Volunteer with NAA

NAA welcomes the participation of volunteers in leadership and supporting roles on the board and on committees; in the running of alumni clubs; in the preparation of class reunions; and as mentors to current students through our CareerNet and Externship programs.

Alumni Clubs

Northwestern alumni live in every state in the nation and in many foreign countries. Many keep in touch with one another and with the University through the NU Clubs program. Clubs bring together alumni of the undergraduate and graduate schools, parents of students, and friends of the University for

• cultural events,
  
• sports outings,
  
• social activities,
  
• community service projects,
  
• firesides with Northwestern professors,
  

and much more.

Every club is overseen by a volunteer board including officers, chairs and committee members. Contact a local/regional or national club to indicate your interest in volunteering for the board.

Alumni Reunions

Volunteer participation is vital to success of NAA's class reunions. Each reunion class forms its own reunion committee, and volunteers generally serve as

• Co-chair (recruits and leads event committee classmates, makes participation calls to classmates to encourage attendance, shares ideas and resources, maintains strong relationships with NAA staff, and is present to support all reunion activities. With NAA staff, hosts several committee meetings and/or conference calls); or
  
  
• Committee member (reports recruited alumni leaders to NAA staff and co-chairs, makes participation calls to friends and classmates, shares ideas and resources, helps University in finding lost alumni, and reports appropriate contact information changes to NAA staff)

For information about becoming a reunion volunteer, contact Jill Hazard, Assistant Director, Reunions, at (847) 491-7972.

Standing Committees

Northwestern Alumni Association accomplishes some of its most important work through its nine standing committees, whose missions relate directly to that of the larger organization.

Participation in a standing committee is an excellent way to meet a broad spectrum of your fellow alumni. Meetings typically occur via conference call, and so travel is not a requirement of membership.

For more information, click here.

Board of Directors

The NAA Board of Directors, a nationwide organization, consists of alumni leaders who represent Northwestern alumni from every undergraduate, graduate and professional school at the University. There are over 60 members of the NAA Board including 38 members who are elected by a Nominating Committee. The remaining board members are either alumni trustees or representatives of a particular NU school or NAA club.

Elected positions include eight Officers, 15 Directors-at-Large and 15 Regional Directors. All Officers and Directors-at-Large are elected for two-year terms. All Regional Directors are elected for three-year terms. Officers and Directors serve for no more than two successive terms in one position.

Directors-at-Large are responsible for serving as chair or vice chair for one of the NAA standing committees as assigned by the president. Regional Directors are the primary liaisons between the clubs located in their respective regions and the Board of Directors of the Association.

Nominations for the NAA Board of Directors are accepted year-round. If you have any questions, please contact Sia Apostolakis at
a-apostolakis@northwestern.edu or (847) 467-6077.

Northwestern CareerNet

Northwestern CareerNet allows you to search our online networking database to connect with alumni who want to share their career knowledge and experiences. These volunteers, alumni career contacts, agree to be contacted by a Northwestern student or alumnus/a via phone, e-mail, or in-person interview to share information about specific occupations; perspectives on the job market; how their NU degree relates to their career field; further networking opportunities and more.

Some alumni career contacts also volunteer for one or more of these activities:

• speaking to students on campus,
  
• speaking to alumni in their community,
  
• hosting a career/network event,
  
• helping a regional club or constituent group, organize a career/networking event.
  

For more information, contact Sia Apostolakis at a-apostolakis@northwestern.edu or (847) 467-6077 or click here.

NAA Externship Program (NEXT)

NEXT is a one- to three-day job shadowing program pairing Northwestern students with alumni for an interactive career experience at the alum’s place of work.

Alumni volunteers agree to sponsor a student for a one- to three-day assignment. The purpose of the program is to give undergraduate students the opportunity to explore their career interests in a real-world setting and give sponsors a chance to share their wisdom and talents in order to benefit students and the Northwestern community overall.

For more information contact Sia Apostolakis at a-apostolakis@northwestern.edu or (847) 467-6077 , or click here.

“A Day with Northwestern in Evanston”
Executive Board

A Day with Northwestern in Evanston is an annual day-long event composed of presentations by top Northwestern University faculty and distinguished alumni. The program offers an opportunity for alumni and friends of Northwestern University to connect with the University on the Evanston campus.

Alumni volunteers who serve on the Executive Board are instrumental to the planning and implementation of the annual program. Members of the Board bring diverse perspectives to the program development process and support the implementation of program and marketing ideas. Board members also guide the speaker selection process and serve as liaisons with speakers.
For more information contact the Education Team at NAA.