Drexel Rowing Alumni Group

Quarterly Meeting Minutes – June 16, 2009 – Drexel Gym – 7pm

1. New Alumni

a. – Michael Niles, Eric Shoyer, Ryan Dorr, Chelsea Nowakowski, Vanessa Clifford, Demi DelValle, Christina Valiga and Kate Labarbera

2. 1 year anniversary – D.R.A.G.

a. We need to continue what we have done and make it better this year

b. Events we have done

i. Fall – HOCR Trip (dinner and tent), HOSR Alumni Boat, happy hour after Navy Day

ii. Winter – Organized and ran Center City Slam, Drexel Homecoming events, Team and Alumni Banquet

iii. Spring – Tent and team/alumni in San Diego, Organized and ran Kerr Cup Regatta and BBQ, Dad Vail – social, tent, alumni boat, Parents at every regatta

iv. TO DO – have a write-up done for each event by someone who attended so we can post it on the website and keep it for our records. Also note who was in attendance or if it was an open event – email drexelrowingalumni@gmail.com with write-ups

c. It was mentioned that we should focus on one big event in the fall, make this our focus and reach out to all the alumni we know and let them know we want them in attendance

i. We need volunteer to call alumni and promote and organize event

3. New Business

a. Summer events Ideas

i. Brigantine Triathlon – Aug. 1, 2009 at 8am – Hosted by Paul Savell’s beach

ii. Happy Hour/Pub Crawl – city or shore

1. The Wine School of Philadelphia Private Event

iii. Sunset on the Row – open to alumni and parents

1. Have boats available to row

2. Hosted on a week night at Bachelor BH

3. Have light drinks and possible Pottluck

4. In late August or early September

b. Fall Events – Need Volunteers

i. HOSR

1. – Alumni Boat

a. Regatta – Saturday October 24

b. Club Men’s and Women’s 8 available

c. $20 per person

d. Entry due by October 1

2. – Food

a. We can do bbq, coordinate with the parent group

3. Possible event with new BH

4. MAKE THIS OUR BIG EVENT FOR ALUMNI

ii. HOCR – Head of the Charles Regatta – Boston

1. Drexel Alumni doing tent on race course

2. We need hotel accommodations for spectators

3. Email drexelrowingalumni@gmail.com if you are interested

c. Executive Board – Increase numbers

i. Currently we officially have a President of D.R.A.G. We also have an unofficial secretary (Steve Benvenuto) who takes meeting minutes and a webmaster/social network (Bill Camara and Josh Kidd)

ii. As we grow it is necessary to spread out the responsibilities

1. Nominate a Vice President

a. This position will have a 2 yr commitment

b. You can nominate someone or nominate your self

c. Voting will be done if there are multiple nominations

d. Job responsibilities listed at the end of this document

2. Suggestion – Have VP matched up with young alumni so they can get involved, learn what we do but not have all the responsibility

d. Need to expand DRAG membership, specifically before 2002

i. Suggestions – please post on our website what you think

1. Memories of Boathouse #4:  Announce the moving of the crew to the new boathouse at Bachelors.  Then ask for pictures and their best rowing and NON-rowing memories of Boathouse #4.  I think this would be a great way to get some historical information and pictures from crews gone by…

2. Erg competition – I know Drexel hosts a erg competition in the winter.  Let’s challenge our old crews to come back and put up some numbers against their teammates.  I recently challenged Pat McDonnell (’91) to come back and row against me during the erg event.  This would be a great way to raise funds and bring back the old crews.  Put it out in the e-mail blast to start training now and call your old teammates to challenge them to a 1000 or 2000 meter race.

3. LinkedIN:  Start a linkedIn group.  This would help find other rowers from past teams and help current rowers on the team or recently graduated network for jobs, information, etc.

4. Call to Alumni to put together their line-ups contest – ask the current list of DRAG members to reach out and put together their team line-ups.  Then once we get the missing names we can go back to the school and ask them for their current information.

e. Updates to Team Newsletter

i. Paul Savell and his staff put together a bi-yearly newsletter

ii. Alumni will have 1 page for updates, what’s new, who’s married…etc

f. Spring Recap

i. Dad Vail Alumni Boat won the gold medal – to see photos go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/DrexelRowingAlumni

g. Budget – $395.00

4. Old Business

a. Website – www.drexelrowingalumni.org

b. Email – drexelrowingalumni@gmail.com (sync our calendar to your personal google calendar)

c. Facebook – join our group – Drexel Rowing Alumni

5. NEXT Meeting – September 15, 2009 at 7pm at Bachelors Boathouse

Executive Board – Job Duties

President

-Communication

- Send, read, respond to email

-Meeting reminders, updates, events

- Get updated alumni, parent, donor, family, friend list from

coaching staff

- Welcome email to new alumni class following the spring season

- Liaison between athletic department and D.R.A.G.

- Liaison between Alumni office and D.R.A.G.

- Contact between Parent group and D.R.A.G.

- Quarterly Meetings

- Meet with Head Rowing Coach for agenda items relating to the program

- Create agenda for meetings

- Run meetings

-Events

-Organize all aspects of event

-Set date, location, food, beverages, invites, decorations, music, pictures…etc

-Create marketing material – flyers, handouts

Vice President (2 people) paired up so there is about 10yrs in between their graduation

years

- Recruitment

- Alumni who are not involved with D.R.A.G.

- New alumni who just graduated

- Newsletter – gather info from alumni

- Organize plan to recruit – phone calls, letters, emails…etc

Webmaster/Social Networks

- Keep website up to date with pictures, events, meeting minutes

o Make it visually pleasing and accessible

- Update and send out reminders and post events on Facebook page

- Update Google pictures and calendar

Secretary

- Take minutes at meeting and send to president to send to email list and send to webmaster to post on website