Suggested Events
If you have question regarding any of these events, please contact Tami Gardner, Director of
Regional Programs and Alumni Tours. Remember, the Alumni Association needs EIGHT weeks
notice to produce all marketing pieces for events.
A Bulldog Breakfast Club (BBC) is a networking event that brings alumni together for the purpose of
sharing several commonalities: their love of UGA, a desire to meet other alumni in their area and an
opportunity to mingle with alumni who may be employed in the same profession. A BBC can also be
used to welcome new alumni to your chapter / club.
How To Host A BBC:
When establishing your annual calendar include a Bulldog Breakfast Club as a part of your activities.
Your chapter / club can host as many of these events a year as you wish;
Select and recruit a host, preferably a well-known local alum. If you need assistance finding a host, let the
UGA Alumni Association know;
Based on the availability of your host, select a date and a location for the BBC;
Pass on the details to the UGA Alumni Association no less than EIGHT weeks prior to the RSVP date so
the Association can assist with marketing (mailing, e-invite, posting the event on the web, etc.), collecting
RSVPs and other needs;
If you wish, the UGA Alumni Association will supply Bulldog Breakfast Club coffee mugs for attendees.
The cost of these ($2.00) must be built into what is charged to participate in the BBC;
Work with a caterer to establish a menu. Serving a continental breakfast (bagels, Danishes, fruit etc...) or
host the event at a location where “Dutch Treat” is possible is the best route and the least expensive
alternative;
The fee to attend should be based on the cost of the food and beverages (serve coffee as well as an
alternative to coffee) and whether there is a fee to rent the facility;
Have the following available for all attendees: A nametag, a calendar of upcoming chapter / club events,
a pad and pen for notes, BBC coffee mug (if you wish), a survey to gauge the success of the event and
ideas for future events.
The Role of the Host:
The host should supply a photo and a short bio for marketing and introduction purposes;
The host should arrive twenty to thirty minutes prior to the start of the BBC;
The host should greet guests as they come in and at the appropriate time invite everyone to take a
seat. After that the host should be introduced by a member of the chapter / club;
The host should begin by welcoming everyone;
The host should follow their welcome with a little more information about themselves and then
offering any prepared comments they have about their profession. Comments about their
profession are not always necessary. The topic could be current issues, their time at UGA, etc.;
Next, the host should go around the table and allow everyone else to introduce themselves
(include class year and what they do for a living or how long they have lived in the area);
The host should encourage and moderate discussion about whatever topic(s) are being addressed;
The host should keep an eye on the time and know when to wrap up the discussion. The average
BBC usually lasts about an hour;
The host should thank everyone for attending once again and invite them to whatever event is
next on the calendar for the chapter / club.
To keep the Bulldog Breakfast Clubs intimate and therefore more successful, it is suggested that
attendance be kept to between twelve and fifteen. This allows everyone the opportunity to speak.
Encourage the exchange of business cards.
Lunch & Learn can also be a networking event where a group of alumni with a shared interest can be
gathered to hear a speaker who is successful in that shared field, for example the CEO of a business
targeted toward Terry graduates. These events can be held at a local restaurant during the lunch hour as a
Dutch Treat function.
You will need an MC and any AV requirements that the speaker has in addition to nametags and other
Association materials.
Dean’s Theme is along the same lines as the Lunch & Learn, but focuses on UGA faculty as speakers.
These can take place with a luncheon, dinner or in conjunction with a reception or a function in your area
that a UGA faculty member is an expert.
If your chapter / club wishes to invite a UGA faculty or staff member to participate in an event it is
imperative that the request go through the Alumni Association.
You will need an MC and any AV requirements that the speaker has in addition to nametags and other
Association materials.
Dinner With 12 Strangers / Dinner With 12 Dawgs is a way to connect students and alumni to help
personalize the UGA experience. Alumni Association members open their homes to students and fellow
alumni for small dinner parties, bringing everyone together in a warm friendly environment for good
food, conversation and Bulldog camaraderie without a set agenda. This is a good way to help students
learn how to network and to understand how to be involved with a chapter / club when they graduate.
If this is an event that the chapter / club wishes to coordinate, contact the Association for a list of students
in the area who may be home for the holiday or break to invite. The host is responsible for all expenses.
Review the Alcohol Policy before planning the event.
