The Office of Alumni Relations is here to help faculty and staff stay closely connected with alumni. For strategic collaboration on any of the following needs, or to create something completely new involving alumni, contact an Alumni Relations staff member for help with:
QUICK FACTS, STYLE GUIDE and General promotion
Your presence is invaluable. A smile, a handshake and a business card go a long way toward making alumni feel they can utilize you as a resource in their big moments ahead. When you run into alumni on campus, at events or bring them on campus, here are fact sheets about Northeastern Illinois University and the NEIU Foundation that you can share.
- Alumni is the plural of alumnus but can also be used to refer to a group of men and women graduates/former students.
- Alumna is used to refer to a woman graduate or former student. Alumnae is the plural of alumna. Alumnus is used to refer to a male graduate or former student.
- Class Year: Always identify current students and alumni by their class years. This designation is set off with an apostrophe before the numerals, but no commas before or after. For example, James Jones '20 is a biology major. Andrea Thomas Ph.D. '86, '92 is now a senior school administrator. Mary Franklin '99, English, is an alumna of NEIU. Tim Brown ’81, mathematics, and M.S. ’95, information systems management, serves on the Alumni Association Advisory Board.
- The NEIU Alumni Association is a robust membership and benefits program for alumni, students and friends of the University. Learn more about the year-round programming, benefits and membership options, and become a member!
Alumni Contact Information and Mailing Lists
Reaching out to your alumni
The Office of Alumni Relations maintains the University's official database of record for alumni information. Faculty and staff may request directory information (full name, address and telephone numbers, degree information, employer name and address, and email addresses) for alumni. There are two forms required to a request database list. Here are examples on how to fill them out:
To receive an official, up-to-date address list for alumni of your college or department, please complete the Data Request Forms (linked above) at least two weeks in advance of your drop date. Please note the following guidelines and requirements associated with such requests:
- Alumni may ask for an email exception so they will need to be removed from an email communication. You can hard copy mail them until we hear otherwise.
- Send all changes of record to the Office of Alumni Relations by email at alumni@neiu.edu, by phone at (773) 442-4205, or submit electronically to the Alumni Contact form.
- Information may be used only for purpose stated above.
- All solicitations of contributions/fundraising must be approved by the Office of Development.
Faculty and staff who hold an NEIU degree may search the NEIUAA LinkedIn Alumni Group for alumni contact information, and/or may search the public Northeastern Illinois University LinkedIn page.
Thanks to diligent management of the official alumni database, there is no need for you or your department to maintain separate lists or a database.
Address and other update submissions
Alumni are encouraged to update their own records directly via the Class Notes form or the Alumni Contact form however; it is not uncommon for alumni to provide changes of address, employment changes, or other biographical updates to their department or individual faculty. Please help us keep the official alumni database of record current and accurate. If you receive such a change from an alumnus/a, please forward it to the Office of Alumni Relations or submit your updates electronically on behalf of the alumni at the Alumni Contact form.
(E)-NEWSLETTERS, (E)-INVITATIONS, ONLINE SURVEYS AND EVENTS
The Office of Alumni Relations partners with your department or college to ensure your alumni receive your happenings through (e) newsletters, (e) invitations, surveys and event information.
E-news
Our office makes distribution of your electronic communications easy. Prepare your electronic communication in a Word document with pictures in text and as attachments, forward it to an alumni relations member at least 10 business days in advance of your email date, and we will communicate it to your alumni via custom email and/or list it in New@NEIU, Facebook, and/or Noteworthy at Northeastern.
Like all other University-sanctioned mailings, departmental or college e-communications to alumni must be factually correct and may not be a fundraising solicitation unless created in collaboration with a member of the Office of Development.
Events
Alumni events and engagement opportunities rely on a collaborative relationship with the University community. The Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) would love to partner with you on your upcoming alumni events and gatherings.
The OAR prepares and works off of an annual strategic plan and we would like to include department, program and affinity-specific initiatives in our overall planning. We support a wide variety of programming from keynotes, panels, signature events, general networking events, virtual and professional development events.
