President
President
As President, you are the primary representative of your organization and the main liaison to the Ohio State University Alumni Association.
Role Description
As President, you serve as the primary representative of your organization and liaison to the Ohio State University Alumni Association (OSUAA) within your region or constituency. Your leadership keeps “Buckeye Nation” thriving by fostering community, strengthening alumni connections, and supporting the university’s mission.
While board members may lead individual initiatives, you provide overall direction to ensure the group’s work reflects OSUAA values.
Key responsibilities include:
- Strategic visioning: Setting 1–5 year priorities, such as strengthening young alumni engagement or creating a signature annual event.
- Legacy building: Launching sustainable projects like scholarships, service traditions or annual programs that continue beyond your term.
- Succession planning: Recruiting and mentoring future leaders and documenting processes to ensure smooth transitions.
- Board management: Establishing clear expectations and communication practices that empower volunteers.
Success is demonstrated through the group’s sustainability and growth:
- Aligned goals: Activities clearly support the OSUAA mission.
- Leadership pipeline: Emerging leaders are identified, encouraged and ready to serve.
- Positive culture: Board members feel valued, motivated and connected.
This role is ideal for individuals who:
- Lead through tnfluence: Inspire peers in a volunteer driven environment.
- Listen actively: Understand what motivates others and help them contribute meaningfully.
- Model Buckeye values: Demonstrate commitment, optimism and collaboration.
Volunteer role with time requirements varying by group size.
Includes:
- regular board meetings
- participation in signature events
- periodic trainings such as the Alumni Leadership Symposium.
Serving as President is a meaningful way to “pay forward” your Buckeye experience. You’ll help shape your alumni community, develop leadership skills, and build lasting friendships with fellow Buckeyes.
President Toolkit
Strategic Visioning: The Conductor
As the "Conductor" of your alumni club, your most vital responsibility is to ensure the board’s focus is not just on the next event but is also toward the long term future of your group. Strategic visioning is the process of deciding what kind of impact your group will have five years from now and working backward to ensure today’s actions make that vision a reality.
A legacy isn't built on monthly tasks. Instead, it is built on high level priorities that define your tenure. As the group leader, you must facilitate the board in identifying these Priority Goals.
The Visioning Process: Ask your board, "If we had unlimited resources and five years of focused effort, what is the one transformative thing we could do for our Buckeyes?"
Examples of 5 Year Priority Goals:
- Engagement LegacyEngage at least 50% of alumni/fans/friends in your group’s constituency during the fiscal year.
- Operational Legacy:Transitioning from a "working board" where officers do all the tasks to a "governance board" supported by robust committees and documented playbooks.
Once the five year plan pieces are identified, your role as conductor is to translate that vision into immediate, digestible goals for the current fiscal year.
Alignment Check:
- For every proposed goal, ask: "How does this move us closer to our 5-year priority?"
- If a 1-year goal doesn't support a 5-year priority, it may be a distraction
Measurable Milestones:
- Break the 5-year vision into annual targets.
- For example, if the 5-year goal is a $100k endowment, the Year 1 goal should be establishing a fundraising committee and setting a $20k donation target.
Setting the vision for the group is a whole board activity. Use your facilitation skills to create buy in from the entire board.
Below are some tips for you to use to facilitate this session:
The "Hopes and Fears" Exercise:
- Ask board members what they hope the club looks like in five years and what they fear might happen if the club doesn't change
Prioritization:
- Boards often suffer from "initiative fatigue" by trying to do too much.
- Your job as President is to force a choice: "We have ten great ideas, but we can only achieve excellence in three. Which three will be our strategic priorities?"
A strategic plan is only effective if it is a living document.
Here are tips on how to integrate the vision into all that your group does:
The "Mission Minute:"
- Start every meeting by reminding the board of your 5-year goals.
- You can also use this time to check in on progress of goals
The Strategic Filter:
- Use your facilitation skills to pivot board discussions back to how the work you do contributes to the group’s vision
- If the board spends 45 minutes arguing about the location for a game watch, redirect them: "Let’s make a quick decision here so we can spend the rest of our time discussing our 5-year goal for engaging 50% of our constituency"
By focusing on strategic visioning, you move from being a manager of tasks to a builder of a legacy. You ensure that when you pass the gavel, the next President isn't just inheriting a calendar of events, but a clear and inspiring path forward.
