speakers’ guide - uwadvancement.org...4 /// founders’ day 2016 a chance to reconnect /// 5 the...

1 /// FOUNDERS’ DAY 2016

FOUNDERS’ DAY2016

SPEAKERS’ GUIDEUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

2 /// FOUNDERS’ DAY 2016 A CHANCE TO RECONNECT /// 3


About the Wisconsin Alumni Association ............................... 4

About WAA Chapters ............................................................... 4

Proud Partnerships ...................................................................... 4

The Making of Founders’ Day .................................................. 5

Founders’ Day 2016 at a Glance ............................................... 6

Founders’ Day Season ................................................................ 7

How It Works ............................................................................... 8

What to Expect as a Speaker .................................................... 9

Travel, Lodging, and Reimbursement ..................................... 10

Typical Founders’ Day Schedule ............................................... 11

Speaker Checklist ....................................................................... 12

WAA Contacts ........................................................................... 14

FOUNDERS’ DAY 2016


ABOUT THE WISCONSIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

The Wisconsin Alumni Association® (WAA) was founded in 1861 to promote the welfare of the University of Wisconsin and serve the interests of its alumni. Today, WAA carries out its mission through marketing, communications, services, and programs such as Founders’ Day that link alumni to the university, the university to alumni, and alumni to each other.

ABOUT WAA CHAPTERS

There are more than 75 alumni chapters in cities worldwide. These chapters support the university and foster connections among graduates through events and programs, including social outings, scholarship fundraising, cultural events, and Founders’ Day celebrations.

PROUD PARTNERSHIPS

Thanks to the support and dedication of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Alumni Association, University of Wisconsin Foundation, and WAA chapters around the world, Founders’ Day events play a vital role in alumni-outreach efforts and advancing the university’s key initiatives and priorities.


THE MAKING OF FOUNDERS’ DAY

On February 5, 1849, 20 students gathered in a small, brick building just off the Capitol Square in Madison to study arithmetic, grammar, geography, and Latin with Professor John Sterling. It was the first day of class at the University of Wisconsin and the founding of the university as we know it.

From that humble beginning, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has grown in size and prestige. UW-Madison is now ranked 24th worldwide in the recent Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai’s Jiao Tong University.

To commemorate the UW’s earliest days and its history of academic excellence, alumni chapters began holding Founders’ Day celebrations in the early 1900s. In 1919, student leaders organized a campus event in the Red Gym. And in 1924, the Wisconsin Alumni Association took over hosting duties with a campus celebration at which more than 6,000 people packed into the Stock Pavilion for music, birthday cake, and fireworks.

Today, Founders’ Day is celebrated in more than 50 cities across the United States and around the world, with a focus on the UW’s core mission of academics, research, and public service. It is also celebrated on campus by future alumni. Typically, Founders’ Day season runs from February through May of each year.

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FOUNDERS’ DAY 2016 AT A GLANCE

Often the most high-profile and highly attended event of the year for chapters

Consistently engages nearly 2,500 valued alumni every year (approximately 360,000 engagements throughout its history)

Raises more than $20,000 in matching scholarship contributions for local chapters every year

Offers an opportunity for alumni to connect with their alma mater and each other, and for campus partners to advance the university’s larger strategy for alumni, donors, and friends

*As of January 2016

2016 EVENTS*Antigo Atlanta Austin BaltimoreBig Apple Badgers (New York City) Boston Brown County Charlotte Chequamegon Bay (Ashland) Chicago Chippewa Valley Cincinnati Columbus DallasDenver Fond du Lac Fort Atkinson Fox Valley Green County Heart of Illinois (Peoria) Houston Indianapolis Kansas City Lakeland Badgers (Minocqua) Las Vegas Los Angeles Marshfield Milwaukee Motor City Badgers (Detroit) Naples New Jersey Orange County Pittsburgh Portland, Oregon Price County Racine/Kenosha River Falls Rochester, Minnesota Rock County Sacramento

San Diego San Francisco Sarasota/Manatee Sauk County SeattleRed Rock Badgers (Sedona) Sheboygan South Florida St. Louis Tampa Bay Triangle AreaTucson Twin Cities Valley of the Sun (Phoenix)

Washington, DC Waukesha County Wausau West Palm Beach, Florida

International chapter event areas:

BeijingHong Kong Paris Shanghai


FOUNDERS’ DAY SEASON: A CHANCE TO RECONNECT

Founders’ Day is a time when University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni gather with other UW alumni in their community to celebrate the university and its academic accomplishments. It’s a chance for alumni to reconnect with one another and strenghten their ties to their alma mater.