First Tuesdays (or First Any Day Of The Week) is basically a Dinner Club. Your group can select a
different restaurant to gather for a Dutch Treat meal once a month. By planning these events well in
advance the area alumni can schedule their time so they can participate. This is a wonderful way to
connect alumni on a wide scale and on a regular basis.
Paws Across America This has become an age of volunteerism. Having your chapter / club actively
involved in such a project is a great way to benefit your community as well as bring your area alumni
together for a worthy cause. The concept that became Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1942 by a
UGA alumnus, Rev. Clarence Jordan ’33, and the Alumni Association would very much like to select one
day annually when as many of the chapters and clubs as possible will commit to a Habitat project in their
area. This would allow UGA to have a tremendous impact from coast to coast while benefiting multiple
communities.
This project would take about twelve months to complete and would require the commitment of the entire
chapter / club network. More details on this project can be found on the Chapter / Club Resource Web
Site.
To learn more about Rev. Jordan’s contribution to the creation of Habitat for Humanity visit the following
web site: http://www.koinoniapartners.org/History/index.html.
Author! Author! The UGA Book Club offers those in the area who enjoy reading and discussing
literature an opportunity to get together for that purpose with the focus being on UGA authors.
Approximately 100 UGA graduates have been identified as published authors, including Stuart Woods.
There are also a multitude of faculty authors that who be included. A list of the writers and their books
can be provided by the Alumni Association.
Through the Alumni Association some authors may be secured for special readings and book signing
events. Books for the Book Club can be purchased through the UGA Bookstore at a discount price. This
will need to be arranged through the Alumni Association as well. Click here to see information about
“How to Start and Manage a UGA Book Club”.
Big Dawg Challenge Golf is an ever growing sport and a wonderful way to raise funds. The Alumni
Association would like to see as many chapters and clubs as possible host a golf tournament in their area
and then have the winning foursome come to Athens to participate in a final alumni tournament for the
right to be called the Big Dawg of all of the chapters and clubs across the country. This project would take
about eighteen months to complete and would require the commitment of the entire network to be
successful.
Details on how to host a golf tournament will be posted soon.
Admissions Events To Consider
College Fairs
College fairs are an integral part of the Recruiting program. In most cases, this is the first opportunity for
prospective students and their parents to receive information about UGA and talk to a representative.
These programs are designed to expose students and parents from local high schools to a large number of
colleges and universities within a two to three hour time frame. Most of the students who attend are
juniors and seniors, but it is not uncommon to meet sophomores and freshmen as well.
UGA Admissions Officers attend all fairs in the state of Georgia. However, due to the large number of
college fair invitations received throughout the rest of the country, alumni outside the state of Georgia are
engaged to attend college fairs without an admission representative. These volunteers are an extremely
important link between UGA and prospective students. In most cases, you will be asked to attend a fair
where you are assigned a table in a large open area. Students flow from table to table, ask brief questions,
and pick up literature on UGA.
The best alumni for this task are those who have recently graduated (within the last five years) because
they can answer the questions that potential students will have more readily. Alumni who have graduated
more than five years can be beneficial in the Admissions process in many other ways.
Admitted Students Contacts
In the spring, chapter / club volunteers will be asked to contact students who have been accepted to UGA.
Contacts will provide the opportunity to generate enthusiasm for Georgia, answer questions a student may
have, solidify interest, and ultimately encourage the accepted student to enroll at UGA in the fall. In many
cases, a personal call from an alumnus can make the difference in a student deciding to attend.
Recruiting Receptions
Some chapters / clubs choose to hold recruiting receptions prior to the national decision day of May 1
each year. This is an opportunity to reach out to students who have not yet made the choice of which
college he or she will attend. The Office of Admission targets certain areas each year and will approach
the chapter / club for assistance. However, all clubs are encouraged to hold an event.
Freshman Send-Off Parties
This is a great way to congratulate incoming freshmen in your local community. Many chapters / clubs
organize an informal gathering (picnic, barbecue, pool party, ice cream party) a few weeks before school
begins for the new Bulldogs and their families. You should also include current students and parents from
your area. The Alumni Association will furnish lists of current and incoming students. The chapter / club
is responsible for inviting students. The Alumni Association will send an email invitation to alumni and
current parents. For more information, contact the Alumni Association.