Interested in further guidance for Strategic Planning? Please refer to the following guides:
Legacy building and succession planning
Legacy building is the intentional process of building your group’s future. It shifts your focus from simply maintaining a group to ensuring its long term growth and leadership health. Succession planning is the intentional process of identifying, recruiting, and mentoring the next generation of Buckeyes to ensure your club remains sustainable long after your term ends.
A legacy is manifested through high level priority goals that transcend a single fiscal year
Visionary Facilitation
- Lead the board to identify 1–2 large scale projects,
- Ex: reaching a $50k scholarship endowment or establishing a signature annual community service tradition
Strategic Continuity
- Use the "Reverse Engineering" method, such as setting a Year 3 milestone and identifying "Today’s Actions,” to provide a roadmap that outlasts your specific term
The Mission Filter
- Protect the club’s legacy by ensuring every new initiative aligns with the core mission of "enriching firm friendships" and "advancing the university"
A true legacy is measured by the people you leave behind.
Identifying "Rising Stars"
- Succession planning begins on your first day in office, not your last
- You must constantly scan your membership for "Rising Stars" who demonstrate a "Buckeye Spark:"
- Think of those who attend events regularly, engage on social media, or are the first to offer help
- Active Observation: During meetings or events, look for individuals who are organized, social, or technically skilled
- Low-Stakes Invitations: Instead of asking someone to join the board immediately, invite them to handle a specific, small tasks (like managing a raffle table or a check-in sheet) to gauge their interest and reliability
The “Co-Lead” Model
- The jump from a general member to a board officer can be intimidating. You can lower this barrier by pairing current leaders with the “Rising Stars”
- Institutional Redundancy: Ensure every major chair (Scholarship, Game Watch, Events) has a "Co-Lead" or shadow. This eliminates "single points of failure" where a club's operations halt if one person steps down
- Mentorship in Action: The Co Lead role serves as a "leadership incubator," allowing a potential successor to learn the ropes and the "why" behind the board’s decisions in a low-pressure environment.
Personal Invitation
- Move from general calls for help to the "Personal Invite," recognizing that volunteers are significantly more likely to commit to a legacy project when asked directly
Succession isn’t just about finding a replacement; it’s about developing their potential. Your goal as President is to ensure the group is stronger when you leave than when you began.
Connect to the Mission:
- Remind your potential successors how their work "Pays it Forward" to the university and local students
One on Ones and Check Ins:
- Hold one on ones with each of the Executive Board members on a bi-monthly to quarterly basis
- With the entire board, host quarterly reviews
- Pose questions like: “Who is your shadow right now, and how can I help you mentor them into your role?"
Without institutional memory, every new President is forced to start from scratch. The creation of this document ensures the next leader is prepared and that your legacy can live on.
Operational Documentation:
- Champion the creation of a formal "Alumni Group Transition Document" that records the "Who, What, and When" of every major project.
- This should include vendor contacts, venue contracts, event timelines, and login credentials
The Final Record:
- Record your 1-year and 5-year goals in the Annual Report and share them with your liaison at OSUAA to ensure your vision is visible to the university and future leadership.
Formal Handoff:
- Dedicate your final meeting of the fiscal year to a "Transition Workshop" where outgoing chairs sit with incoming leaders to walk through their documented "Playbooks"
Board management
Effective board management is the engine that drives your strategic vision. As President, your role is to move the board from a group of individuals performing tasks to a cohesive team that operates with efficiency and accountability. This section provides the "Conductor" with the tools to facilitate productive meetings and manage volunteer dynamics effectively.
Your board meetings should be a place for decision-making, not just reporting. A well-structured agenda respects your volunteers' time and keeps the focus on your priority goals.
