Alumni Reunion
Reunions contribute to university life, culture and tradition. They provide an opportunity for alumni and staff alike to revisit the people and places that made their time at Monash University unique.
Organising an alumni reunion
Reunions are a chance to renew old friendships, develop business and community networks and discover changes that have taken place at your university.
The most important factor in the success of a reunion is the enthusiasm and persistence of a keen co-ordinator.
If you can provide that, we can help you locate your fellow graduates and assist with the effective coordination and management of your reunion.
Step 1: Contact the Alumni Engagement team
We want your reunion to be a success and we’re here to help. Contact us at (mum.alumni@monash.edu) to discuss your ideas and we’ll guide you through the planning process.
Step 2: Who do you want to reunite?
Your guest list could include fellow graduates from your year or all alumni from a school, department or from a whole decade. You might want to reunite friends from sports clubs, social groups or from your former residence.
Many groups decide to meet to celebrate an anniversary, for example ‘five years since graduation’, but you don’t need an excuse- just the will to get together.
Step 3: The style of reunion
What style of reunion do you want to have? Is it a lunch, dinner, afternoon tea or cocktail party? Will it be held in a restaurant or a hired venue? At the University or in a particular town? Do you want to invite partners/families? How are you going to fund the reunion?
Your main options are:
* A small-scale gathering in a restaurant or bar. This has the advantage of minimal organisation, with everyone paying their own way at the reunion.
* A hired venue, for example a room in a hotel or a venue at the university. This is more complex and will involve booking the venue, organising catering and also setting a price per head and collecting the money.
Speak with others with whom you are still in contact to get a feel for what might be the best option for the group. There are also a number of venues on campus available for you to hire.
Step 4: Finding the guests
Ask your friends if they are still in touch with anyone else from their course or year. Perhaps they’ve stayed in touch on Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media sites. Remember to contact staff from your faculty or former lecturers that you keep in touch with. Once you get the ball rolling you’ll be amazed how the network of contacts can spread!
Most importantly, contact us! While we can’t give out addresses, we can send an email on your behalf so you don’t have to worry about making the first contact.
Step 5: Making contact
Email us on the confirmed event details: date, venue, style, cost (if applicable) and guest list for the reunion. We will then send an email to your guest list inviting them to attend. RSVP’s will be directed to you.
Please give us plenty of time to source the data and schedule your email. If you are inviting alumni from offshore or interstate, we suggest you provide at least 6 months’ notice to your guests.
We will publicise your event on the Alumni Community website. We may also be able to promote the event via our social media channels. Don’t forget to use your own social media channels as a means to help spread the word too.
Step 6: Wait for responses
Now that you’ve promoted the reunion, RSVPs will start rolling in. If you are charging a price per head you will also need to manage a budget and think about how you will handle payments.
Again, contact the Alumni Relations team for suggestions. Please note you will need to be responsible for contracts with event suppliers.
Step 7: Turn up and enjoy
Don’t forget to let us know how successful your reunion was and also sending us your best photos. We will then post them on the Monash University Malaysia alumni website and send an email to your guest list, linking to the photos, so those who were unable to attend can share the occasion!