5:30-6:30 p.m. | Welcome Reception |
Hawkins-Carlson Room, Rush Rhees Library

7-8:30 p.m. | Dinner |
Feldman Ballroom, Frederick Douglass Commons
Remarks by Richard Feldman
University of Rochester President

8:30 a.m. | Continental Breakfast |
Hawkins-Carlson Room, Rush Rhees Library

9-10 a.m. | Plenary Session |
Hawkins-Carlson Room, Rush Rhees Library
Thomas J. Farrell ’88, ’90W (MS)
University of Rochester Senior Vice President

10:15-11:30 a.m. | Breakout Sessions I

Undergraduate Admissions: Training for Alumni Admissions Interviewers |
Stackel Conference Room, Wilson Commons
Volunteers have incredible impact on our ability to recruit and qualify prospective students. This training for volunteers will discuss best practices in interviewing and writing evaluations of applicants, as well as an opportunity to hear the latest updates on current initiatives from undergraduate admissions. A portion of time will be reserved to share your own rewarding or challenging experiences, and to ask admissions staff any pressing questions.

For more information about volunteer opportunities with undergraduate admissions, please contact Beth Luke.

Additional Resources:
Information for Alumni and Parent Admissions Volunteers
Alumni Interviewer Application

Head of the Class: Creating Effective Reunions and Class Experiences |
Hawkins-Carlson Room, Rush Rhees Library
Remember the time you spent all night in the library, or ran outside with your best friends to experience the first snow of the year? Reunion is a time to celebrate your years at the University of Rochester, reminisce, and share stories. This session will give you all the information you need to make your Reunion a success through outreach, promotion, and event planning—and keep the conversations with classmates flowing all year round. Former reunion and class volunteers will be on-hand to share their own experiences, tips, and tricks.

For more information about Arts, Sciences and Engineering or School of Nursing reunions and class programs, please contact Jana Wineburg.

For more information about Eastman School of Music reunions and class programs, please contact Laura Souza.

For more information about School of Medicine and Dentistry reunions and class programs, please contact Anthony Fitzsimmons.

Additional Resources:
Meliora Weekend at the Eastman School of Music
Reunion 2018 (Arts, Sciences and Engineering, School of Nursing)
School of Medicine and Dentistry Reunion 2018

Challenging Conversations |
Gamble Room, Rush Rhees Library
Most of us dread challenging conversations. Whether it’s delivering direct feedback to a colleague, bringing up a sensitive subject with a friend, or being caught off guard by a subject we’re not prepared to discuss, challenging conversations can provoke anxiety and apprehension. If your approach is to avoid these conversations altogether, this session is for you. You’ll learn practical tips and techniques from an experienced professional who will help you break away from old habits and find new ways to create mutual understanding

How to Build Your Best Personal Brand |
Havens Lounge, Wilson Commons
A great personal brand can open doors, provide new professional opportunities, and develop your reputation as a thought leader. Learn how to build your best personal brand using social media. Our experienced panel will share their own success stories and offer strategies for personal and professional success using a variety of online and digital platforms.

11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Lunch |
May Room, Wilson Commons

1-2:15 p.m. | Breakout Sessions II

Philanthropy Matters: Expert Advice on Making the Ask |
Havens Lounge, Wilson Commons
This interactive session will outline best practices and theories around fundraising, philanthropy, and charitable giving. We will talk about why people give, why they don’t, and how to be more successful in encouraging giving. Thomas J. Farrell ’88, ’90W (MS), senior vice president for advancement, will lead this discussion, working with senior members of the UR advancement team, volunteer leaders, and attendees.

Additional Resources:
Philanthropy Volunteers
George Eastman Circle Leadership Councils
Day of Giving

URMC Today: Impact on Rochester and Beyond |
Douglass Meeting Room 403, Frederick Douglass Commons
The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers. It forms the centerpiece of the University of Rochester’s health research, teaching, and patient care missions. Hear from a panel of URMC professionals about recent advances—in Rochester, nationally, and internationally—in medical and nursing education, key research, and patient care.

For more information about opportunities to volunteer in support of the University of Rochester Medical Center, please contact Mary Pat Walton.

Additional Resources:
University of Rochester Medical Center Newsroom

Regional Network Program Roundtable Discussion |
Hawkins-Carlson Room, Rush Rhees Library
The reach of University of Rochester alumni stretches far and wide—across the United States and internationally. Through the regional network program, an exceptional number of alumni help create programming and opportunities for connections in their own backyards. Attend this roundtable discussion with fellow Network volunteers to learn how each region is supporting its local UR community through events, service, networking, and social media.

For more information about getting involved with activity in your regional network, contact the Regional Volunteers and Programs team. 

Additional Resources:
Regional Networks

Reduce the Impact of Personal Implicit Bias |
Douglass Meeting Room 401, Frederick Douglass Commons
Discover ways to approach and reduce the impact of your own implicit biases. Through experiential learning, this interactive session will explore how unconscious bias, a natural part of the human experience, impacts your decision making. You will be exposed to the concept of unconscious bias and how it may impact your own interpretations of information and the ways in which you see the world.

Additional Resources:
Resources on Implicit Bias

2:30-3:45 p.m. | Breakout Sessions III

Building Community: Strategies to Engage Your Peers |
Stackel Conference Room, Wilson Commons
Alumni connect with the University and each other in a number of ways including their geographic location, profession, shared interests, and/or personal identities. This session will explore the various opportunities available to socialize with your peers. Whether it be through the creation of new alumni groups, hosting events, or simply sending an email or sharing on social, there are so many ways to get involved.

For additional information and staff contacts, please click here.

Leading Ever Forward: A Discussion on Effective Leadership |
Havens Lounge, Wilson Commons
This session will engage participants in a discussion of the keys to effective volunteer leadership. The conversation will be facilitated by John Lippincott, president emeritus of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and Thomas J. Farrell ’88, ’90W (MS), UR senior vice president for advancement. They will share preliminary findings from an in-depth review of volunteer programs currently underway at UR and will invite participants to share their experiences and perspectives as volunteer leaders in this context.

The Meliora Collective: A New Online Networking Community |
Douglass Meeting Room 403, Frederick Douglass Commons
The Collective is a new digital platform that connects the UR community by fostering professional exploration. Other social platforms just want you to “like” stories, or “rack up” friends and connections. The Collective invites you to a community who want to act to advance your aspirations. The system provides customizable, filtered searches, mentorship opportunities, and group functionality. Users can also communicate, set meetings, and video chat—all within the platform. This session will provide an in-depth informational overview and walk-through of the platform and its features. It will also serve as a discussion about how you can promote the platform and lead others to join this online community.

For more information about the Meliora Collective, contact Michelle Cavalcanti.

Additional Resources:
The Meliora Collective

Reduce the Impact of Personal Implicit Bias (Repeated Session) |
Douglass Meeting Room 401, Frederick Douglass Commons
Discover ways to approach and reduce the impact of your own implicit biases. Through experiential learning, this interactive session will explore how unconscious bias, a natural part of the human experience, impacts your decision making. You will be exposed to the concept of unconscious bias and how it may impact your own interpretations of information and the ways in which you see the world.

Additional Resources:
Resources on Implicit Bias

4-4:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks |
Hawkins-Carlson Room, Rush Rhees Library

4:30-5:30 p.m. | Farewell Reception |
Welles-Brown Room, Rush Rhees Library