Become a class representative

While Engineering Alumni Affairs actively promotes reunions, Class Representatives are essential to ensure strong alumni participation and a successful reunion. Each class celebrating their reunion needs at least one alumni volunteer Class Rep for each undergraduate department. Job sharing is encouraged, and up to three co-representatives per class are welcome.

Class Reunion - smiling group of alumni friends posing for photo

Engineering Alumni Affairs welcomes its alumni back to campus to celebrate their 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60-year graduation anniversaries every year! For a sample reunion program, visit our reunion pages or contact the Alumni Officer.

Engineering Alumni Affairs handles all reunion planning, administrative, and promotional details, and subsidizes the non-food costs of all 'official' reunion events. Class Reps are not expected to register classmates for these events. However, Class Reps are responsible for all planning, registration, and financial details associated with any events they choose to create in addition to the official program.

Review this job description below and consider volunteering for your class Reunion!

To apply for this position, please contact the Alumni Officer or apply using our online form below. Once you commit to being a Class Rep, the Alumni Officer will contact you well in advance of your reunion with a package of the necessary resources.

Thank you for volunteering!

Volunteer Testimonials

"The best part of organizing any event is a good response to the event you organize. We had that and it ended up being a wonderful evening! Reconnecting with classmates after 30 years and feeling right at home with them was an awesome experience."
-A.R.

"Connecting with my classmates and catching up on what has been happening in our personal lives was what I enjoyed most about volunteering as a Reunion class representative."
-C.S.

"As a Reunion Class Rep, I really enjoyed touching base with old acquaintances that I hadn't spoken with in a long time."
-H.C.

"When I volunteered as a Class Rep for Reunion, I enjoyed getting back in touch with former classmates, hearing their stories, and remembering some forgotten shared times."
-J.B.

"My favourite part of volunteering in planning my reunion was connecting with classmates. We exchanged viewpoints and ideas about family, work and retirement! After catching up, we planned future activities with smaller groups."
-C.C.

Key responsibilities

Class Reps are responsible for encouraging the participation of their former classmates at reunion. To do so, they are asked to:

  • Create a personalized one-page flyer, which Engineering Alumni Affairs reproduces and mails to all class members with the reunion invitation.
  • Using the contact list* provided by Engineering Alumni Affairs, contact classmates** to personally encourage them to attend reunion.
  • Encourage classmates** to use the UW Alumni E-Community to contact one another.
  • Act as a central contact for classmates (the Class Rep's preferred contact information should appear on the flyer and will be listed on the Engineering Alumni Affairs web site).
  • After reunion, submit feedback and address corrections to Engineering Alumni Affairs.
  • At their discretion, initiate additional promotional efforts. (For example, interested Class Reps may request space on the Engineering Alumni Affairs web site.)
  • Class Reps are also asked to organize a class-specific event (e.g. pub night, golf day) to complement the existing reunion program, this is optional. Possible times are the Friday night or the Saturday night of Reunion.

  • Class Reps are encouraged to work with their class on a group funded Class Campaign to further the student experience. If Class Reps are interested in this initiative or would like more information, the alumni officer will connect them with a fundraiser to provide more information, help set goals and establish a process.

Notes:
Due to privacy policies, only Class Reps will receive this list, and compliance with privacy policies must be assured by each Class Rep. Class Reps will be asked to sign a privacy policy agreement.
** Resources do not allow us to 'split' classes by A and B stream. We ask that, as a Class Rep, you attempt to contact and include alumni from both streams.

Time commitment

From all Class Reps:

  • Preparing class flyer: 1 - 2 hours.
  • Contacting classmates: 2 - 16 hours (varies with class size and number of Class Reps).
  • Preparing/submitting feedback and updates: 1 - 2 hours.
  • Organizing class-specific event: 2 - 8 hours.
  • Complete a survey after reunion to give constructive feedback

Resources

Engineering Alumni Affairs will provide each Class Representative with a package including:

  • Class contact list and privacy guidelines (*see notes above)
  • Sample flyers to help prepare the class-specific announcement
  • Past reunion program (pricing and details subject to change until invitations mailed)
  • A list of electronic resources to help former classmates contact one another
  • Access to web space on the Engineering Alumni Affairs site
  • A survey to submit feedback after the reunion is complete

Reporting structure

Class Representatives' work is coordinated and supported by the Alumni Officer, Engineering Alumni Affairs in the Faculty of Engineering, who handles all registrations and logistics for the Waterloo Engineering alumni reunion program.

Benefits and opportunities

Past Class Reps have listed the following among the benefits of their job:

  • reconnecting with former classmates, including those who couldn't attend reunion
  • representing the Faculty of Engineering and its alumni
  • being reminded of stories and memories from their time at Waterloo
  • Top Class Rep prizes