Welcome to Your City
Occurring on a single day each fall term, Welcome to Your City (WTYC) provides University-wide recent graduates (up to 10 years out) a targeted opportunity to connect with their local Harvard alumni community. WTYC events are social/networking gatherings with little to no formal programming and can be held in-person or virtually. Events are hosted by local Harvard Clubs and supported by Shared Interest Groups and College Activities Chairs.
Participation
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Clubs with more than 2,000 alumni in the Club's region are invited to register to host an event. This minimum helps
to ensure there is a critical mass of recent graduates in the local area. -
SIGs interested in partnering with Clubs on these locally organized events can register their participation using
this form. -
All Club hosts and SIG partners that sign up for WTYC are expected to be present at the event.
Important 2024 Dates
WTYC Info Sessions: July 18 and 23
Monday, August 5: Deadline for eligible Clubs and SIGs to register their participation.
Wednesday, August 14: Alumni registration goes live.
Early-September: Communication with WTYC details sent to hosts and co-hosts
Wednesday, September 11: Welcome to Your City!
Roles and Responsibilities
Club Responsibilities:
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Designate an event point person to be the main point of contact with the HAA for WTYC
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Manage event logistics including securing the venue
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Complement HAA marketing via your Club email and social media channels to encourage attendance
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Field and respond to any event questions that may come in directly to the Club
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Review event resources provided by the HAA
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Connect with partnering SIGs to coordinate on event logistics and marketing efforts
- On event day, welcome guests, facilitate connections, and support discussions
- Post-event, follow up with attendees via email on further engaging with the club
SIG Responsibilities:
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Designate a SIG representative(s) to support the event hosted by the local Club
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Complement HAA & Club marketing via your SIG email and social media channels to encourage attendance
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Connect with the hosting Club volunteers to coordinate on event logistics and marketing efforts
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Act as an ambassador for the SIG by sharing information with attendees about your organization
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Follow up with attendees via email re: further engaging with the SIG
Marketing & Communications
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The HAA will manage WTYC marketing via a series of communications targeting alumni 10 years post graduation (see marketing calendar below).
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The WTYC registration pages will be created and managed by the HAA and listed in the event directory.
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Participating Clubs, SIG and volunteers are encouraged to market to their communities via newsletter communications and by posting the event on their website
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Eligible SIGs will be listed on the registration forms as a way to collect interest from event registrants. Information on who opted in to hearing from a SIG will be shared with SIG presidents in the weeks following the event.
2024 Email Marketing Calendar
- Wednesday, August 14, 2024 – Alumni registration goes live
- Sunday, August 18, 2024 – Feature in Harvard this Week Newsletter
- Wednesday, August 21, 2024 – Reminder #1 to Not Heard From
- Thursday, August 29, 2024 – Reminder #2 to Not Heard From
- Tuesday, September TBD, 2024 – College Alumni News Mention
- Tuesday, September 3, 2024 – Reminder on Capacity
- Friday, September 6, 2024 – Last Call for registration
- Sunday, September 8, 2024 – Feature in Harvard this Week Newsletter
- Monday, September 9, 2024 – Psych Up Message
- Tuesday, September 10, 2024 – Final Reminders/Participation Details
- Wednesday, September 11, 2024 – Welcome to Your City
- Thursday, September 12, 2024 - Post-Event Follow Up Survey
- Friday, September 13, 2024 – Survey Reminder
Additional Resources
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Information Sessions - Hosts are encouraged to attend one of two live Information Sessions on July 18 or 23 to learn more about the event and available resources.
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WTYC Data Dashboard - View WTYC event locations and registration numbers in a visual display.
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Digital Assets – Download branded Welcome to Your City images to put in your marketing emails or to post on your webpage
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Virtual Networking Toolkit – If you decide to host a virtual event, this document provides you with resources that will empower you to do so.
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This includes a pre-event planning checklist and a draft agenda/run of show for your program.
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Social Media Toolkit - Learn fun and interactive ways to engage with registrants on your social channels around Welcome to Your City!