Alumni Gathering Host Guide
Bring Alumni back to your area during Homecoming
Homecoming is a great opportunity to reconnect with alumni who were involved in your college, department, program, or student organization. We encourage campus partners to host informal or formal alumni gatherings leading up to the Alumni Tailgate on Saturday, October 3, starting at 12 p.m. at the outdoor basketball courts across from the Fieldhouse.
Whether you're planning a coffee hour, open house, reunion, networking event, or tailgate meetup, Alumni Relations is available to help.
Gathering Ideas
Consider hosting:
- Department open houses
- Alumni and student networking events
- Faculty and alumni receptions
- Student organization reunions
- Coffee and conversation gatherings
- Tailgate meetups
Reserving Campus Space
If you are planning a formal event on campus, please work through the standard university space reservation process.
Things to consider:
- Anticipated attendance
- Room setup needs
- Technology requirements
- Catering needs
- Accessibility accommodations
We recommend submitting requests as early as possible to ensure space availability during Homecoming weekend.
Hosting a Tailgate Meet-Up
If your group prefers a more casual or informal gathering, consider meeting during standard tailgating hours.
Please review and follow all Athletics tailgate policies and procedures.
Note: Lot C/F/G will open at 10am on October 3 for the Homecoming game.
Invitation Support
Alumni Relations can provide a list of alumni contact information to extend invitations for your gathering.
Please request lists by September 1.
Event in a Box
To help support Homecoming gatherings, Alumni Relations is offering an Event in a Box package for eligible campus partners.
Supplies may include:
- GVSU spirit items
- Name tags
- Table décor
- Alumni engagement materials
- Giveaways
Quantities may vary based on event size and available inventory.
Please request an Event in a Box by September 10.
Event in a Box request form coming soon!
Add Your Event to the Homecoming Calendar
To maximize visibility and help alumni discover opportunities to reconnect, all Homecoming-related gatherings should be submitted through the university CMS calendar and tagged appropriately by following the process below:
- Submit your event through the standard CMS process.
- If adding through your unit's CMS site Events module, check "Main GVSU Events Calendar" under "Published Locations" to ensure the event is shareable.
- Add “Homecoming” as an event tag.
- Select “Alumni” under Affiliations.
- Include registration information and event details.
- This helps ensure your event can be included in Homecoming communications and marketing efforts.
Student Events
For student events, please also add your event to Laker Link.
Alumni Engagement Grant
The Alumni Engagement Grant will not be available for Homecoming gatherings.