Committee Highlights

Stephens College Alumnae Association Board

The management of the 30,000+ member Stephens College alumnae association is vested in the Alumnae Association Board (AAB).  Board members are responsible for actively overseeing a nationwide, multi-level network of alumnae volunteers who, by working on specific projects designed to meet AAB objectives, assist the College in meeting its goals.  AAB members serve as a top-level management team responsible for providing broad perspective and “big picture” oversight of alumnae association activities.  Each AAB member is elected for a two (2) year term, with the possibility of being renewed for a second two (2) year term.

Seeking potential AAB members: The AAB is continually looking at quality, commitment, and diversity to fulfill and enhance the purpose of the AAB. If you are interested in getting more information about the AAB or being on the AAB, please contact Amy McGill Higgins at ahigglium@comcast.net.

Listed below are the six standing committees on the Alumnae Association Board and brief descriptions for each committee.

The Executive Committee provides leadership and establishes and oversees implementation of policies, long range planning, and strategic direction.  It is composed of the President, Executive Vice President, Committee Chairs, and Leadership Development Committee.

The Enrollment Committee works with the Office of Admissions on student recruitment and volunteer staffing needs for college fairs, prospective student interviews and events, and other student, parent and high school counselor contacts. The Committee helps support the growth of the Alumnae Referral Program.
Example Project:
High school research. The Volunteer Enrollment Committee is embarking on a research project to identify high schools across the country that would be good outlets for the admissions office to reach out to for recruiting new students. Private and public schools along with deeper research into specialty high schools focused on performing arts (dance, theater), equestrian, digital media/film making, etc.  Last year’s committee boasts the following statistics:  from the over 300 schools identified as part of the High School Research project, the Admissions Office obtained 20 applications from young women interested in Stephens College.  Of those, four students deposited for future enrollment.

The Clubs Committee works closely with clubs on the national level on projects relating to fundraising, enrollment and spreading goodwill among alumnae in all regions. The Committee helps support the Director of Alumnae Relations with the growth and management of the national alumnae club structure. The Committee provides regular communication to club officers to enhance their efforts to support the College and provide oversight of club recognition awards.
Example Project:
Ten Ideals Chapter Program. This committee serves as a resource in the launch and promotion of the new Ten Ideals Chapter Program. This new program will help Alumnae groups reach out to new members, provide additional networking opportunities for alumnae and students, and provide a special incentive program such as website management, local event mailings, special event funding and scholarships to area students. 

The Classes Committee assists all class operations including class president and/or class co-president duties and responsibilities, reunion projects and activities, and class fundraising. All class officers shall report to the Committee.
Example Project:
Lost alumnae and missing e-mail addresses is one key project the Classes Committee drives forward for the college.  It’s their mission to help locate the 10,000 lost alumnae (and find volunteers to do so).  They help find ways to collect e-mail addresses from alumnae so the college can save postage costs yet keep in touch.

The Career Development Committee works with the Director of Career Services, Coordinator of Student Leadership and Programming and Director of Alumnae Relations and Special Events to provide alumnae volunteer support for the efforts of the Office of Career Services.  It helps produce career-related events, such as networking opportunities with alumnae. It encourages participation in the Career Connection website, where students and alumnae can find mentors, internship opportunities and people with information in their fields.
               Example Project:
Career Networking Day was held in October 2007  giving students the opportunity to receive resume advice from AAB members and to hear about their careers, as well as, leveraging the Stephens alumnae network.

The Marketing & Public Relations Committee works with the Office of Marketing and Public Relations in its efforts to maintain and elevate the national visibility of Stephens College among alumnae and other constituencies through the alumnae magazine, other publications, special events and projects.
               Example Project:
Couture for the Cure. Last year, AAB members worked with the fashion department at Stephens to find a prominent location to display some very special designs by students. The designs, made from nontraditional materials and a lot of pink, each carried a message about breast health. They were displayed at Nordstrom in Charlotte , N.C. , in conjunction with a promotion that benefited the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The local newspaper also carried a mention of the dresses and their designers. The committee is taking this success and is working to build on it for 2007-2008. 

The Leadership Development Committee maintains the bylaws of the AAB and presents proposed amendments to the Executive Committee for vote; recruits new AAB members, reviews nominations and applications, presents candidates to AAB for vote, and provides orientation for new members; maintains job descriptions for all AAB positions; provides recognition to outgoing AAB members; serves as awards committee to recognize outstanding alumnae; serves as liaisons to other standing committees of the AAB; and originates and develops ideas for special new projects, most often, handing them over to specific committees once they are conceptualized.
               Example Project:
Women of Distinction Lecture Series Alumnae in Civic Leadership
Sponsored by the Alumnae Association and Mary Josie Cain Blanchard, Class of 1967 is being developed and implemented by the Leadership Development Committee.  The concept of the program is to select and secure alumnae of the college to present lectures of merit, worth and value to Stephens students, and when appropriate to the community, to enrich the overall learning experience. The overall goal is to have one speaker in Fall 2008, then two speakers per calendar year, for a total of 10.