Chapter Activities
Here are some examples and ideas of IUJ Alumni Chapter Activities:
Get-to-know-you gatherings – informal social events to welcome new members, say goodbye to departing members, or just to exchange Meishi and IUJ memories. No specific timing, but do let campus know so we can help inform others. Picnics, outside concerts, firework viewing, cherry blossom viewing, bowling nights, karaoke nights, happy hours, someone’s birthday, wine and cheese parties, art gallery openings, family pool parties, anything for an excuse to get IUJers together.
IUJ WorldWide Friday – a social gathering of IUJ alumni world-wide on the same date usually in September.
New Graduate Mentor programs – a new idea is to offer those returning to your city after IUJ a mentor from the alumni association to help them readjust to professional life, network, develop their career, etc.
Weekend Get-aways for IUJ families too – The Jakarta Chapter had a weekend retreat at a resort with events over 2 days. Alumni, spouses, and children greatly enjoyed the gathering!
City visitor Support – open up your Chapter to alumni visiting your area, and create a welcome party for them, a tour of the area or support for their business or study. Announce the opportunities in the Alumni Newsletters.
Study Groups (Benkyoukai) – encourage IUJers to continue their studies through current news discussions, thematic discussions of interest to the group, more formal book clubs (read the same book and gather to discuss it), or gather on issues currently under discussion at IUJ.
Guest Speaker series – from among the alumni in your city, or from those you work with, or from among the IUJ faculty traveling in your area, identify a speaker and invite alumni to gather for their talk, and follow-up discussion.
New Student Recruitment support – IUJ has an IUJ Ambassadors volunteer program in which alumni provide information and answer questions via email or in person. The Chapters can be very supportive of the Ambassador’s work in your area by opening up Chapter events to prospective students in your area, creating special events JUST for prospective students in coordination with Ambassadors, etc.
Sports Clubs – The Hanoi Chapter has a IUJ Alumni soccer team that competes in a community soccer league! How about volleyball teams, softball teams, etc?
Fundraising Events – currently the Executive Council is conducting a scholarship fundraising drive called the THANKS Fund, THe Alumni NaKayama Scholarship Fund, in honor of IUJ’s founding father Dr. Sohei Nakayama (1906-2005). Chapters are encouraged to help raise funds from among its members or broader to donate to this special fund!
Homepage creation – Create a homepage in your local language to share your IUJ experiences, increase your network among yourselves, and introduce IUJ in your language to the next generation of applicants. Please note that it is note the official page, but an Alumni created page, and provide links to the official IUJ websites. The Hanoi Chapter is first to get this idea going! Myanmar was soon to follow.
Create INTERNSHIPS in your area – as a Chapter, help support an IUJ student in an internship in your city: Internship assignment in one member’s business, homestay in other members’ homes. Send opportunities and arrangements to campus by January each year, and accept the intern in July.
Field Research support – Similar to the above, help those conducting research in your area with introductions to professionals in their field, homestays, etc.
More ideas? Share what you have in mind, what you tried in your city, or what you wish could happen in your city! alumni@ iuj.ac.jp