Invoking pride at the local level, the Alumni Association recognizes outstanding clubs with annual awards. These clubs must display excellence overall but also in the quality of their programming, scholarship fundraising and member participation. Check out this year’s award winners to see if your club was among the Association’s leaders and best.
2007-08 Outstanding Club Award Winners
Outstanding Club Award Winner for the Metro Region
The Outstanding Club Award Winner for the Metro region, comprised of clubs in areas with more than 6,000 alumni, is the U of M Club of Washington, DC.
The Washington, DC club widely exceeded expectations in the programming area by hosting an active and diverse calendar of events that engaged a wide range of alumni with different interests. This calendar of nearly 150 total club events included the club’s signature events such as the Congressional Breakfast, along with an impressive array of athletic, cultural, social, educational, and community service events. The club’s activities in the areas of scholarship and student relations were truly outstanding. The club has worked diligently to increase membership value to area alumni and has made good use of communications tools to advertise club events, programs and services.
Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 5
The Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 5, comprised of clubs in areas with 3,000 to 6,000 area alumni, is the U of M Club of Seattle.
The Seattle club hosted a wide range of athletic, social, and cultural events to engage U-M alumni of all ages. Their activities in the areas of scholarship and student relations were impressive. The club’s Adopt-a-Frosh program stood out as one of the most innovative and thoughtful club activities this year. The club also does an excellent job of communicating with its members utilizing the listserv, regional e-TrueBlue and the club’s website. In the area of membership, the Seattle club is successful in recruiting new membership and creating a welcoming environment for young alumni new to the Pacific Northwest.
Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 4
The Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 4, comprised of clubs with 2,000 to 3,000 area alumni, is the U of M Club of Orange County.
For an impressive third time in the last four years, the Orange County club excelled in the criteria that was used by the Clubs Council subcommittee to determine Outstanding Club Award recipients. The club’s extraordinary array of programming takes full advantage of the area’s resources from a welcome event beach party at Newport Beach to cultural events at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Their efforts in scholarship and student relations were once again amongst best. In the area of leadership development and continuity, the Orange County Club has a finely tuned succession structure and a development plan which encourages participation all around.
Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 3
The Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 3, comprised of clubs with 1,000 to 2,000 area alumni, is the U of M Club of Tucson.
The Tucson club is rapidly improving in the programming area and is making strides toward reaching out to a variety of alumni with different interests. In the past year, the club hosted its first ever scholarship golf outing and reached out to admitted students and young alumni by hosting a private box at minor league baseball game. As for public relations and promotion, the club has made tremendous strides in its promotional efforts by revamping the club Web site, along with producing a month Desert Blue newsletter for area alumni.
Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 2
The Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 2, comprised of clubs with 500 to 1,000 area alumni, is the U of M Club of Bay City.
The Bay City club improved in the programming area by mixing new club events, such as their alumni book club, along with more traditional events, like the club’s annual football tailgate here in Ann Arbor. The club’s activities in student relations were also outstanding and were highlighted by the success of the club’s family-oriented student send-off picnic. As for public relations and promotion, the Bay City club has done an impressive job utilizing the local newspaper to highlight club events and activities to the entire community.
Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 1
The Outstanding Club Award Winner for Region 1, comprised of clubs in areas with fewer than 500 area alumni, is the U of M Club of Sun Cities and West Valley.
This little club of just over 500 alumni proves that even though small clubs might have a smaller alumni base from which to recruit volunteers, they can still raise the bar and do things right. Their vast programming lineup featured events ranging from midday luncheons on Arizona history to cheering on the Big 10 champion Michigan baseball team in enemy territory at then #1 rated Arizona State. As for their efforts in the area of business matters, the Sun Cities club is a perennial model for other clubs through the club’s excellence in organization and leadership development. Despite its limited resources and small number of area alumni, the club reveals its innovation by organizing diverse events, reaching out to the community, and encouraging new volunteers to get involved.
2007-08 Awards of Excellence Winners
Programming: U of M Club of Denver
Scholarship: U of M Club of Grand Rapids
Student Relations: U of M Club of Greater Lansing
Membership: U of M Club of Greater San Francisco
Public Relations and Promotion: U of M Club of Portland
Business Matters and Leadership Development: U of M Club of Greater Chicago
