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Breakout Session 1
Introduction to SAA
8:30-9:30 a.m.
Breakout Session 1 Overview
8:30-8:45 a.m.…………………………………….........Icebreaker
8:45-9:00 a.m……………………………………………ALittle Bit About the SAA
9:00-9:15 a.m……………………………………………Mission,Vision,& Values
9:15-9:30 a.m..………………………………………….ValuesClarificationExercise &
Values of SAA
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A Little Bit About the SAA…
What is the JMU Student Alumni Association?
The Student Alumni Association (SAA) creates opportunities for students to interact with
alumni to form meaningful, lasting relationships long after graduation. This organization also
encourages and promotes the philanthropic spirit on campus that helps to advance the mission
and development of JMU.
Why is the JMU SAA important to students?
You’re only a JMU student for four years (or maybe a few more!), but you’re a Madison alum
forever. Your time at JMU is something that you will always cherish, but why wait to celebrate
your experience after graduation when you can do so now? By becoming a member of the
Student Alumni Association, you will have opportunities to network with current alumni,
develop marketable skills, and promote JMU’s commitment to philanthropy, community and
engagement.
What types of events does the JMU SAA host?
We offer a wide variety of events with the intent to help alumni and students interact and
remain connected. These events range from networking dinners, career development, events
during Homecoming, and various other events throughout the year. There’s always an
opportunity to celebrate the Madison Experience with the SAA!
What does the structure of the SAA looklike?
SAA Executive Team
Consists of approximately30 students (including the exec team).
Board members selectedby an application/interviewprocess, and therefore are
held to certainexpectations (jointlyset by students and OAR staff).
Biweekly meetings (onthe exec “off week”), ideallyrun by the exec team.
This group is responsible for creating new events/ideas, andalsoimplementing
and executing the events/ideas of the exec team and OAR. The SAA board also
serves as the front line volunteers for major OAR events, such as Homecoming
and Bluestone Reunions.
No membership cap. Anyone can join by making a $25 annual
donation to anything at JMU. Once donation is made, student is
automaticallyqualifiedas anSAA member and added toSAA
communications.
No obligations/expectations from members inthis group. They can
be as involved or uninvolved as they want.
Receive benefits, including but not limitedto career development
opportunities, networking dinners, receptions with JMU VIPs, and
homecoming activities.
SAA Board
SAA General Membership
Consists of 5 executive positions: 1 President, 4 VPs. Althoughit’s always up for discussion
and change, in our first two years, the VP positions have been: Membership, Events,
Communications, and Philanthropy.
This group has the closest connection with the Office of Alumni Relations (OAR)
administrative staff andis directlyoverseen by the Assistant Director for Student
Engagement andPhilanthropy and a corresponding Graduate Assistant.
Biweekly meetings jointlyrun between the SAA President & OAR staff (including the GA).
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Values Clarification Worksheet
____ACHIEVEMENT (sense of accomplishmentby meansof skills, practice, perseverance, or exertion)
____ADVANCEMENT (movingforwardin yourcareer throughpromotions)
____ADVENTURE (work which frequently involvesrisk takingor travel)
___ AESTHETICS (involvedin studyingorappreciating the beauty of ideas, things, etc.)
____AUTONOMY (work independently, determinethe nature of yourwork withoutsignificant direction
from others)
____CARING (love, affection)
____CHALLENGE (stimulatesfull use of yourpotential)
____CHANGE & VARIETY (varied, frequently changingwork responsibilitiesand/or work settings)
____COMPETITION (your abilities againstothers where there is a clear win/lose outcome)
____COOPERATION (opportunity towork as a team toward commongoals)
____CREATIVITY (beingimaginative, innovative, comingupwith ideas)
____ECONOMIC SECURITY (havingenoughmoney)
____EXCITEMENT (experience a highdegree of, or frequent excitement in yourwork)
____FAMILY HAPPINESS (being able to spendquality time anddevelop relationshipswith family)
____FRIENDSHIP (develop close personal relationships)
____HEALTH (physicaland psychologicalwell-being)
____HELP OTHERS (be involvedin helping people in a direct way, individually or in a group)
____HELP SOCIETY (do somethingtocontribute toimprove the world)
____INNER HARMONY (being at peace with oneself)
____INTEGRITY (sincerity and honesty)
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____INTELLECTUAL STATUS (be regarded as an expert in yourfield, thought
of as smart)
____KNOWLEDGE (understandinggained throughstudy andexperience)
____LEADERSHIP (influence over others, rather lead thanfollow)
____LEISURE (have time for hobbies, sports, activities andinterests)
____LOCATION (live somewhere that will fit yourlifestyle andallow youto do the thingsyouenjoy
most)
____LOYALTY (steadfastnessandallegiance)
____PLEASURE (enjoyment)
____POWER (authority, control)
____PRECISION (work in situationswhere there is little tolerance for error)
____RESPONSIBILITY (being accountablefor results)
____RECOGNITION (getting acknowledgedfor yourcontribution)
____STABILITY (work routine andhave largely predictable duties, not likely to change overa longperiod
of time)
____SPIRITUALITY
____TIME FREEDOM (flexible work schedule, nospecific work hoursrequired)
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Values of the SAA
The final debrief question, “What are the values of the SAA and how do we live up to them?”
