Class Councils & Trustees

Trustees and Class Council members are charged with identifying and programming events to serve the unique needs of their respective classes.  Alumni Association staff advise and support the First-Year, Second-Year and Third-Year Class Councils and Fourth-Year Trustees in selecting Council members, organizing the class gift, and planning events such as Lighting of the Lawn, Dinner Series, and First Year Formal.

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2023–2024 Class Officers

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Apply for Class Councils or Trustees

Applications are available in February of each year.

The Class Councils and Trustees are expected to play a crucial role in the life of their class, specifically focusing on bringing everyone together and creating a lasting affection for the University and the Alumni Association. More specifically, the councils and trustees assist in planning activities for the class, including: social events and dinners, career workshops, wellness programs, and other activities that meet the needs of their class.  Each council will also put on signature events that celebrates different milestones, depending on their class year.  These include the First Year Formal, Second Year Dinner Series, Third Year Ring Ceremony, and Fourth Year Graduation party.  The Fourth Year Trustees are additionally responsible for selecting a Valediction speaker, maintaining class communications surrounding Final Exercises, and executing a class giving program. Council and trustee members are led by the elected president and vice-president of their class, with advisement from the Alumni Association and the Division of Student Affairs.

Members will be selected based on their ability to represent and serve their classmates. Diversity within the general body will be a priority and, as such, previous leadership positions are not as important as the ability and willingness to communicate with different and varied groups of classmates. We will seek to have a diverse representation based on undergraduate school, academic programs, gender, ethnicity/culture, different social communities, and more. In effect, members will be expected to actively represent such groups by relaying relevant information to them, encouraging them to participate in class events, and generally working to involve their individual communities in the greater community.

Eligibility Requirements

Students must fulfill specific requirements to serve as a council member or trustee:

• Be enrolled in one of the undergraduate schools.
• Attend bi-weekly general body meetings during the academic year, in addition to committee meetings which may occur on a weekly basis.
  • Note: Fourth Year Trustees commit to serve for six years total: their fourth year as a trustee, and the five years following graduation as a post-graduate trustee.
• Attend and support all council-planned activities, regardless of the sponsoring committee. It is important to realize that the meetings are not the only time commitments. The majority of the work is done outside of formal meetings in the planning and implementation of events.
• Serve on a committee. (See below for examples, but please note that committees are chosen at the discretion of the officers as they see fit to meet the needs of the class).
  • Academic & Career Development: Responsible for planning the professional activities for the class, including publicizing career services for students and planning events to ease members’ transitions into the career/post-graduate environment.
  • Community Engagement: Responsible for organizing initiatives that provide opportunities to engage in the Charlottesville community, both through community service and philanthropic events.
  • Diversity & Outreach: Responsible for organizing events that celebrate and recognize underrepresented groups on Grounds and for creating initiatives that generate spirit for the University and the class.
  • Social and Entertainment: Responsible for planning and organizing numerous small-scale and large-scale diverse activities to entertain and foster unity among members of the class.
  • Marketing and Communications: Oversees and executes all public relations, advertising, media, and communications directed at the class and the University as a whole.
  • Wellness: Responsible for planning programs and events that promote health and well-being.
  • Class Giving (Fourth Year Trustees only): Responsible for organizing a marketing strategy to motivate a record number of people to participate in the Class Giving Program. Publicize and cultivate support for the Giving Program throughout the Class, and organize events to increase participation. All Trustees are required to solicit donations for the class giving campaign
  • Graduation (Fourth Year Trustees only): Plan and organize the valediction ceremonies and related events. Select the Valediction Speaker. Work with University administration to ensure the Class of 2023 has an adequate voice in graduation concerns.
  • Third-Year Ceremony (Third Year Council only): Plans Third-Year Ceremony, which traditionally has occurred on Family Weekend. Must facilitate the ring scholarship application and selection process, secure a keynote speaker, work with University event planning staff, coordinate with ring company, promote ring sales, and run the day-of event logistics.