Alumni Volunteers: Serving Our Community
Alumni volunteers provide invaluable service throughout the campus community as they give of their time and talent.
Alumni Volunteer Philosophy Statement:
In the Catholic tradition of serving others to advance the common good, alumni volunteers engage in challenging experiences that change their lives and the lives of others. As ambassadors for the University of St. Thomas, alumni volunteers carry the mission of the university forward through their concern, commitment and passion for their community.
The Alumni Association formally recognizes the contribution of alumni volunteers with the Society of the Arches program and the Keystone Award.
General Position Description of an Alumni Volunteer
- Alumnus/a supports the university and its mission as a Catholic university modeling the spiritual, ethical and intellectual values.
- Alumnus/a has an honest desire to help others in the service tradition of UST.
- Alumnus/a possesses enthusiasm.
- Alumnus/a has an interest in the future of UST.
- Alumnus/a is supportive of the UST community (foremost – its students).
- Alumnus/a remains a reliable and dependable volunteer, and continues to reflect the mission, vision and values of UST.
There are many opportunities to volunteer at UST. Some of those opportunities are described below, and many others exist. Ready to volunteer, or want to learn more? Click here to show your interest or sign up for volunteer opportunities or click one of the links below to learn more.
Alumni Mentor for the Student-Alumni Mentoring Program (SAM)
The Student Alumni Mentoring Program offers students an opportunity to meet with an alumnus/a on an ongoing basis throughout the academic year. The program requires the pairs to meet eight times a year, with a minimum of four meetings being face-to-face contacts. The program begins with a kick-off event in October, followed by various options for mid-year meetings and an end-of-year group event. Back to top
Similar to a First Friday Luncheon, alumni volunteers commit to asking others to attend the annual Christmas luncheon held in St. Paul. Luncheon Hosts receive reserved seating for their guests. Yes, I would like to sign up to be Christmas Luncheon Host. Back to top
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The First Friday Speaker Series is a luncheon and speaker series held on the first Friday of each month, October through June. We bring community leaders together with St. Thomas alumni, faculty, staff and friends. Although sponsored by the St. Thomas Alumni Association, many of the approximately 300 attendees are not graduates or employees of St. Thomas. The group is non-denominational and non-political. Part of the success of the First Friday Speaker Series, well past its sixteenth season, is the commitment of volunteers who invite guests to the luncheon. These volunteers are called Table Captains.
Responsibilities of a Table Captain:
- Commit to bringing 2 or more guests to each luncheon. You are not required to attend every month. Reservations for your guests will be honored should you not be able to attend.
- You are not responsible for buying tickets for each lunch, only extending invitations.
- Submit reservations by the due date to the Alumni Association.
- Collect cash or checks from your guests the day of the luncheon and place in the envelope on your table. You are responsible for payment of guests who have a reservation but do not show for the luncheon.
- You may also participate as a table co-captain. The responsibilities and benefits are no different than those for the Table Captain program, but you can share them with a business associate or friend. This offers you more flexibility and has become very a popular way to become involved in the table captain program. Yes, I would like to sign up to be First Friday Table Captain. Back to top
Like all colleges and universities, reunions at St. Thomas are a key component of the Alumni Association. Special activities are planned for the 10-, 20-, 30-, 40- and 50-year reunion classes every fall in October on Homecoming-Reunion Weekend. The Old Guard alumni return to campus each June. The alumni office plans special activities for the 10- 20, 30, 40 and 50-year reunion classes every fall in October on Homecoming-Reunion Weekend. Volunteers from each class year celebrating an anniversary are needed to form planning committees. Reunion planning committees assist the Alumni Association in planning the special events for their class. Yes, I would like to sign up to serve as on my Reunion Planning Committee. Back to top
Similar to the Mentoring Program, only on a one-time basis, this program matches alumni with a student (usually a junior or senior) in their major/career field area for a one-time meeting, usually over lunch. This program recruits alumni on an on-going basis; however, matching takes place each year in February, giving pairs the spring semester to plan their meeting date. Yes, I would like to Take a Tommie to Lunch. Back to top