Walla Walla University Alumni Council

The Walla Walla University Alumni Council is a volunteer advisory organization dedicated to enhancing the alumni experience and to building a strong and vibrant network of alumni who support the mission of the university. The Council is chaired by the WWU associate vice president for alumni engagement, who leads in consultation with the associate vice president for advancement, the vice president for advancement and alumni engagement, and WWU’s president.

A working group, the Council is comprised of alumni who possess a strong commitment to the mission of WWU and who exemplify themselves through leadership and service. Members will have four main roles: as advocates, ambassadors, advisors, and philanthropic supporters. The Council will serve as a resource on the approaches that deepen alumni participation, offering strategies on leveraging alumni talents, resources, and connections to build WWU enrollment and retention and to create strong career paths for students.

As ambassadors for WWU, the Council supports priorities of WWU’s administration, leading and participating in alumni activities on and off campus, and promoting WWU in their personal networks to include alumni, industry contacts, prospective students and their parents.

Council members will also collaborate on the selection of three to five alumni each year, from the respective honor year classes, to receive the WWU Alumni of the Year award.

The WWU Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement will manage Council membership, meetings, and logistics.

Membership

1. Membership includes anyone who has been a student or faculty member at Walla Walla University (or Walla Walla College). Individuals currently on the Walla Walla University payroll are ineligible to hold a position.

2. To maintain continuity of work, members of the Alumni Council will serve three-year staggered terms. Terms are renewable for a second consecutive term, with no limit on renewal following a hiatus of at least one year. Total committee size after the first three years will fluctuate between 20 and 30 members, depending on the scope of developing responsibilities.

3. The goal is for collective membership to represent a broad range of WWU departments and alumni generations.

4. A minimum of two Council members will be drawn from the Alumni Foundation Board to facilitate collaboration between the alumni organizations.

5. Council members will meet once a month, rotating between general council meetings and sub-committee meetings on the second Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m.

 

Responsibilities

1. Attend scheduled meetings (in person or virtually), actively participating and supporting the initiatives of the Council.

2. Lead or serve as a member of working sub-committees and fulfill agreed-upon duties. Sub-committees might include but are not limited to the following:

· Homecoming Planning

· Alumni Volunteer Network Development

· Alumni Chapter Development

3. Attend WWU Homecoming in April if feasible.

4. As a WWU ambassador, host or participate in local activities that support the university, help build the alumni community, and/or foster enrollment interests and student-alumni connections.

5. Participate by making a financial gift to WWU annually. While there is no expectation of a specific level of giving, as a volunteer leader you will want to be in a position to ask others to “join” you in supporting WWU.