Oberlin College Alumni Association

The lineage of the Alumni Association may be traced to the first alumni organization, the Association of Alumni of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute. This predecessor organization was formed in 1839 "to cultivate and strengthen friendly feeling among its members...to perpetuate the purity and prosperity of the Institution from which they have graduated." Forty-eight men and women were eligible for membership. Since 1878, six positions on the College's Board of Trustees have been set aside for members elected by the alumni body.

The present Alumni Association was incorporated May 26, 1938, as an independent, not-for-profit Ohio corporation.

All graduates and former students, currently more than 40,000, who attended the College of Arts and Sciences, the Conservatory of Music, the Oberlin College Graduate School of Theology, or the Kindergarten Primary Training School are members of the Alumni Association. Its purpose is to foster the interests and continuing excellence of Oberlin College and to foster communication between the College and its alumni and among alumni themselves. Members of the Association meet annually at the Alumni Luncheon, the day before Commencement.

Vision of the Alumni Association

The Alumni Association strives to provide a lifelong community for students and alumni of Oberlin College, be an effective partner in supporting Oberlin's academic and artistic excellence, and enhance commitment to Oberlin's historic values and community service.

Alumni Leadership

As the governing body of the Alumni Association, the Alumni Council includes the most active group of volunteers working for the College. The Council is charged with creating programs that provide alumni service to the College. Activities are directed by the executive director, who is also an administrator of the College. Members of the Council return to Oberlin for a weekend of meetings each fall.

Alumni Association Programs

The programs of the Alumni Association are designed to use the talent and experience of alumni to meet the needs of the College and the needs and interests of alumni.

• Admissions
  Oberlin's Admissions Office, in conjunction with the Alumni Association, sponsors a program that enables alumni to participate in the recruiting process. Although methods of finding outstanding prospective students vary, alumni can assist by searching for talented high school students, meeting with them, and connecting them with Oberlin's Admissions Office. Other alumni recruitment duties include serving as a local liaison between Oberlin and high school teachers and counselors, including representing the College at local high school college nights; interviewing students who have applied to Oberlin and reporting back to the Admissions Office; following up on students who show interest in Oberlin; and contacting those who are admitted to ensure that they enroll.

  In cities that have many alumni recruiters and applicants, an admissions recruiter coordinator has been appointed to organize admissions activities locally.

• Alumni in Service to Oberlin College (ASOC)
  ASOC is a program in which the Alumni Association provides funds to departments, programs, or student groups to help defray expenses when alumni are invited to be speakers or workshop leaders for on-campus events. These alumni receive no honorarium from the Alumni Office for their efforts, but volunteer their time and expertise to the educational program of Oberlin. Alumni serve as consultants, lead seminars, give lectures, answer questions, and participate in informal discussions with faculty, staff, and students.

• Alumni Career Network
  The Alumni Career Network is the Association's effort to put the experience and goodwill of the Oberlin family at the disposal of students and alumni in need of contacts, career advice, or job opportunities. The Career Services Office and the Alumni Office maintain electronic lists of alumni names, addresses, and occupational information that are made available upon request to students and alumni.

  Career seminars are on-campus presentations made by returning alumni who share their expertise with students. Members of the Alumni Council and other alumni returning to campus during the year may be invited to conduct informal discussions, give advice about particular occupations, and conduct mock interviews.

• Regional Organizations
  In 1983, the Alumni Association created regional organizations in 30 major metropolitan areas around the country. The intention was and is to enable large numbers of alumni to volunteer to help Oberlin. A regional coordinator has been identified, and, in a number of cities, has formed a local board or steering committee. Most regional groups also conduct social, cultural, and educational events. The purpose of the regional program is to promote the interests of Oberlin College in a specified geographic region by sponsoring events of interest to the College and the alumni in that region.

• Affiliate Groups
  The Alumni Association has 11 active alumni affiliate groups, including those for Oberlin athletic letter winners; African Americans; Asian Pacific and Latino Americans; Christians; environmentalists; ultimate Frisbee players; bowlers; gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons; and more.

• Class Organization
  Each class elects or identifies class officers who serve five-year terms leading up to a reunion held during the final year of the term. The class officers are chiefly responsible for working with the Alumni Office to plan reunions. Except for the 25th, 50th, and successive reunions, all reunions are clusters of three consecutive classes. The Oberlin Fund Office appoints a Class Agent who serves as the class' chief fund-raiser.

• Travel Tours
  In the fall of 1975, the Alumni Association sponsored a travel tour to Bavaria in conjunction with the ICAA (Independent College Advancement Associates). Currently, the Association sponsors four international trips per year, usually with a faculty host, choosing localities of educational and cultural interest. Several domestic travel opportunities have recently been added to the schedule. Some of the areas toured recently by Oberlin alumni have been: China, India, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Peru, France, Egypt, Morocco, Sweden, Iceland, and Greenland.