Plan your event
Begin by considering the size and scope of your reunion. Who is your target audience, and what activities will best engage them?
Inspire your event planning with activities such as:
- Cocktail meet-ups
- Networking receptions
- Memory-sharing sessions
- Group activities relevant to alumni interests
- Wine & cheese reception
- Off-campus excursions
- Brunches, lunches or dinners
- Dance
- Golf game
- Picnic
Be sure to take into consideration whether you would like the reunion to include group members only, or if the reunion will be open to friends and family as well. It is possible to have multiple events – one for group members only and one that includes friends and family.
Venue selection
Select a venue that reflects the nature of your event and your group’s personality. UFV offers some on-campus venues that can add a sense of nostalgia and engagement with the university’s current state. On-campus venues may have limited availability due to the popularity of alumni weekend, so be sure to book quickly!
Venue suggestions are included below, though this is not an extensive list.
On-campus:
- Abbotsford: Student Athletic Centre Mezzanine
- Abbotsford: Student Union Building – Evered Hall
- Abbotsford: Room B101 – Lecture Theatre (currently offline due to renovations)
- Abbotsford: Building K Patio
- Chilliwack: Trades & Technology Centre – Rivers Dining Room
- Chilliwack: Building A Atrium
- Chilliwack: Black Box Theatre
- Mission: Atrium
Off-campus:
- Abbotsford: Clarion Hotel
- Abbotsford: Rotary Fieldhouse
- Abbotsford: Chances Abbotsford
- Chilliwack: Grand Ballroom
- Chilliwack: Curling Club
- Local community hall
- Local restaurant or pub
Event theme and programming
Ideate around how to incorporate UFV’s 50th Anniversary themes into your event. This could involve panel discussions on the transformation over the years, storytelling sessions about your class’s impact, or showcases of achievements within your group.
Key messaging: General recommendations for tone and alignment
In all communications, highlight how education is a relationship-based endeavor, celebrating how the alumni community has contributed to building a positive legacy.
- Align with UFV’s brand values: Integrity, inclusivity, community, and excellence.
- Incorporate “50 Years Forward” vision: Emphasize transformation, Reconciliation, and the future.
- Celebrate community building: Position UFV as a hub of connections and reciprocal relationships that uplift all participants.