Founders’ Day: A Day to Wear Red Pants

In case you were wondering, Founders’ Days commemorate the first class held at UW-Madison on Feb. 5, 1849, by Professor John Sterling. But for many chapters, these events are the biggest of the year, a time to shamelessly wear your red pants and sing “Varsity” with other grads. It’s also a time to hear from UW faculty on the latest research and hot campus issues (and reminisce about the good old days). Here’s some advice on how to make the most of this momentous occasion:

• Plan ahead. Start thinking of Founders’ Day topics over the summer. Use the brainstorming ideas listed earlier in this manual for creative ideas. It might seem like it’s a never-ending process that picks up right where the last event ended, but it’s worth it to get things moving early. Go through the event planning checklist to see what items apply.
• Pick a date. Sounds obvious, right? But if you pick a busy time of year like Memorial Day or Passover, your attendance will suffer. So choose wisely.
• Check out venues. Questions to ponder: is the site speaker-friendly? Does it fit your budget? Will it accommodate special requests, like serving Babcock ice cream? Is it accessible to your alumni? These considerations will help you find a perfect spot for your event.
• Read the stuff WAA sends you. You’ll get a Founders’ Day mailing in the fall, and it includes vital information like the speaker request form. If you don’t return it on time, you risk not getting your topic of choice.
• Get back to WAA. Fill in the Founders’ Day Information Form as soon as you can. We need those details to put your invitation together in time. We must have it printed and in the mail five weeks before your RSVP date.
• Get the word out. Tell your friends and neighbors, shout it from the rooftops, drop leaflets on the city if you have to! No one will come if they don’t know they’re invited. Press releases, e-mails and invitations are effective ways to tell alumni about Founders’ Day, and WAA can help you with the marketing. Invite interested parties and organizations from the area (e.g., you could invite the MS Society to a speech about stem cell research).

• Get it together. If you don’t have a battle plan for the event, there will be mass hysteria as you try to figure out who ordered what. Put one volunteer in charge of registration, arrive at the event early so you can troubleshoot and plan out your speech in advance. That way, you won’t be stumbling through the remarks in front of a staring audience.
• People like free stuff. This sounds pretty obvious right? If you offer Badger memorabilia for raffle or offer prizes for trivia contests, your event will be a lot more fun. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a room full of people afraid to talk to each other.
• Bring out the scholarship winners. People like to see where their money is going. There’s nothing like the bright faces of UW students to show that your chapter is doing good.
• Have fun! Wear your red pants and a smile. You’re the cheerleader, and people will take cues from you. Circulate the room and welcome everyone to the event, and sing your heart out for “Varsity.”