alumni_lookup

Champion Portal — AI Context: Language and Glossary

AI Context Bundle File 5 of 7
Purpose: Definitive guide to terminology, tone, and vocabulary
Authority: All user-facing copy MUST follow these standards
Last Updated: January 2026

Core Thesis

Alumni Champions are Bruins who foster belonging in the alumni community by offering connection, engagement, and support.

Official Terminology (Use Precisely)

Term	Definition	Usage
Champion	A verified member of the Alumni Champions community	“Welcome, Champion!”
Bruin	Any Belmont alum (informal, friendly)	“Connect with fellow Bruins”
Alumni Champions	The program/community name (NOT “Alumni Champion Program”)	“Join Alumni Champions”
Champion Portal	The website/platform at alumnichampions.com	“Sign in to the Champion Portal”
District	A metropolitan area (Nashville, Atlanta, Dallas)	User-facing community unit
Region	Multi-state area (Southeast, Midwest)	Internal only, NOT user-facing
Community	Any grouping of Champions (district, college, major, affinity, industry)	“Your Nashville community”
Community Leader (CL)	A Champion who coordinates their community	Singular
Community Leadership Council (CLC)	The collective body of all CLs	Plural/group reference

ID Terminology (Internal)

Term	Meaning	Format
BUID	Belmont University ID	Internal primary key
BQID / Contact ID	BruinQuest (CRM) identifier	`C-000000000`
Alumni	Singular AND plural	NEVER “alumnus” or “alumnis”

Tone Guidelines

Voice Characteristics

We Are	We Are NOT
Warm	Sterile
Inviting	Recruiting
Personal	Corporate
Celebrating	Pressuring
Hospitable	Transactional
Encouraging	Demanding

By Context

Context	Tone	Example
Success messages	Celebratory! 🎉	“You did it!”, “Welcome!”
Error messages	Helpful, not blaming	“Let’s try that again”
Empty states	Encouraging, action-oriented	“No messages yet—start a conversation!”
Onboarding	Friendly guide	“Let’s get you set up”
Confirmations	Warm and clear	“Got it!”, “You’re all set”

Preferred Phrasing

Word Substitutions

❌ Avoid	✅ Use Instead
prospective students	fellow Bruins, alumni
users	Champions, you
submit	share, send
request	reach out, ask
network (verb)	connect
utilize	use
facilitate	help, make possible
leverage	use, build on

Warm Alternatives

❌ Cold/Corporate	✅ Warm/Human
“User authenticated successfully”	“Welcome back, Jane!”
“Profile incomplete”	“Almost there!”
“No results found”	“We couldn’t find anyone matching that search”
“Error: Invalid input”	“That doesn’t look quite right—mind trying again?”
“Action required”	“One quick thing before we continue”
“Processing”	“Working on it…”
“Contact support”	“We’re here to help”

Button Labels

❌ Avoid	✅ Use Instead
Submit	Share / Send / Save
Cancel	Never mind / Go back
Delete	Remove
Contact	Say Hello / Reach Out
View Profile	See Profile
Learn More	Find Out More

Empty States

Empty states should encourage action, not shame users:

❌ Bad	✅ Good
“No messages.”	“Your inbox is empty—start a conversation!”
“No Champions found.”	“No Champions in Portland yet—could you be the first?”
“No events.”	“No events scheduled. Want to host one?”
“Profile incomplete.”	“Add a photo to help others recognize you”

Error Messages

Error messages should be helpful and human:

❌ Bad	✅ Good
“Invalid email format”	“That email doesn’t look quite right”
“Error 500”	“Something went wrong on our end. Try again?”
“Session expired”	“You’ve been signed out. Sign back in to continue”
“Validation failed”	“We couldn’t save that—check the highlighted fields”

Messaging Pillars

When writing copy, align with one of these pillars:

Belonging

At its core, Alumni Champions is about giving every Bruin a seat at the table.

Use when: Welcoming new Champions, describing the community, empty states

Action

Small, concrete steps have the power to ripple outward and create real change.

Use when: Calls to action, encouraging engagement, celebrating contributions

Accessibility

Alumni Champions is designed to meet alumni where they are.

Use when: Describing roles, explaining flexibility, reducing pressure

Celebration

Everyday wins deserve celebration just as much as headline moments.

Use when: Recognizing contributions, sharing stories, thank you messages

Role-Specific Language

Community Builder

“You bring Bruins together and create spaces of belonging.”
“Host a meetup, welcome new grads, plan a gathering.”
“You help alumni feel at home, wherever they are.”

Connection Advisor

“You open doors and make introductions.”
“You help Bruins grow by connecting people and resources.”
“Share job leads, offer career advice, make connections.”

Digital Ambassador

“You amplify stories and keep the community visible.”
“Spotlight alumni wins, post throwbacks, share events.”
“You make sure Bruins are seen and celebrated online.”

Giving Advocate

“You inspire generosity and make giving back accessible.”
“Share impact stories, invite others to give, celebrate donors.”
“You help others see how they can make a difference.”

Words to NEVER Use

Word/Phrase	Why	Alternative
“prospective students”	Wrong audience	“fellow Bruins,” “alumni”
“users”	Impersonal	“Champions,” “you”
“utilize”	Corporate jargon	“use”
“leverage”	Corporate jargon	“use,” “build on”
“synergy”	Meaningless buzzword	Be specific
“stakeholders”	Internal term	“community,” “Champions”
“deliverables”	Internal term	Be specific
“action items”	Internal term	“next steps,” “to-dos”

Writing Rules

Do ✅

Use active voice: “We’re hosting” not “A meetup will be hosted”
Favor stories over statistics
End with a call to action
Celebrate, don’t pressure
Proofread for tone—does it sound like a friend?
Keep it brief
Be specific: “Tuesday at 6pm” not “soon”

Don’t ❌

Use ALL CAPS for emphasis (use bold)
Pile on exclamation points!!!
Use passive-aggressive language (“As previously stated…”)
Assume knowledge (“As you know…”)
Create urgency artificially (“Act now!”)

The 5 Questions Test

Before publishing any copy, ask:

Would I say this to a friend? (Warmth check)
Does it sound like Belmont? (Brand check)
Is there a clearer way to say this? (Clarity check)
Does it empower or pressure? (Tone check)
Is there a call to action? (Action check)

One-Line Summary

“We’re hosts welcoming you home, not salespeople closing a deal.”

Source Documentation

LANGUAGE_STYLE_GUIDE.md — Full style guide
DESIGN-GUIDELINES.md — Visual standards with warmth principles