Share Your Talents - Be an Alumni Volunteer!
Shippensburg University is known for its spirit of giving. Not only does the SU family appreciate your financial support, but your volunteered time, your participation at events, and your ideas for improvement. To volunteer or learn more about any of these volunteer opportunities, email alumni@ship.edu or call (717) 477-1218. Thank you for your continued generosity.
Tap into your Shippensburg University Network!
Ship Connects makes it easy for alumni, faculty, staff and students to leverage the power of connection across the Shippensburg University community to achieve professional goals. Ship Connects is the university's official online platform for networking bringing together alumni, advisory boards, faculty and staff in support of other alumni and students. Alumni and students can connect to share and seek career advice from alumni, faculty and staff.
Alumni self select ways to engage with the Ship family via avenues of mentorship, job shadowing, industry insight, or professional development. Ship Connects enables connections, networking and mentoring by giving advice to student(s) and fellow alumni who aspire to be where you are.
When you join the community, you can:
- Connect with alumni in your city or industry of interest
- Join discussion groups based on your interest
- Support students and fellow alumni through mentoring
- Find a mentor
- View the job board or post opportunities
The Alumni Admissions Program helps maintain our tradition of academic excellence by encouraging academically talented students to apply and attend Shippensburg University. As part of the program, you will provide the "personal attention" and "encouragement" that can make the difference between a student choosing Ship or another institution. Providing your perspective as an alumnus/a is the most important component to the success of this program and is an invaluable element that helps the University reach and possibly exceed its overall undergraduate enrollment goals.
College Fairs
There are hundreds of organized college fairs throughout the U.S. and Shippensburg University's admissions team covers a limited geographic area. With dedicated alumni, working both alone and alongside an admissions rep, this is a huge opportunity for us to branch out and increase awareness of Shippensburg University. College Fairs can last anywhere from 1-4 hours where you would be speaking with prospective students, parents, coaches, principals, etc. and providing them with information about what Ship offers. Recruitment materials can be mailed directly to your home prior to the events in which you are covering.
Open House and Admitted Student Days
Who best to promote Ship than Shippensburg University Alumni! Volunteer at Open House at the Alumni Association table and greet prospective students and their families. There are also opportunities for alumni to volunteer at our admitted student days.
Present a scholarship to a student at your local high school
In the spring, high schools across the state host scholarship nights for their graduating seniors. Present a Shippensburg University scholarship to a graduating senior at your local high school.
Admitted Student Letters
Receiving an acceptance letter to continue their educational endeavors is one of the most exciting times for a student. The goal of these letters will be for you to craft a short, welcoming and congratulatory message together that you may share with our admitted students. For some students, they may still have questions, while others may not have visited campus yet. We hope that this initiative will add a personal touch from a non-admissions Ship family member. Envelopes and university letterhead will be mailed directly to your home prior to beginning your letters.
Confirmed Student Note Cards
Maximizing our yield percentages by holding on to students through each phase of the admissions cycle is key. Once an applicant submits their enrollment confirmation deposit, our next step is to engage with them until their Summer Orientation day where they select their classes and officially enroll. These post cards are to welcome them to the Ship family. We also want to thank them for choosing Ship and tell them we are excited to see them at orientation. Postage paid envelopes and post cards will be mailed to your home.
Do you have a passion for Shippensburg? Then consider applying for 1 of 26 board director positions. Directors are elected to a four-year term and meet four times a year. Alumni board members work together and collaborate with the Alumni Relations Office to increase the visibility and vitality of Shippensburg University and the Alumni Association.
More specifically, the alumni board assists with advising the Alumni Relations Office on alumni programming and activities, evaluates programs, brainstorms new initiatives, and promotes the common success of alumni and Shippensburg University. Board members volunteer with Alumni Weekend, Homecoming, the Alumni Admissions Program and much more. Nominations are accepted each fall with a cut-off of February 1 of the following year. Newly elected board members begin July 1 of that year.
The executive board of your alumni association includes Bobby Sisock '05-'06M, president, Tim MacBain '03, president-elect, Caryn (Long) Earl '98, immediate past-presdient, Paula (Biesecker) Alcock '92, and Steve Thomas '04. If you are interested in becoming a candidate for the Alumni Association Board of Directors, contact the Alumni Relations office at alumni@ship.edu or 717-477-1218 with questions or to express your interest. Interested? Please complete a Board of Directors Nomination Form on-line. Information in the form will be used to further review potential candidates for the Alumni Board.
Additional Information
Do you consider yourself to be an expert in your field? Do you have in-depth knowledge on certain topics or have a keen interest in anything from collectibles to current events? Be a part of our alumni experts/resource list. We are often tasked with identifying alumni who are knowledgeable on certain topics or in a specific career field whether it be to provide a reference in an article in the SU Magazine or to assist with a question/project. Let us know what your knowledge base and interests are.
GIVE ADVICE
- Answer questions about specific career fields
- Talk with students individually or speak to a class or club
- Offer a 1 day shadowing opportunity or internships
- Provide a resume critique or conduct a practice interview with a student
HOST A JOB SHADOWING OPPORTUNITY
Job shadowing is an opportunity for a student to shadow with an alum who has specific knowledge about an occupation or career in which the student is interested. The student will observe the responsibilities and tasks associated with your career and have the opportunity to ask questions about knowledge, skills, talents and level of education required for your job. The purpose of shadowing is to allow the student to gather career related information and expand their networking connections, it also allows them to build interviewing skills and become aware of trends in the field. Students are given a chance to “test drive” a career for a day (shadow experiences typically occur over the course of 1 day).
If you are interested in assisting students and fellow alumni with career related questions email alumni@ship.edu. Interested in providing a shadowing opportunity for a student, complete our interest form.
Recruit Ship Alumni & Graduating Seniors: Is your place of employment hiring for entry level positions or experience necessary positions? List the positions with us for advertisement to the applicable audience. Please e-mail a posting of the position with a contact name to alumni@ship.edu or fax the posting to 717-477-4071.
Internships: The job market is competitive and internships provide students with a leg up on the competition. Send information to alumni@ship.edu or call 717-477-1218.
Student Supply Closet 
For many students entering school at Ship, a traditional student loan package doesn’t quite cover all their expenses. Without a financial support system at home, many may have their tuition covered, but still struggle to pay for meals and basic living expenses. But Ship Alumni can help.
The Alumni Association has partnered with Target and Amazon to provide a student supply closet for financially challenged students. The goal of the supply closet is to connect alumni with students that need assistance via staff and faculty requests.
Requested items include school supplies, residence hall bedding, residence hall supplies, technology needs, class project materials, cleaning/sanitizing products, and universal personal products.
Items may also be brought into the Alumni House at 300 N. Prince St., or purchased separately and delivered to Alumni Relations, 1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg, PA 17257. Monetary donations may be made to the Student Alumni Association Fund and staff will then purchase needed items.
Faculty and staff may request an item for a student at http://bit.ly/shipusupplies.
Winter Break Food Program
On average, 60 students spend the winter break, including the holidays, in a residence hall. This program was initiated by the Alumni Board of Directors and has grown every year. After receiving donations, board directors shop and pack food totes that are delivered to students.
Gifts to the Student Alumni Association fund will help the students that are residing on campus over winter break. Tote bags of pantry items are delivered to these students from the Alumni Board of Directors. Your gift will help these students make it through the winter in a time where financial resources can be scarce and dining options on campus are limited.
Thank you all for helping Ship Students during this time of need.
Volunteer with our 2 signature alumni events - Alumni Weekend and Homecoming. Help coordinate and/or host regional alumni events.