leads into what we want to live up to as an organization. We want our actions and our
initiatives to reflect what it is we say we stand for. We’ll re-visit this in our afternoon session,
where you will develop some expectations for yourselves, the SAA as a whole, and the
professional staff who will be working to fulfill what you wish to bring to fruition on campus, in
the name of the SAA. However, for right now, let’s decide on our own set of core values that
will drive the SAA and help us to develop an appropriate and meaningful vision and mission.
Bear in mind JMU’s values, and the values of the Alumni Association as a whole- these are
foundational in the creation of the vision and mission of an organization. Our values as a SAA
should reflect the same purpose.
JMU’s Values (as listed in above graphic)
Academic Quality: We are dedicated to exemplary learning experiences because they are the
essence of our mission.
Community: We thrive when we collaborate, respect and serve others, and appreciate our
interconnectedness.
Diversity: We strive to be an inclusive community that values the richness of all individuals and
perspectives.
Excellence: We seek to be innovative and to perform at the highest levels.
Integrity: We pursue ethical reasoning because it is essential to meaningful citizenship.
Student Focus: We provide experiences that challenge and support students.
Alumni Association’s Values (as listed in above graphic)
Engagement
Investment
Service
Collaboration
Student Alumni Association’s Values
______________________________ ______________________________
______________________________ ______________________________
______________________________ ______________________________
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SAA Benefits
Students who donate $25 or more to any JMU fund (excluding athletics) are immediately
qualified as benefit-level members with access to services and programs, including alumni-
student networking events. Members of the JMU Student Alumni Association enjoy the
following benefits:
Opportunities to network with fellow Dukes, both students and alumni, through a
variety of activities such as:
Networking dinners
Career development opportunities
Receptions with JMU VIPs, including President Alger
Volunteer and service events
Homecoming activities
Member-only invitations to alumni chapter events, both at JMU and at home
Maintaining and upholding Madison traditions such as Senior Candle Lighting and Fight
Song T-shirts
20% off at the JMU Bookstore*
Special SAA gear, including drawstring backpack, notebook, apparel and more
Board Members will also receive SAA Polos
A chance to truly leave your legacy for generations of students behind you
*20% SAA discount applies to merchandise (not books) every Friday.
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Vision Development
Based on the teambuilder that we did at the beginning of this session and considering the
values that we decided upon as a group in our first session this morning:
Values
______________________________ ______________________________
______________________________ ______________________________
______________________________ ______________________________
It’s time that we develop our own vision statement. What is the big picture of what we want to
achieve? Let’s look again at the vision statements of JMU and the Alumni Association to
determine how to begin.
JMU: To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and around the
world.
Based on the valuesof: AcademicQuality,Community,Diversity,Excellence,Integrity,StudentFocus
~
Alumni Association: A leading Alumni Association that, through University, Student and Alumni
engagement, is an essential partner to the advancement of the JMU Mission.
Based on the valuesof: Engagement,Investment,Service,Collaboration
Both follow the guidelines mentioned earlier: they are concise, easy to remember and
communicate, and broad enough to allow for a diverse approach to fulfilling what is laid out.
How are their values reflected in the statements? What words do they use? Coming together,
let’s brainstorm some ways we want to reflect our values in a vision statement.
Student Alumni Association:
Based on the values of:
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Great Expectations
SAA 2015-2016
What expectations of you have of yourself this year, regarding the SAA?
What expectations do you have of your fellow SAA peers?
What expectations do you have of your SAA advisors?
What expectations do you have of the events you plan?
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Mission Development
In developing our expectations- for ourselves, our peers, supervisors, etc.- we give ourselves
more insight into how we expect to fulfill our goals for the SAA. That being said, we’ve come to
the final major development of our time together today: our mission statement. How do we
take our values and our vision, and inspire action? To help get us into an outcome-oriented
mindset, we’ll first look at the mission statements of JMU and the Alumni Association.
JMU: A community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens
who lead productive and meaningful lives.
Based on the vision:To be the nationalmodelforthe engaged university:engaged with ideasand
around theworld.
Based on the valuesof: AcademicQuality,Community,Diversity,Excellence,Integrity,StudentFocus
~
Alumni Association: To engage alumni and cultivate involvement in James Madison University.
Based on the vision:A leading AlumniAssociation that,through University,Studentand Alumni
engagement,isan essential partnerto the advancementof theJMU Mission.
