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.
Campus Partner Laker Party Packs
Alumni Relations is pleased to provide Laker Party Packs for GVSU departments and programs that are hosting alumni gatherings during Homecoming weekend! These are available at no cost to support your alumni engagement events and help you celebrate in true Laker style.
Laker Party Packs disposable plates, cups, napkins, and table coverings as well as alumni swag items. Supplies are limited and available on a first-come, first served basis.
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
LakerLink is Grand Valley’s centralized platform for promoting student-facing events, tracking student involvement, and connecting students with campus organizations. Here's what you need to know:
- Get recognized on LakerLink: Is your department not on LakerLink yet? Request to be added as an official organization so you can host events and manage your department’s presence.
- Tagging Events: Event tagging helps students sort and filter in LakerLink. When you tag your event in LakerLink with the “homecoming” tag, it will automatically be pulled into the Homecoming website’s calendar.
- Add Your Events: Be sure to add your student-facing Homecoming Spirit Week events in LakerLink so that incoming students can easily find and attend them. (You will need an organization page before you can add events.)
- Track Attendance this fall: Students will scan a smart code provided by LakerLink at your event to record their attendance and earn digital badges.
Need help?
Visit the LakerLink Help Page for step-by-step instructions or contact to Bri Slager for additional support.
Alumni Engagement Grant
The Alumni Engagement Grant will not be available for Homecoming gatherings.