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1/25/2002 1:45 AMIntroduction--The University of Minnesota Alumni Association's Legislative Network is a coalition of volunteers who share a commitment to higher education and to the University of Minnesota. These volunteers share their unique experience and perspective with their legislators and neighbors by telling them how important the University is to them and how vital it is to the economy of the state.
Suggested Activities--Alumni Association chapters in Minnesota can become involved in legislative advocacy in the following ways:
- Recruit volunteers for the Legislative Network
- Include a legislative report on the program at chapter events and meetings
- Invite legislators to chapter events and meetings
- Host receptions for legislators
- Attend meetings where legislators are present and ask them to support the University
- Appoint a member of the chapter board as the chapter s legislative liaison to the Legislative Network
- Send chapter representatives to the Legislative Briefing and other Alumni Association organized legislative activities
- As a chapter organization and as individual volunteers, contact legislators asking them to support the University
- Accompany legislators on visits to campus
Contacts--For more information about becoming involved in the Alumni Association's legislative advocacy program, contact the following:
Director of Geographic Chapter Outreach
University of Minnesota Alumni Association
200 McNamara Alumni Center
2000 Oak St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
1-800-862-5867
A Menu for Career Assistance/Student Mentoring Activities
For University of Minnesota Alumni Association Chapters
This is a list of activities that Alumni Association chapters and alumni volunteers can undertake to assist Current University of Minnesota students.
A Day in the Community--Chapters in Minnesota can organize daylong field trips for U of M students to expose them to the employment opportunities that exist in Greater Minnesota communities. The trips should be targeted toward a specific industry or field. The itinerary for these trips might include tours of community facilities (hospitals, clinics, schools), industries and companies, a panel discussion by community leaders about living and working in their community, and a breakfast, lunch or dinner with area U of M alumni. Staff assistance for this activity can be provided by the Alumni Association's assigned staff person for the chapter and the Alumni Association's Student Relations Coordinator.
Location Assistance--Chapters can serve as references for graduates moving into a new community. They can provide valuable guidance and assistance on finding employment as well as locating housing, banking, legal and medical services. Through hosting events, chapters provide graduates new to the community with opportunities to network with established U of M alumni in the community. Chapters can also provide this assistance through use of the World Wide Web by either establishing their own chapter Web page linked to s Web site, or by merely listing a community location assistance contact person on the chapter page that is provided by the Alumni Association.
Hometown Community Mentors--Chapters can provide volunteers to serve as hometown community mentors to help students ease into the routine of college life. This activity could work in conjunction with a freshmen sendoff event in July or August that is hosted by the chapter. At this event, community mentors could be matched with students wishing to have a community mentor. The community mentor would then keep in contact with the student while he or she is away at school and when the student comes home for holidays and weekends. The role of community mentors would be to provide guidance to students to help them cope with the rigors and challenges of college life. They also could provide feedback to University officials by helping to identify and resolve problems and conflicts that could cause students to drop out of school.
Contacts--For further information about student mentoring ideas, contact:
Student Relations Coordinator
University of Minnesota Alumni Association
200 McNamara Alumni Center
200 Oak St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-2040
1-800-862-5867
Director of Geographic Chapter Outreach
University of Minnesota Alumni Association
200 McNamara Alumni Center
200 Oak St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-2040
1-800-862-5867