The 80/20 Rule
- Dedicate 20% of the meeting to past reports and 80% to future strategy and decision-making
Consent Agendas
- Encourage chairs to submit written reports 48 hours in advance. Instead of reading them aloud, simply ask, "Does anyone have questions regarding the written reports?" to save 20 minutes of meeting time
The Mission Anchor
- Always include the OSUAA Mission Statement at the top of your agenda to remind the board why they are serving
Agenda Generation
- Work with the Secretary to construct the agenda
- The President is the final owner to the meeting and agenda creation, but the Secretary acts as the technical producer who transforms that into an accurate, action-oriented record.
A President must manage the "room" to ensure one or two voices do not dominate the conversation.
The “Wait” Rule:
- If you are a naturally talkative leader, practice W.A.I.T. (Why Am I Talking?). Let three other board members speak before you offer your opinion.
Probing Questions:
- Use open-ended questions to spark strategic thinking, such as: "If our club stopped existing tomorrow, what would our local alumni miss most?"
The Pivot:
- If the board gets stuck on minor details (e.g., the color of napkins), pivot them back to the 5-year vision: "Let's make a quick decision here so we can focus our energy on our $100k endowment goal."
Accountability in a volunteer setting is about clarity, not policing. There are three W’s to consider: Who, What, When. At the end of every discussion, you must summarize the "3 W's" to ensure follow-through.
Who is responsible?
- Assign a specific name, not "the committee"
What is the specific task?
- e.g., "Draft the Alumni Group Transition Document"
When is the deadline?
- Set a specific date for the next follow-up
Because your board members are volunteers, their "pay" is the fulfillment they get from the role.
The Personal Invite
- People are more likely to step up when you ask them directly based on their specific skills
Public Praise, Private Correction
- Celebrate wins and Rising Stars during the meeting to build morale.
- If a board member is struggling with deadlines, have a private 1-on-1 to see if they need to move to a "Co-Lead" role to share the load
The Transition Mindset
- Ensure every leader knows they are expected to document their role for the next person.
- This reduces the stress of "doing it all" and promotes sustainability
Once a quarter, dedicate a significant portion of your board meeting to a "Strategic Check-in" rather than standard business.
- Step 1: Review the 1-Year Operational Plan goals (Engagement, Financial, and Operational).
- Step 2: Evaluate current events through the filter of priority goals (Should you Keep, Modify, or Sunset those events).
- Step 3: Report on the 5-Year Vision milestones to ensure Priority Goals are still on track
Use this to close every board meeting with a focus on accountability and legacy:
"To wrap up, let’s recap our 3 W's for this month so we stay on track for our annual goals. Thank you for your time today; by documenting our work and mentoring our 'Rising Stars,' we are ensuring this club thrives long after our terms are over."
External relations and networking
As the President, you serve as the “Chief Ambassador” for your constituency. Your responsibility in external relations is to build a web of support that connects local alumni back to the university while strengthening the "Buckeye" brand in your community.
Your most critical external relationship is with the Ohio State University Alumni Association (OSUAA). You are the primary link between university strategy and execution for your constituency.
Liaise with your Engagement Officer or Society Liaison
- Schedule quarterly check-ins with your REO/Society Liaison to stay informed on university priorities, scholarship deadlines, and available resources
Share Your Success
- Engagement Legacy: Engage at least 50% of alumni/fans/friends in your group’s constituency during the fiscal year
- Operational Legacy: Transitioning from a "working board" where officers do all the tasks to a "governance board" supported by robust committees and documented playbooks
Stay in the Loop
- Regularly attend OSUAA leadership webinars or regional meetings to network with other Presidents and bring best practices back to your board
Networking outside of your group’s constituency creates new pipelines for engagement and fundraising.
