Class Agents

Class Ambassadors/Class Agents:

Class ambassadors/class agents are a group of alumni volunteers who use their time and talents to strengthen the relationship between Oberlin and its alumni, and to increase annual giving participation among all alumni groups. In order to reach these goals, class agents personally reach out to a pre-selected list of classmates each year to ask for help in supporting Oberlin’s highest priorities through a gift to the Annual Fund.

Class ambassadors/class agents are asked to contact at least 10 members of their class each fiscal year—once in the fall, and once in the spring—to ask them to participate in giving to the Annual Fund. They may use e-mail, phone calls, handwritten notes, and/or face-to-face conversations when contacting classmates. Class ambassadors/class agents also are encouraged to keep in touch with Annual Fund staff members in order to track the fundraising progress of their class. All class ambassadors/class agents are expected to make an annual contribution to the Oberlin Annual Fund, and to come to campus at least once during each reunion cycle (during the official September gathering of all agents planning a reunion the following May, as set up by the Alumni Office).

Class ambassadors/class agents are also great stewards for Oberlin. One of the best parts of being an Annual Fund volunteer is thanking the amazing alumni who donate to Oberlin each year, and who support the students so selflessly!

Why Volunteer?

Many of our agents see this volunteer opportunity as a way to “give back” in addition to their gift, while others use it to re-connect with classmates they have not seen or talked to in a long time. Class ambassadors/class agents are encouraged to choose the people they contact on behalf of the Annual Fund for this very reason. By contacting your classmates twice a year (or more – if you decide that you want to stay in closer contact with them!), many Oberlin alumni have re-established old friendships and have even made new connections with past classmates.

If you’d like to volunteer as a class ambassador/class agent, please contact the Annual Fund at annual.fund@oberlin.edu.

More details on the Class Ambassador/Class Agent Program:

Find the resources and tools you need to champion Oberlin and our students in the Oberlin Annual Fund Toolkit