Chapters must be approved by the AU Office of Alumni Relations. Expectations for chapters can be found in the chapter manual. Each alumni chapter is expected to: 

• Have at least one alumnus/a committed to serve as a Chapter Leader volunteer
• Have at least two named volunteers to help with events and promotion (as a Co-Leader and a Planning Committee member)
• Plan at least two events per year that serve different purposes (i.e. athletic, community service, career/networking, family-friendly, etc.)

Alumni Relations’ staff members are always interested in helping alumni launch new chapters where there are groups of interested Eagles!

Here are a few simple requirements to starting an alumni chapter in your area:

1) Contact Alumni Relations

Contact auchapters@american.edu to discuss your interest in launching a chapter.

2) Complete a Volunteer Application and submit it to auchapters@american.edu.

Click here for a Volunteer Application.

3) Review the Geographic Area

The Office of Alumni Relations will provide you with a predefined list of zip codes in your geographic area. Please review this list carefully, as it will be utilized to invite alumni to events in your area. We are happy to add additional zip codes when appropriate.

4) Reach out to Alumni in Your Area

The best way to see if people in your area are interested in starting an alumni chapter is to reach out to other alumni in the area to gauge their interest in, and commitment to, starting an official alumni chapter. The Office of Alumni relations will send an e-mail to alumni in your region on your behalf.

5) Plan a Meeting

Get other interested alumni in the area to have a brainstorming session. Review the offices (Leader, Co-Leader, Planning Committee) and decide who will assume responsibility for each leadership role. Put together a tentative calendar of feasible events you think alumni would be interested in attending.

6) Submit Your Plan to the Office of Alumni Relations

Once you have created a plan, submit it to auchapters@american.edu in the Office of Alumni Relations.