Alumni Association Programs

The programs of the Alumni Association are designed to use the talent and experience of alumni to meet the needs of the College and the needs and interests of alumni.

Admissions

Oberlin's Admissions Office, in conjunction with the Alumni Association, has developed a program which enables alumni to participate in the recruiting process - the Alumni Recruiting Network. Although methods of finding outstanding prospective students for Oberlin vary, alumni are asked to do one or more of the following:

• Search for talented high school students, meet them, and put them in touch with Oberlin's Admissions Office;
• Serve as a local liaison between Oberlin and high school teachers and counselors, including representing the College at local high school college nights;
• Interview students who have applied to Oberlin and send the Admissions Office confidential comments about the candidates, including their interests, needs, and what they might offer to Oberlin;
• Follow up on students who show interest in Oberlin; contact those who are admitted to ensure that they enroll.

In cities which have many Alumni Recruiters and many applicants, an Admissions Recruiter Coordinator has been appointed to organize admissions activities in those regions.

Alumni in Service to Oberlin College (ASOC)

ASOC is a program in which the Alumni Association provides funds to departments, programs, or student groups to help defray transportation, housing, and meal expenses when alumni are invited to be speakers or workshop leaders for on-campus events. These alumni receive no honorarium from the Alumni Office for their efforts, contributing their time and expertise to the educational program of Oberlin. They serve as consultants, lead seminars, give lectures, answer questions, and participate in informal discussions with faculty, staff, and students.

The Alumni Career Network is the Association's effort to put the experience and good will of the Oberlin family at the disposal of students and alumni in need of contacts, career advice, or job opportunities. The Career Services Office and the Alumni Office encourage alumni to visit the alumni online community (OBIEWeb) to find alumni names, addresses, and occupational information which may be of use professionally.

Career seminars are on-campus presentations made by returning alumni to share their expertise with students. Members of the Alumni Council and other alumni returning to campus during the year may be invited to conduct informal discussions, give advice about particular occupations, and conduct mock interviews.

Each class elects or otherwise identifies class officers who serve five-year terms leading up to a reunion held during the final year of the term. The usual officers elected are the President and Vice President. The Class President serves on the Alumni Council and she/he or a designated representative attends the Council meeting in the fall. Following this weekend, the President or designee writes an annual letter so that each classmate stays in touch with the class and the College.

The class officers are chiefly responsible for working with the Alumni Office to plan the reunion. Except for the 25th, 50th and successive reunions, all reunions are clusters of three consecutive classes.

The Oberlin Fund Office appoints a Class Agent who serves as the class's chief fund-raiser. In an effort to increase contributions from Conservatory alumni, Conservatory Cluster Agents have been appointed to work closely with the Oberlin Fund Office. Class gifts and percent of class participation in fund-raising are the responsibility of the Agent.

In 1986 alumni returned to campus for a weekend gathering of Gilbert and Sullivan aficionados. Over the years, other special reunions have included WOBC, The Oberlin Review, Musical Union, African Ancestry, Vietnam Era, Chorus/Choir, Athletic Teams, OLA, Trombone Players, Asian American, Latino, V-12, Vocal Studies/Music Education, World War II, Women's Collective, Steel Drum Band, and Activist conferences.

The purpose of supporting these reunions is to increase visits to campus by alumni many of whom have not returned for class/cluster reunions, in order to stimulate interest in the College and to bridge connections between students and alumni with the same interests.

In 1983, the Alumni Campaign to Involve Oberlinians Now (ACTION) was begun. The Alumni Association created regional organizations in 30 major metropolitan areas around the country. The intention was and is to enable large numbers of alumni to volunteer to help Oberlin. A Regional Coordinator has been identified, and, in a number of cities, has formed a local board or steering committee. Most regional groups also conduct social, cultural, and educational events. The purpose of the regional program is to promote the interests of Oberlin College in a specified geographical region by sponsoring events of interest to the College and the alumni in that region.

In the fall of 1975, the Alumni Association sponsored a travel tour to Bavaria in conjunction with the ICAA (Independent College Advancement Associates). Currently, the Association sponsors four international trips per year, usually with a faculty host, choosing localities of educational and cultural interest. Several domestic travel opportunities have recently been added to the schedule.  Some of the areas toured by Oberlin alumni are: China, India, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Peru, France, Egypt, Morocco, Sweden, Iceland, and Greenland.