files.
INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI CLUB LEADERS
If you are an international alumni club leader, please note that while most of the information above is applicable, but the resources might be delivered in different formats. Please review the International Alumni Club Leader Handbook for tailored resources and information for international alumni club leaders. To learn more about international alumni engagement at MSU, visit the International Studies and Program website or contact Skyin Yin, Associate Director of International Advancement via email.
