Alumni-led events and reunions

Host a Monash Alumni-led Event

Lead the connection that matters to you: from milestone reunions to industry meet-ups.

A Monash degree is a lifelong membership to a community of half a million thinkers, creators, and leaders. While milestone reunions remain a cherished tradition for celebrating shared history, alumni-led events offer even more ways to keep that spirit alive.

Whether you are marking 20 years since graduation, gathering alumni in your home city, or hosting a roundtable for your professional field, these events are how our network stays active. By leading a gathering, you create a space for the kind of connection that keeps your Monash community vibrant, relevant, and supportive.

We’ll support you every step of the way

Organising a gathering is easier than you might think. With our support, alumni volunteers have everything they need to plan a successful event. When you host an event, Monash can provide:

Financial contributions to help with event costs (based on expected attendance)
A personalised Blue Book - your private online hub to reconnect before, during and after the event
A professional photographer for larger gatherings
Access to our Alumni-Led Event Planning Toolkit with checklists, templates, and communications support.

These resources are designed to make organising your event simple, enjoyable and rewarding.

Ready to get started?

If you are thinking about hosting a reunion or a gathering, you may be eligible for financial support to help bring your vision to life. Here's how it works:

Why hold an alumni-led event?
Reconnect with your classmates, celebrate shared milestones, and engage with Monash University’s vibrant alumni community.
Monash support available
Monash’s role: communications support (on request), optional Blue Book (if eligible), guidance, and post-event reimbursement (if approved).
Your role as organiser: event planning, bookings, risk considerations, budgeting, RSVPs, collecting funds, and ensuring local compliance.
First steps
- Define your event goals and outcomes (Why are you hosting an event and what would you like to achieve? Who will you be inviting?)
- Choose date and format (eg. lunch, dinner, virtual)
- Form an organising group (help with organising and hosting the event)
- Please note you do not need to establish a formal alumni association to organise an alumni-led event. This toolkit is designed to support individual volunteers and small groups, wherever you are in the world.
- Complete the Monash Alumni-led Events Request Form a minimum of 4 months out from your event (earlier is helpful, but smaller or informal events may not require the full lead time).
Choosing a venue
- Use this Venue Checklist (Appendix A) to ensure you are taking all requirements into consideration
- Consider the inclusivity of your event, ie. accessibility for those with mobility issues, or quiet spaces for the needs of neurodiverse guests, capacity, and amenities.
- Consider if hosting the event virtually is an option
- There are options available on Monash campuses - speak to your Monash University contact to find out more
- Book early; visit the site in person if possible
Planning an international event
Be sure to check local legal requirements for venues and events. Consider language preferences, time zones, and alternative formats like hybrid or virtual events.
Catering
- Self-cater or venue-catered (venue-catered is recommended if possible)
- Match food type to time of day
- Always account for dietary requirements (factor this into your RSVP process)
Entertainment options
- DIY playlist and speaker
- If you are hosting an event near a Monash University campus, you may have access to hire Monash performers, eg. student musicians (Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Monash Medical Orchestra)
AV checklist
- Microphones, lecterns, projectors, screens, laptops
- Schedule a rehearsal with MC/speakers (optional)
Archives
- Monash Archives may be able to source photos of your attendee cohort to use in the lead up to or at your event
Monash University can offer financial support to help alumni volunteers deliver high-quality, inclusive events that strengthen the global alumni community. Funding scales to the size and scope of your event and is assessed based on your proposal.
Please complete the Alumni-Led Event Request Form for further information.
Setting your event budget
Once you have an estimate of key event costs, you can finalise your budget. Please ensure you include:
- Venue hire, staff, cleaning, security
- Catering (food, drinks, dietary considerations)
- AV hire and staging
- Stationery (name tags, programs)
- Decorations and signage
- Photography or videography
- Entertainment
Pricing the event
- Calculate per-head costs
- Keep in mind there is usually a 20-30% drop off rate from RSVPs to attendees (up to 50% for free events), so factor that into your budgeting
- Collect funds in advance to secure bookings
See sample budget template.
Build your guest list
- Use graduation programs and personal contacts
- Ask the Monash Alumni Engagement team to help with communicating/promoting your event to your chosen cohort
Collecting RSVPs
- Monash does not provide an RSVP platform; please use your preferred tool or spreadsheet. There are a number of free event management tools available online that automate the process (eg. EventBrite, Humanitix, Google Forms).
- Please ensure the following items are included in your event registration form:
  - This disclaimer: The information provided in this form will help Monash University to identify your alumni record and ensure you receive alumni updates, including invitations to events like this one. Monash University values the privacy of your information and will handle it in accordance with the Alumni, Friends and Supporters Data Protection and Privacy Collection Statement and Data Protection and Privacy Procedure.
  - A field for alumni to input their Monash ID when registering for the event.
- You may store attendee information in your chosen registration tool for the purpose of organising the event. After the event, please provide the final attendance list to Monash so we can update alumni records.
Invitation process
- Monash can send one invitation email on your behalf, based on the details you submit in your Event Request Form. Please note that photos or custom design elements cannot be included.
- Privacy: Monash cannot share names or contact details of alumni with you, however can send a hold the date / invitation email on your behalf to alumni who studied a particular qualification within a date range.
- Please note that all correspondence sent by Monash University in relation to your event will include the following statement:
  This event is run by alumni volunteers and is not an official Monash University event.
  Monash University shall not be liable to you, or any other person, for any loss, damage or liability arising out of, or in connection with, the event.
- If you request ‘save the date’, ‘invitation’, or ‘reminder’ emails, Monash will draft the copy using the information you provide. You will have the opportunity to review your event details before scheduling.
- Event organiser(s) may (or may not), independently of Monash communications, send another invitation to their personal list of alumni.
Reconnect online with a Monash Blue Book
In the lead-up to your event, you may have the opportunity to create a Blue Book – an online memory book for your cohort where alumni can share career updates, photos, and personal milestones. In this Blue Book, your guests will be able to share their stories with one another, which will also enable you to reconnect with those who can't make it to your event. It’s a simple and engaging way to reconnect before the event, generate excitement, and encourage attendance, as well as share photos after the event and stay connected to your cohort.
What your guests can do inside the Blue Book:
- Share personal or professional updates
- Upload photos and favourite Monash memories
- Read what your cohort has been up to
- Make new connections or rekindle old ones
- Contribute stories and photos after the event
Because the Blue Book can be live before and after your event, it can help build momentum early and keep your community connected long after the event is over.
Availability
Blue Books are offered on a case-by-case basis depending on the size and scope of your event. If you're interested in using one, please indicate this in your Alumni-Led Event Request Form.
See monash.edu/alumni/community/blue-books for more information.
Create your run sheet
- Define speaking roles and timing
- Separate logistics (e.g. catering setup, AV) in colour
MC notes may include:
- Welcome and intro
- Acknowledgement of Country or introduction of Welcome to Country, or similarly appropriate ceremony in your planned location
- VIP introductions
- Housekeeping info
- Speaker intros and closing
See run sheet template.
Occupational health & safety (OHS)
- Event organisers should be mindful of creating a safe and healthy environment. While no formal risk assessment is required, you may find the University’s OH&S Guidelines as a useful tool to consider these elements when planning your event. Please take reasonable steps to ensure your event is safe and accessible for attendees. If your venue already has safety procedures (as most do), these generally cover the key requirements.
- If hosting overseas, be sure to check local health, safety, and event regulations, which may differ from Australian standards
Delegate roles
- Registration and welcome
- AV and slides
- Photography
- Activity coordination (e.g. catering transitions)
Final prep
- Print run sheets and name tags
- Confirm all bookings and suppliers
Post-event checklist
- Share final guest list and attendance with Monash
- Finalise budget and payments
- Send thank-yous to speakers and helpers
- Share highlight photos with monashalumni@monash.edu
Attendee lists
- You will be asked to provide registration and attendance data back to Monash for record keeping. This will be completed via a secure method to ensure that personal information is handled appropriately. Your Monash contact will provide further information on how to do this after your event.

What happens next?

1 - Planning (4-8 months out)

Define event purpose
Choose date/location
Draft costs
Submit Alumni-led Event Request

2 - Confirming (1–3 months out)

Book venue, catering, AV
Create RSVP tool
Promote event (Monash can assist if requested)
Apply for funding (if needed)

3 - Delivering the event (day/night)

Bring run sheets, name tags
Manage RSVPs
Ensure accessibility and safety

4 - Wrapping up (within 2 weeks)

Provide attendance list
Submit receipts for reimbursement (if funding has been approved)
Share photos

Suggestions

Want to help future alumni-led event planners? Share feedback or helpful tips with the Alumni Engagement Team: monashalumni@monash.edu

Additional resources

Facts and figures

Venue and AV checklist

Download checklist (xlsx)
Sample budget template

Download budget template (xlxs)
Event run sheet template

Download run sheet (docx)

Disclaimer

Alumni-led events are organised by volunteers and are not official Monash University events. Monash University is not liable for any loss, damage or liability arising in connection with these events.