As an Alumni Student Recruiter, there are a number of ways you can volunteer your time, and each is a worthwhile way to give back to the U-M community.

Volunteers are encouraged to participate in one or all of these activities:

Adopt-a-School Liaison

The heart of the Alumni Student Recruitment program is the Adopt-a-School activity. Alumni volunteers establish a connection with up to three high schools in their area, acting as a local resource for prospective and admitted students and high school counselors. The main recruitment activity for volunteers is making congratulatory calls to the admitted students from their adopted schools and sharing their Michigan experience and alumni perspective to encourage students to attend U-M. Volunteers have access to Recruiter Resources to assist in their recruiting efforts.

College Fair Alumni Representative

College Nights and College Days are programs that introduce high school students to many different colleges. Alumni represent U-M and speak with students and their parents about the Michigan experience, in addition to distributing admissions publications. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions receives hundreds of invitations each year to participate in these programs. While the admissions office handles in-state fairs, it is not possible for them to attend all out-of-state events. With alumni help, U-M is able to have a presence and be visible in many regions across the country in order to recruit the Leaders and Best. The Adopt-a-School liaison is the first person asked to cover the fair. If they are not available, other local ASR or alumni club volunteers are contacted.

Prospective and Admitted Student Reception Host

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions invites potential applicants to U-M information receptions each fall and spring. Prospective student receptions are held in August at 13 Michigan locations, while admitted student receptions are held in the spring at 15 Michigan locations. At these receptions, alumni share their Michigan spirit by assisting the admissions and U-M staff. They help with registration, greet students, their families, and other alumni, talk informally about the University, and help in the question-and-answer session.

In addition, some U-M alumni clubs sponsor a summer send-off picnic, brunch, or reception for incoming students from their area. As a recruiter, you may be invited to attend or, if there is no local club, plan such an event on your own. This is a good way to introduce students to the local alumni club and encourage a positive perspective about the University. Undergraduate Admissions will send clubs or individual alumni a list of all incoming students and can also provide names, addresses, and phone numbers of currently enrolled students who may be invited to participate in the send-off.

Underrepresented Minority Student Recruitment — Each One, Reach One

Underrepresented alumni (African American, Hispanic, Native American) volunteers contact admitted students to congratulate them, share their student experiences, and underscore why it is important for them to continue the legacy of diversity which the University so ardently supports. Alumni are “called to action” two to three times a year from January to April and matched with student(s) to contact. The match process uses various commonalities, such as high school attended and city or state of residence for the student and the alum. Volunteers are also invited to attend prospective and admitted student receptions and campus recruitment events. 

Learn more about these minority student recruitment efforts.

International Alumni Student Recruitment

The Alumni Student Recruitment program is looking to expand the number of international alumni volunteers as well as the number of countries covered. Alumni who are native citizens or U.S. citizens living outside the United States play an important role in recruiting prospective and admitted students in their country by providing guidance on what to expect from the campus culture, helping students get answers to their questions quickly, and addressing students’ concerns about moving to and living in the United States. Volunteers also engage in more traditional recruitment activities, including promoting U-M in their community, attending college fairs to represent U-M, congratulating admitted students in their area, and sharing their alumni perspectives about U-M. 

*If you’re not fluent in the country’s language, you can request to be assigned to English-speaking schools only. 

Learn more about these international student recruitment efforts.