Relay For Life and CAC
Summer Orientation 101
Staff Guidebook to Maximize your Potential this Summer
on a Campus near You!
1
Give yourself an A+
Summer Orientation is not just about recruitment! This guidebook will help you learn
why orientation is vital to starting off the school year on the right foot! Letting
incoming students know that Relay and CAC is the biggest thing on campus encourages
participation early in the year. So, paint your campus purple and make it known your
campus is a Relay/CAC school! Topics include:
- volunteer recruitment
- time to build relationships
- get to know your campus
- post-fundraising opportunities
Pull out your Planner!
The first step to orientation is knowing when it is! Tips to make sure you do not miss
this great campus opportunity:
- Speak with Admissions or the Student Activities Director to book the
date and to get on the orientation schedule of events;
- Work with committee leadership in the Spring semester to make a plan
for your presence (tabling, presentation, etc) and determine who will
work.
- Confirm your point of contact for the event. Make sure to determine
the guidelines around your participation – is it possible to have campus
decorations, speakers, giveaways, an activity, etc.
Questions to Consider BEFORE Orientation
By attending summer orientation you not only are meeting new faces, but you have an
opportunity to promote Relay and CAC to other campus affiliations. Once you have
your orientation contact consider reviewing the following questions with that
individual:
- Will the bookstore be open?
 Can you promote sun/moon decals?
 Are you able to pass out RFL/CAC bookmarks with all
purchases?
 Can you decorate a display case with Relay materials?
 Will they provide a campus item to raffle off at your
orientation table?
- What faculty/staff/coaches will be available and when? Make
appointments now to speak with them on volunteer opportunities for
their students/athletes in the fall and spring semesters.
2
- Can you offer a “purple light special” of reduced Relay team
commitment fee open just for the freshman?
- When are campus and community tours scheduled?
- Is there a social hour you can attend?
- Can you fundraise at your orientation table?
- How can you promote Relay in the dorms?
 Decorate the RA bulletin board in the dorms in which
students stay and/or tours are taken through
 Can you use a Relay blanket, t-shirt, etc. in the sample dorm
room (some colleges will decorate a freshman dorm to show what
a room looks like set-up)
- How can you promote Relay around campus? Examples include:
 Table tents in the café
 Flyers in the academic building
 Purple ribbons/balloons throughout campus
 Relay mouse pads in the computer labs
 Promo screens on the campus TVs
Seven Steps to Maximize your Time while at Orientation
1. Go! You will learn more about your campus by attending orientation. This will
help not only with recruitment, but also with better understanding the
environment in which you will work in the Fall.
2. Get the Schedule for the Fall. Know the schedule for the major Fall events (get
information by looking at school site, speaking with various directors, coaches,
etc.). This will help you to pitch ideas to potential leads as they walk through the
fair.
3. Meet as many faculty and staff as possible. Orientation is a great time to
introduce yourself to faculty and staff, thus building relationships for future
programs (example: partner with PoliSci to promote ACS CAN, work with
Education department to develop relationships with the local schools for youth
activities, etc.).
4. Make Friends! Now is the time to reach out to incoming freshman, as well as
the student orientation staff for potential leadership and teams!
5. Learn your way around campus. Take an admissions tour while on campus. If
you have already taken a tour, walk around to get ideas of great promotion
spots. Also, some campuses take tours around the community in which the
campus resides to better educate people what the town has to offer- take a tour
to learn the student hot spots and scope out businesses for potential
sponsorship and in-kind donations!
3
6. Get information on clubs/orgs. Take time to walk around the fair and get to
know the leaders on campus. The orientation fair is a great time not only for
people to come to you, but for you to go to them!
7. Encourage nearby leaders to attend. If your current leadership lives near the
campus, invite them to attend with you. Since they are the face of campus, this
gives them time to meet and build relationships with the incoming freshman.
Collect Materials for Orientation Fairs
Now that you know when and what you can do at orientation, it is time to gather your
supplies!
- Relay table cloth
- Orientation Sign-Up Sheet (see pg. 5)
- Candy/Snacks (try to get them donated)
- Luminaria bags and markers
- Relay Giveaways (keychains, tablets, pencils, pens, etc.)
- Raffle tickets
- Your business cards
- Relay videos and laptop (to register teams and participants!)
Orientation Fundraising
Your prime market for fundraising during orientation are the moms, dads and
guardians who are in the giving mood for their ‘baby’ that is leaving the nest. Here are
some fundraising ideas for this group:
 Hold a drawing for an item from the Bookstore (donated);
 Hold a drawing for a Relay item (extra coolers, blankets, etc);
 Hold a drawing for a ‘back to school’ starter kit (see if local store will donate
laundry detergent, snacks, toiletries, towels, etc.);
 Seek donations from parents to have a ‘Care Package’ (see pg. 6 for template)
created by the committee and delivered to their freshman during their first
week of school (Suggested items include: fruit, snacks, instant mac n’ cheese,
gum, popcorn, coffee, hot cocoa, soup, etc.);
 Spread Birthday Cheer (see pgs. 7-8 ) by having parents donate money for a
cupcake or other baked good and ACS Birthday Card (SS item# 7549.34 or
9822.00) to be delivered to their child on their birthday;
 Seek donations for snacks/drinks along the campus tour;
 Request local restaurants to donate a gift card for a chance drawing;
4
RFL & CAC SIGN-UPS!
Join the Fight Against Cancer!
Name
E-Mail Address
Have you
Do you wish to be
participated in
considered for a
Relay before? leadership position?
5
RFL & CAC Care Packages
Support (School Name) in the fight against cancer by sending
your child a care package on (insert delivery date) for a donation of $___
Parent/Guardian’s Parent/Guardian’s
Name
Email
Student’s Name
Number of
Care
Packages
Allergies
6
RFL & CAC
Spreading Birthday Cheer!
For a donation of $______ CAC will deliver to your child a birthday
cupcake on their birthday!
Parent/Guardian’s
Name
Parent/Guardian’s
Email
Student’s
Name
Birthday
Allergies
7
Spread Birthday Cheer
Send your child a birthday surprise on campus!
Unable to be on campus for your child’s birthday?
Relay For Life and Colleges Against Cancer can help spread
birthday cheer!
For a donation of $10.00, your child will receive a cupcake and card on
their Birthday!
All proceeds benefit the (school name)’s, American Cancer Society’s
Relay For Life and Colleges Against Cancer.
For more information please contact (insert info)
8