Proper event planning requires ample time and thought. If you want assistance on planning an alumni-specific event, or in extending an alumni invitation to your existing programming plans, please allow for 4-6 months of preparation time. Ample time will allow for strategic and frequent communication, proper event space and refreshment needs, creation of marketing and promotion materials, customized registration including access to financial transactions, best practices in event guidance, staffing and post-event follow up and the ability to lend financial support. Additionally, we ask that any created registration/participant forms include a spot for alumni to indicate their alumni status. Please send the Office of Alumni Relations these lists.
EXAMPLE REGISTRATION FORM (NO MONETARY TRANSACTION): Can use this Google Form, or a University-supported Drupal form. Make a request with the Division of Marketing and Communications to create a Drupal form.
EXAMPLE EVENT FORM (WITH MONETARY TRANSACTION): Contact the Office of Development if registration costs will be attributed to your NEIU Foundation account.
Business reply envelopes can be requested from the Office of Alumni Relations or Office of Development for on-site payment.
Gift Acceptance Policy
If you are in a position to receive a donation or gift-in-kind from individual donors, businesses or corporations, or coordinate a fundraiser in support of your area, please speak with the Development Office to familiarize yourself with the University's Gift Acceptance Policy, proper fund management, donation envelopes, acknowledgment letters and forms. Fundraisers must be created in collaboration with a member of the Office of Development.
share ALUMNI news
Class Notes
Graduates often share their personal and professional news with faculty or staff. Please help us update records and spread the good by forwarding their accolades and accomplishments to the Office of Alumni Relations, or submit their information through on the Class Notes form. We will ensure that the database is updated and news appears in the alumni section of New@NEIU, in the InCommon magazine and on the Class Notes form.
We are also on the search for legacy families too! Legacy families are those who has multiple graduates in the family. Check out our current listing of legacy family stories!
Social Media
Tag the Northeastern Illinois University Facebook Page and the Northeastern Illinois University Alumni Association Facebook Page on news and updates about your department especially if you highlight alumni. We also utilize Twitter and LinkedIn to forward on your good news.
A personal touch goes a long way. It takes just a moment to “friend” someone and/or just a few more to write a quick email to congratulate someone on an accomplishment or invite them to a campus event.
Alumni Awards
Each year, the Northeastern Illinois University Alumni Association presents five awards to alumni at the annual NEIU Golden Gala Awards Dinner. Annual nominations are called for in February/March and nominations stay in queue for three years. Consider nominating your outstanding alumni during the nomination period.
ALUMNI ON CAMPUS
Volunteer Appreciation and Opportunities
Northeastern remains a special home for so many of our alumni. Those who return to serve their alma mater as guest lecturer, lead workshops, or contribute to the collegiate life of our campus community in other meaningful ways deserve a warm welcome and a sign of appreciation. Please let us know they are on campus and how they are helping.
To request an appreciation gift for a visiting alumnus/a, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations by email or phone at (773) 442-4205. At least two business days advance notice is appreciated. To learn more about other volunteer opportunities, alumni can complete the Alumni Volunteer Interest Form as well.
Tours for Alumni and other VIP Visitors
We are here to make a VIP or returning alumni's campus visit special. We can arrange personalized tours of our growing campus and give the visitor a special welcome. Please give at least two business days advance notice by email or phone at (773) 442-4205. The Office of Alumni Relations also provides four complimentary parking spots for visitors. Spaces are in front of Building I and are first come, first served. Check-in is required.
NEIU Alumni Association Advisory Board
The Northeastern Illinois University Alumni Advisory Board oversees and advises on alumni engagement efforts and the NEIU Alumni Association membership program. The Board is comprised of a minimum of eight and no more than 25 volunteer positions, which includes three officers: president, vice president and secretary. NEIU Alumni Advisory Board members serve as key advisors for alumni programs and crafting alumni fundraising efforts. Recommendations for membership appointments can be made by contacting an alumni relations staff member.
Feedback
What else can we help you with?
Keeping strong connections with alumni is in everyone’s best interest. We welcome your thoughts on how to improve what we already do and the future needs of your unit. Send us your suggestions by contacting an Alumni Relations staff member directly.
Last edits: June 20, 2018, Adapted from Rochester Institute of Technology.