Venue Partnerships:
- Develop long-term relationships with local business owners
- Rather than just "renting space," frame the partnership as a way to bring 50+ loyal customers to their establishment during Game Watches or other events
Fellow Clubs and Society Partnerships:
- Connect with different clubs and societies at OSU to partner on events and opportunities to expand your engagement reach
- Talk to your REO/Society Liaison about the possibility of connecting with other departments at Ohio State as potential partners
The "Big Ten" Network:
- Consider joint service or networking events with other Big Ten alumni groups in your area/constituency
- It increases your group’s visibility and strengthens the broader collegiate community
External networking is the engine for your "Financial/Scholarship" goals
Personal Invite to Give
- Just as you recruit leaders, use the personal invite method for potential donors
- Ask constituents at events and as part of registration for events
- Continue to build strong relationships with your constituents so they gain trust in your group and feel the pull to give to the scholarship
- Ensure donations go directly to your fund(s) at the OSU Foundation
- Funds directly donated to the OSU Foundation allow the donor to receive donation and tax credit from Ohio State’s 501(c)(3) and helps with University Fundraising goals
- Connect with your REO/Society Liaison to discuss using donation requests as part of event registration
- Discuss opportunities to work with the OSU Engagement Center to do outreach to donors in your area
- For event sponsorships, reach out to business owners to discuss your 5-year priority goals and share the impact of the group’s scholarship on OSU students
Framing the Ask
- Don’t just ask for money; ask for an investment in a Legacy
- Use your strategic vision to show donors how their contribution helps a local student become a Buckeye
- Share the impact of their giving on social media and share stories and thank yous (when approved) from student awardees
In every external interaction, you are the face of Ohio State.
Professionalism and Buckeye Pride
- Whether meeting a venue manager or a potential Ohio State parent, your conduct reflects on the university
The Mission as Your "Elevator Pitch"
- When asked what the group does, use your mission statement:
- "We enrich firm friendships and advance the university".
- This provides a clear, professional answer that goes beyond "we watch football"
Don’t Network Alone
- Invite a "Rising Star" to join you for meetings with venue partners or donors. This is an excellent way to mentor them in the "External Relations" side of leadership before they take over the role
Follow-up is Key
- After any external meeting, send a handwritten thank-you note. In a digital world, this small "Buckeye touch" builds lasting loyalty with partners
Financial Oversight
While the Treasurer manages the day-to-day bookkeeping, as President, you are the group’s Chief Financial Steward. Your responsibility is to ensure that every dollar spent is an investment in the group's long-term vision and that the board maintains total transparency with its members and donors.
The budget is your strategic plan expressed in numbers. Your role is to ensure that the group’s spending reflects its Priority Goals.
Prioritize the Vision:
- If your 5-year goal is to reach a $100k scholarship endowment, the annual budget should prioritize fundraising over social subsidies
The “ROI” Discussion:
- Facilitate a board discussion on the "Return on Investment" for events.
- Ask: "Are we spending $500 to engage 5 people, or could that money better serve our mission elsewhere?"
Annual Approval:
- Lead a formal budget approval meeting at the start of the fiscal year to ensure the board is unified on spending priorities
As the face of the club, you must ensure the board operates with the highest level of integrity to protect the Buckeye brand.
Monthly Reviews:
- Require a high-level financial report at every board meeting
- You don't need to see every receipt, but you should track "Actual vs. Budget" to ensure the club remains in the black
Dual Oversight:
- For major expenses or scholarship payouts, ensure a "two-signature" or "two-person approval" process is in place
- This protects both the Treasurer and the club from errors or perceived improprieties.
- If your group has achieved a Scarlet or Gray tier, your group is eligible for funds from OSU and for any reimbursement your group requests, OSU requires two separate signatures. Use this process in your own group
You don't have to be a financial expert; you just need to know where to find them.
OSUAA Liaison:
- Use your Regional Engagement Officer/Society Liaison as a resource for understanding university-managed endowment funds and scholarship protocols
Audit and Transition:
- At the end of your term (or the Treasurer’s), ensure a formal "financial handoff" occurs
- This includes transferring bank access and reviewing the year-end Annual Report to ensure all records are current for your successor
Use this during budget reviews to keep the board focused on stewardship:
- “Our budget isn't just a list of costs; it’s a reflection of our values. As we review these numbers, let’s ask ourselves:
- Does this spending move us closer to our 5-year priority goals?”
- Are we being the best possible stewards of the funds our constituents have entrusted to us?”
Presidential Guidance for Success:
- Ask the "Small" Questions: Don't be afraid to ask for clarification on financial reports. If you don't understand a line item, chances are other board members don't either
- Celebrate the Fiscal Wins: When the club hits a fundraising milestone for the scholarship fund, celebrate it as a "Legacy Win" to build momentum for future giving