Based on the valuesof: Engagement,Investment,Service,Collaboration
Having assessed the two mission statements above, and drawing from the additional mission
statements provided, are there common words or terminology used in mission statements that
address alumni affairs?
______________________________ ______________________________
______________________________ ______________________________
______________________________ ______________________________
Knowing that, how do we want to phrase and craft our mission statement?
Student Alumni Association:
Based on the vision:
Based on the values of:
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Sample Mission Statements
The first four are student alumni associations at their respective schools.
The mission statements that follow those are out of Alumni Associations at their respective
schools.
Emory University
The mission of the Student Alumni Association (SAA) is to connect alumni to the University
and the student body by building tradition, fostering student and alumni interaction, serving
the diverse needs and interests of our community, and creating opportunities for investment
in Emory’s future.
Virginia Commonwealth University
The goal of the Students Today Alumni Tomorrow, or STAT as we like to call it, is to facilitate
interaction between students and alumni and to enhance the student experience by providing
opportunities that strengthen lifelong loyalty to VCU. STAT provides unique benefits including
networking with alumni, connecting with other VCU students, complimentary members-only
goodies and rewards just for being a member!
University of Georgia
The Student Alumni Association (SAA) is where the three pillars of the Arch - Wisdom, Justice,
and Moderation - meet the three core values of the University of Georgia Alumni Association -
Pride, Loyalty, and Tradition.
In an effort to establish these values in the student body, SAA was created to enhance the
academic experience by providing programs and events focused on the spirit, history, and
tradition of UGA. SAA also seeks to connect students with alumni in an effort to promote
networking and camaraderie amongst all of the Bulldog faithful, students present and past.
Students who are part of SAA are Georgia Fund donors which means that they are already
financial supporters of this great university, the nation's oldest state-chartered public
institution.
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Students Serving Students: Past … Present … Future
The Student Alumni Associates (SAA) work in conjunction with and under the auspices of the UT
Office of Alumni Affairs to provide an enriched relationship between students and alumni, a
resource for the student body regarding alumni, campus, and service activities, and an
increased sense of school spirit.
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American University
The mission of AU's Officeof Alumni Relations and the American University Alumni Association isto create a
lifelongand worldwidecommunity of alumni through increased opportunities for meaningful engagement in order
to increaseawareness,pride,participation,volunteer involvement, and philanthropiccommitment to American
University.
Baylor University
The mission of the Division of Constituent Engagement is to engage and connect the university community locally,
nationally and around the globe in support of Baylor’s mission,whilecreatingsustainablelifelongconnections to
the university and to each other.
Cardinal Stritch University
Vision Statement
The Alumni Association will bea dynamic, member-focused organization,driven by Franciscan valuesand directed
towards supportingthe social,intellectual,and spiritual needs of all presentand future alumni of Cardinal Stritch
University.
Mission Statement
The Alumni Association will achievethis vision through its mission of
Promoting a strongrelationship between alumni and the University
Advancing the unique needs of alumni,whilesupportingthe University's goals
Developing an awareness of Cardinal Stritch University'shistory,accomplishments,programs,and
offerings
Promoting a senseof University prideamong all graduates
Providingthe University with insightinto the needs of the communities it serves.
Tulane University
The Tulane Alumni Association creates opportunities thatconnect alumni,foster loyalty to the university,and
enhance the lifelongTulaneexperience.
UniversityofCaliforniaat Los Angeles (UCLA)
Mission Statement:
To enrich the lives of alumni and involvethem in UCLA’s future
Vision Statement:
To be a vital partner in the success of UCLA through the significantengagement of alumni
Core Values:
* ADVOCACY: We areleaders in advancingthe quality and statureof UCLA. We encourage volunteer and
philanthropicsupportof UCLA.
* EDUCATION: We valuestudents and are dedicated to their supportand development. We believe in lifelong
learning.
* DIVERSITY: We valueand engage diverseUCLA constituents.
* COMMUNITY: We create and foster relationshipsamongand between alumni,students and UCLA.
* INTERDEPENDENCE: Led by self-governed volunteers, we are the voiceof UCLA alumni.
* INNOVATION: We are entrepreneurial; we actively identify and create new opportunities.
* EXCELLENCE: We commit to the highest quality in all our endeavors.
Wayne State University
The mission of the Wayne State University Alumni Association isto build loyalty and supportamong our graduates.
We do this by promoting a positiveimage of the University,by strengthening feelings of identity with the
University and by offering opportunities for alumni to serve the University - all done with a touch of good humor
and fun.
We measure our success by our number of activemembers, by their degree of participation in alumni- and
University-sponsored activities,by their volunteer efforts on behalf of the University and by their advice,counsel
and financial contributionsto the University.
List compiledfrom the following resource: http://www.alumnifutures.com/missions.html