This focus on the university’s educational mission and academic achievements is designed to build and strengthen relationships that cultivate pride and investment in the UW.

So, to further engage attendees and those stakeholders who couldn’t attend a Founders’ Day event, WAA is offering additional ways for alumni to share their pride throughout Founders’ Day season by extending the celebration online:

On Twitter, alumni are encouraged to use the hashtag #UW1849.

Alumni will be asked to urge their Facebook fans and Twitter followers to share their pride by saying why they’re proud to be a part of UW-Madison’s past, present, and future.

WAA will provide sample text and images for alumni to share on the actual day of Founders’ Day (Friday, Feb. 5, 2016) to kick off this season of celebration.

WAA will also remind alumni that it’s okay to brag to friends that they’re Badgers! And that they should follow @WisAlumni on Twitter and check uwalumni.com/foundersday often for easily shareable content (university news, fun facts, photos, and more) that supports the message of Founders’ Day.

We encourage you to use these resources in your social media communications when you speak at a Founders’ Day event.

Get the latest information about Founders’ Day and other programs by updating your contact information through myuwconnect.org.


HOW IT WORKS

Because Founders’ Day is one of the most important ways in which WAA fosters pride, advocacy, and private support for the UW, the planning process for this year’s celebrations began almost immediately after the previous Founders’ Day season ended.

This planning entails developing an annual theme and working closely with chapters to discuss potential event dates and speaker topics.

Local chapters then begin planning the format for their events. Each chapter shapes Founders’ Day events to meet the needs of its alumni and to take advantage of a local venue or attraction.

Founders’ Day is a key moment of celebration for WAA chapters. For some, it also serves as the most important annual event for local fundraising, recognizing student scholarship winners, and honoring prominent alumni as Badger of the Year Award recipients.

Depending on the location, Founders’ Day attendee numbers can range from 25 to more than 150.

To present a successful event, WAA representatives are in close contact with alumni chapters to ensure quality event planning and execution.

To assist chapters in promoting their events, WAA sends print invitations roughly six weeks before the event to past attendees, WAA members, board of visitors members, alumni award winners, campus constituents, and other highly engaged alumni in chapter regions. Invitations are also sent to all alumni in chapter areas with 1,000 or fewer alumni.

Email invitations are sent to all alumni in a chapter area who have a current email address on file.

A registration link and event details are posted on the chapter web page four weeks before each event.


WHAT TO EXPECT AS A SPEAKER

Thank you for accepting our invitation to speak during Founders’ Day season. Your appearance is vital in reinforcing the UW experience for alumni.

We strongly encourage you to contact your department’s director of development as soon as possible. He or she will be an invaluable resource.

To ensure that you get as much out of Founders’ Day as the alumni in attendance, WAA will offer an orientation designed to inform you of the Founders’ Day process and make you aware of what you can expect at your particular event.

When preparing for your event, you should plan to give a 20- to 25-minute talk, with time for questions afterward.

When putting together your presentation, please consider aligning your talking points with the four pillars of the UW’s All Ways Forward comprehensive campaign:

We strongly encourage you to demonstrate to the audience how your scholarship or research relates to one or more of these pillars.

Also, once you are confirmed as a speaker, you will be asked to provide the following information as soon as possible. It will be included in the invitations and on the website:

• Full name

• Title, department, specialty, educational background, career highlights

• Your experience working/teaching at UW-Madison

• Title of your Founders’ Day speech/presentation

• Brief description of your speech/presentation

• Experience/background in your speech/presentation’s topic

• Student support• Educational experience• Faculty excellence• Research and innovation


Shortly after your Founders’ Day event, you will receive a brief survey about your experience. We ask that you fill it out completely and candidly, in the hope of improving the program for future speakers and for gauging your interest in participating in upcoming outreach activities.

