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Young Alumni Committee (YAC) Leadership

Regardless of the size of your young alumni community, having strong and well-defined leadership is a key component to its success. The size of your YAC will depend on your community’s size and activity level. Some larger communities (500+ alumni) are led by an executive committee with a chair and several other volunteers. Smaller communities (499 and fewer) may be led by one or two regional representatives.  And, other communities will have a young alumni liaison on the overall chapter committee.

The term for a regional leader is two to three years. Limiting term length gives other alumni the opportunity to get involved.

YAC Leader Requirements

To best serve your needs and those of your fellow alumni, the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association (JHAA) sets minimum standards to help guarantee the vitality and longevity of young alumni communities. YAC leaders must meet the following requirements in order to maintain active status, receive university support, and continue to use the JHAA name.

  • Plan and execute a consistent calendar of events; the number can be decided based on the size and interests of your community.
  • Depending on the size of your community, recruit a committee of alumni volunteers to assist with planning events. We encourage you to have a committee that is representative across graduation year (0-10 years) and includes both Arts and Sciences and Engineering graduates.
  • Communicate regularly with your local volunteers, planning committee, or co-chair. This may include in-person meetings or conference calls. It is up to you to determine the best method of communication for your unique group.
  • Serve as a local resource for current and incoming students as well as alumni that are new to the area.
  • Respond to inquiries about your alumni community from fellow alumni or university staff.
  • Where possible, maintain social media pages such as Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn on behalf of your city’s page (not on your own page).
  • Take pictures during events and submit them to your staff liaison. You can also #JHUAlumni on social media sites.
  • Communicate with your staff liaison regularly so we can best serve the alumni population in your area.
  • Keep track of attendance at events. Share the names of walk-ins and no shows with your staff liaison. 
  • Keep all alumni contact information and mailing lists confidential and used for alumni purposes only. Announcements or other communications made for personal, commercial or political gain are strictly prohibited.
  • Adhere to trademark usage guidelines in all permitted uses of the university's name, logo, and other trademarks.
  • Comply with policies and requests from the JHAA.

Other Alumni Volunteer Roles

Depending on the size of your community, you may establish a committee or bring on additional volunteers. Other alumni volunteers can fill several very helpful roles, including but not limited to:

  • Vice President
  • Secretary/Communications Chair
  • Social Media Chair
  • Community Service Chair
  • Regional Community Liaison