The interests and energies of your planning committee members, your location, and the number of Carls in your area will influence the number and type of activities you plan to organize. Large metropolitan areas (1,000+ Carls) should aim for 5-8 events per year, and smaller areas should aim for at least 2-5 events per year. Regardless of size, we recommend that each area ideally plan each of the following annual Regional Carls Signature events each year.
Signature Events
- Summer Send-Offs and Picnics – Many regional areas around the country traditionally have events focused on new and returning Carleton students and their families during the month of August. The Alumni Relations staff can tell you if you have any new or current students who will be heading to Northfield. This event is an excellent way for new students to become acquainted with some of the traditions at Carleton, and for new Carleton parents to meet current parents. Ideally, send-offs are held in a centrally located public area like a park or picnic area. If you live in an area with low numbers of new or returning students, summer is still a great time to host an event for Carls of all ages. Read on for ideas.
- Nationwide Trivia – Join Carleton alumni, parents, and friends in your area (virtually or in-person) for Nationwide Trivia! Hosted by Noah Tarnow ’97 of The Big Quiz Thing, Carls across the country form teams and compete by answering trivia questions. The team with the best cumulative score at the end of the afternoon is the winner!
- Nationwide Coffee With Carls – In the spring, Carls around the country will gather in neighborhood coffee shops to share advice about where to go for the best pizza, which local streets to avoid in rush hour, what’s fun in the area, and more! Put simply, it’s an opportunity for informal conversation with local Carls.
Event Ideas
Additionally, you may want to think about events that fit into the below categories:
- Day of Service – Bringing together members of the Carleton community for service endeavors (with a little dose of friendly competition thrown in the mix), these events highlight the way in which our Regional Carls are helping to further Carleton’s mission of preparing its students for lives that are of service to humanity.
- Social (trivia, bowling, happy hour, sporting events)
- Life-long Learning (cooking class, book clubs)
- Service-oriented (community service day, food shelf, habitat restoration)
- Cultural (museum, concert, theater)
- Family-friendly (play dates, children’s museums, family outings)
- Epicurean (food, wine, or beer-centered)
- Outdoor (hiking, camping, skiing, Frisbee)
- Alumni expert or “behind-the-scenes” events (brewery/winery tour)
- Alumni Networking events – Regional volunteers can help engage alumni in the great work the Career Center is doing by providing professional networking opportunities and Career Center updates through regional events. These events can be held at any time of year and be especially useful for recent graduates and young alumni. We recommend working with local Career Center volunteers to organize these events. Contact the Alumni Relations staff to find out who in your area is a Career Center volunteer.
- Faculty events (for areas with a critical mass of members or if it coincides with faculty travel plans). If you are interested in having a faculty event, please contact the Alumni Relations staff who will be in touch with the faculty member for you.
- Collaborative events with Multicultural Alumni Network (MCAN), Out After Carleton (OAC), Admissions, the Career Center, academic departments, athletic teams/alumni, or co-hosted events with alumni from other colleges.
- Prospective student events (contact the Alumni Relations staff for more information).
General Event Calendar
This is a quick overview of recommended timing for the signature Regional Carls events, and when it may be helpful to meet or check in with other Carls in your area or the Alumni Relations staff.