Start a Chapter

A group of students standing together

What's involved in starting your own Chapter? The Office of Alumni and Community Relations at Lakehead has an extensive outline provided in the Branches and Chapters Manual. We have reproduced the complete manual here to guide you. If you have any questions or would like to initiate branch or chapter building, please contact Amanda Gerow at amanda.gerow@lakeheadu.ca or phone 807-343-8155/ toll free 1-800-832-8076 for more information.

Chapters are organized in areas where there is a sufficient level of interest and number of graduates to reasonably support alumni activities. Experiences and statistics have indicated that it is desirable to have at least 100 alumni living in an area to start a chapter. Alumni interested in forming a chapter should follow these steps:

  1. Appoint or become the Alumni Contact Person for your geographic area or field of interest.
    The Alumni Contact Person must be willing to have their name, phone number, e-mail and fax number, if available on our Alumni Association Web site and in the Alumni Magazine. This person must be willing to accept and return calls from Alumni. A volunteer job description for this important role is available upon request.
     
  2. Recruit a Volunteer Team
    With the help the Office of Alumni Relations, obtain a list of alumni in the area. Before obtaining a list, you will need to sign the Volunteer Oath of Confidentiality and become familiar with Lakehead's confidentiality procedures.
     
  3. Organize a committee meeting
    Select a nucleus of three to five alumni and call an informal organizational meeting at your home, or some other convenient location to appoint a working Executive. If this group decides that there is a reasonable chance of success and a strong desire for a local chapter, then the group may consider itself at the first stage of chapter development and elect officers.
     
  4. Establish a list of event(s) and objectives that your group can easily handle with success.
     
  5. Send an introductory letter or e-mail to the alumni in the area.
    You may include an Alumni Interest Survey in this mailing. The Alumni Association of Lakehead University will print and mail the letter and survey to be returned to the designated officer for your area or directly to Lakehead's Office of Alumni Relations.
     
  6. Seek recognition of your branch or chapter from Lakehead's Alumni Association.
    The Office of Alumni Relations can help you with this step.
     
  7. Plan your first event
    Congratulations! Your chapter has decided to plan an event. After all, for most alumni groups this is what it's all about - a group of alumni getting together to reminisce, network or re-connect with Lakehead. It is important that you provide feedback to The University about your event at all stages of the planning process.
     
  8. Continue to meet as an Executive as required to reach your Chapter's objectives.

For a more detailed guide, please click here