Along with your appearance at Founders’ Day, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this time away from campus to connect with individuals who are potential donors to UW-Madison or to your school or college. Please contact WAA or your director of development to discuss various opportunities, identify alumni attendees who may warrant special attention, and schedule development meetings.

TRAVEL, LODGING, AND REIMBURSEMENT

Founders’ Day speakers generally make their own travel arrangements according to standard university policy. If you need assistance in making your travel and lodging arrangements, please contact WAA at your earliest convenience.

Speakers are eligible for reimbursement for their travel expenses, but the Founders’ Day program does not provide an honorarium.

You are asked to submit expenses within two weeks after your event. WAA will provide a reimbursement form to complete and to which to attach receipts.

The final deadline to submit materials for travel reimbursement is Wednesday, June 1, 2016.

PLANNING YOUR PROGRAM

Recommendations to help keep your Founders’ Day program on track:

• Total run time of less than one hour

• Limited number of program elements to avoid confusion

• Speaker is scheduled first or early in the program

What to Expect as a Speaker, continued


TYPICAL FOUNDERS’ DAY SCHEDULE

Welcome by Chapter Leader or Evening’s Emcee — 5 minutes

WAA and UWF Welcome (if applicable) — 3 minutes each

Dinner

Introduction of Featured Speaker — 2 minutes

Speaker Presentation — 20–25 minutes (plus 10-minute Q&A)

Scholarship Recognition 2016 (if applicable) — 5 minutes

Presentation of Badger of the Year Award (if applicable) — 5 minutes

Badger of the Year Acceptance (if applicable) — 10 minutes

Raffle Drawing or Silent Auction (if applicable)

Closing Remarks and Singing of “Varsity” — 2 minutes


Immediately after confirmation, provide the following for the print invitation, email, and website:

• Full name

• Title, department, specialty, educational background, career highlights

• Your experience working/teaching at UW-Madison

• Title of your Founders’ Day speech/presentation

• Brief description of your speech/presentation

• Experience/background in your speech/presentation’s topic

Provide a brief bio for the website

Inform the local chapter and/or WAA about your equipment needs (e.g., LCD projector, laptop, laser pointer).

Make travel and accommodation arrangements. If you need assistance, please contact WAA.

Provide your itinerary and cell phone number to the local chapter representative and WAA.

Contact WAA if you would like to see a list of registrants before the event.

SPEAKER CHECKLIST

Once your Founders’ Day date is CONFIRMED:

BEFORE your Founders’ Day event:


Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the event to check the equipment setup.

Introduce yourself to the local chapter president.

Touch base with the WAA representative who’s present (if applicable) to confirm talking points, speaking arrangements, etc.

Be prepared to mingle with alumni prior to the actual program.

Founders’ Day events have a local focus, so expect a chapter representative to offer a short update on local chapter events, scholarship program, fundraising auction, etc.

Submit your receipts and expense reimbursement form to WAA within two weeks after your event, and by Wednesday, June 1, 2016.

Complete an online speaker evaluation, which will be emailed to you following your event.

AT your Founders’ Day event: AFTER your Founders’ Day event:


WAA CONTACTS

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about your upcoming presentation, please feel free to contact any of the following Wisconsin Alumni Association representatives. They will help you in any way possible.

JEFF WENDORF ‘82Vice President, Alumni

Relations and Development 608-334-2586

[email protected]

JESSE WHITEChapter and Regional

Relations Manager 608-422-1549

[email protected]

NANCY POWELLGeographic Outreach

Coordinator 608-262-7427

[email protected]

ANGELA LILLETHUN ‘95 Director, Regional Relations and Volunteer Management

608-354-2090 [email protected]

MIKE FAHEY ‘89 Managing Director,

Advocacy and State Relations 608-286-9143

[email protected]

LORA KLENKE ‘94Managing Director, International Alumni

Relations 608-334-3361

[email protected]


NOTES

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A CHANCE TO RECONNECT /// 16

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FOUNDERS’ DAY 1849–2016

uwalumni.com/foundersday

speakers’ guide - uwadvancement.org...4 /// founders’ day 2016 a chance to reconnect /// 5 the...

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