Slice of MIT Headlines

George Eastman’s Nose is Available for Rubbing

Is the Eastman plaque a lost tradition? Most importantly, has it ever brought you good luck?

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Invention kit turns ordinary objects, even yourself, into touchpads and keyboard keys.

The Search for Number 17

Professor Patrick Henry Winston ’65, SM ’67, PhD ’70 In the end, it wasn’t all that hard. As a...

FSILG Networking & Communication

Stayed Connected to FSILG Peers

The Alumni Association makes it easy to get and stay connected with chapter alumni through numerous communication vehicles driven by the Association's database. Click on each to learn of its specific use and benefits.

Alumni Directory

The Association's Online Alumni Directory , with its advanced search capabilities, is an extremely powerful alumni networking tool. Search it by living group, geographic area, volunteer role, or other criteria to locate a select group of alumni-and their contact information-in a matter of seconds.

Chapter mailing lists

The Association has set up mailing lists for each chapter that are regenerated and repopulated regularly with email addresses from the Association's database. Chapter alumni are encouraged to maintain their contact information through the Online Alumni Directory so that updated emails can be incorporated automatically into the chapter mailing list. All lists are moderated, meaning that any email to the list must come from or be approved by one of a small number of editors, usually alumni house corporation or advisory board members. Many chapters are now using this approach for broadcast emails to their alums. House corporation officers can contact Marilyn Finlay to get enrolled and begin using their mailing lists.

Member and volunteer reports

House corporation officers can now obtain a variety of reports from the Alumni Association database to aid in member identification, volunteer recruitment, event planning, or fundraising. House Corporation assistance in maintaining this data is essential. Chapters conducting an initial data cleanup will find the database a robust and flexible reporting tool. Please note that this data is considered sensitive and can only be used for chapter and MIT purposes.

Corporation officers can request the following reports for their chapter by filling out an FSILG data request form:

  • Member report: all chapter members of record (including deceased)
  • Chapter volunteer report: all current or past alumni corporation volunteers
  • MIT all volunteer report: all chapter members who volunteer for any MIT activity (useful for identifying new alumni corporation volunteers)
  • Demographic report: a collection of interesting data about the chapter

Alumni Site Builder

Many chapters have built their own alumni Web sites, and a few more have contracted with Stewart Howe Alumni Services to build theirs. Still, many others now use the Alumni Association's Alumni Site Builder (ASB) product. This easy-to-use tool allows alumni groups to create and maintain a Web site, post news items, upload documents such as minutes, and promote events. Site Builder sites can be linked to SmarTrans for event registration and payment, as well as annual dues collection. Their content is hosted-for free-on the Alumni Association server. Please see the FSILG list for all current ASB FSILG sites. If you are interested in Alumni Site Builder, please contact Bob Ferrara.

SmarTrans

SmartTrans is a robust event registration and dues collection system with a credit card- processing back end. Many chapters use it to register people for events, and they can now use the dues feature to accept credit card payments from alumni. MIT provides the SmartTrans service for free, but requires a one-hour training course and corporate officers to be registered to use the credit card features. If you are interested, the SmarTrans Guide (PDF) may be of some help, but it is simpler to contact Bob Ferrara.

Telethons

Subject to availability, an FSILG may reserve the Alumni Association's call center for special occasions. Some training is required. Please contact Rosheen Kavanagh to request use of the call center.