Your registration fee includes full access to all conference sessions and materials, access to the networking reception on Tuesday, breakfast and lunch on Wednesday, and breakfast on Thursday, as well as refreshments and snacks throughout the conference.

All Times Central

 

Conference Registration
12:30 – 1:00 p.m.

 

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Welcome and Introductions
1:00 – 1:30 p.m.

 

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Intentional Volunteer Management
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
In this foundational session, we will talk about the key ingredients for an intentional volunteer management framework. We’ll discuss how to work with stakeholders and partners to develop a vision for volunteer engagement that aligns with both the mission of the institution and the passions of your volunteers.

 

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Break
2:30 – 2:45 p.m.

 

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Strategies for Lifetime Involvement
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
After addressing the key considerations for an intentional volunteer management program, we’ll get tactical. Our faculty will introduce a competency-based model for volunteers that encourages lifelong engagement. They will also address how to identify the core competencies your institution can offer volunteers, and how to inspire them to acquire each competency over a lifetime of engagement.

 

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Break
3:45 – 4:00 p.m.

 

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Recruiting and Vetting Volunteers
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
How do you take your needs and shape them into a recruitment strategy? We will focus on effective strategies to recruit and vet alumni volunteers for boards, regional chapters, and one-off volunteer opportunities.

 

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Day 1 Wrap Up and Q&A
5:00 – 5:15 p.m.

 

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Networking Reception (included in conference registration)
5:15 – 6:15 p.m.
This informal reception is your chance to decompress, have some refreshments on us, and expand your network of connections. Our programs are intentionally designed for smaller groups, so this is a great time to meet attendees and speakers you may not have connected with yet.

 

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All Times Central

 

Continental Breakfast (included in conference registration)
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

 

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Evaluating Risk in Volunteer Management
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Volunteer programs are subject to many risks and sources of potential liability, such as sexual harassment. Planning ahead to mitigate risk ensures protection of people, property, and reputation. We will provide practical tools and resources to recognize and effectively manage risks within your volunteer programs.

 

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Break
10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

 

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Onboarding Volunteers and Setting Expectations
10:15 – 11:30 a.m.
We’ll demonstrate how to identify the story and impact your institution wants to have and how to communicate expectations for all volunteers to match that impact.

 

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Lunch (included in conference registration)
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

 

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Creating a More Inclusive Volunteer Experience
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Advancing the diversity among your volunteers contributes to a healthier community and environment both on and off campus. This can be especially true among your affinity groups and regional chapters. Learn how to go beyond the strategies that have been traditionally deployed in volunteer engagement and management to build a more inclusive base of dedicated volunteers.

 

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Break
1:30 – 1:45 p.m.

 

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Managing Group Dynamics
1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
What happens when individual interests and group dynamics get in the way of fulfilling your organization’s needs? We’ll prepare you with guiding questions to move your group in the right direction.

 

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Break
2:45 – 3:00 p.m.

 

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Difficult Conversations
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Soft skills have become ever more important in volunteer management. With more documentation and legal pieces around codes of conduct and data sharing, for example, there are no longer always clearcut rules of the road. As a result, it is essential to understand how to mediate conflict among volunteers, communicate changes in policies, and even how best to let someone go. We will role-play a variety of difficult conversations you may need to have with volunteers in order to prepare you for how to communicate unfortunate news more effectively.

 

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Retaining Volunteers as Champions of Change
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Volunteers have experienced great change as institutions have navigated the digital volunteer experience during the pandemic, and they continue to be challenged by questions surrounding the types of in-person experiences volunteers are open to. We’ll talk through case studies and strategies on how to address these challenges, and retain and engage those volunteers who have stepped up as champions of change.

 

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All Times Central

 

Continental Breakfast (included in conference registration)
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

 

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Reflection and Goal Setting
9:00 – 9:15 a.m.
To open the final day, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on what you’ve learned. You will identify the top takeaway that will help you to intentionally manage your alumni volunteers better, as well as the steps you plan to take upon your return to campus.

 

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Gathering Data, Establishing Key Metrics, and Demonstrating the Value of Volunteers to Leadership
9:15 – 10:15 a.m.
This session covers what data points people should gather and also how to track ways alumni relations can convey the value of volunteering to their leadership.

 

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Break
10:15 – 10:30 a.m.

 

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Volunteer Appreciation and Recognition
10:30 – 11:30 p.m.
How can we meaningfully recognize the work of our volunteers — even on a tight budget? Join us for a panel discussion on recognition. Peers and faculty will discuss creative ways to show appreciation for the work of your volunteer force.

 

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Final Q & A and Evaluations
11:30 – 11:45 a.m.