Alumni Champions — Verbal Style Guide
Purpose
Keep Alumni Champion communications consistent: hospitable, specific, invitational, and action-oriented.
When to use
- emails, landing pages, nudges, notifications
- role descriptions
- community prompts and posts
- volunteer leader communications
Thesis statements
- Alumni Champions are Bruins who foster belonging in the alumni community by offering connection, engagement and support.
- They host events, mentor others, share stories and encourage generosity.
Tone: when inviting prospective Champions
We are:
- Invitational: we speak as hosts, not recruiters.
- Illustrative: we paint vivid pictures of what this looks like in real life.
- Empowering: we emphasize flexibility and agency.
Avoid:
- “We need you”
- “Apply / qualify / earn”
- guilt or urgency manipulation
Prefer:
- “If you’re already doing this, you might be a Champion.”
- “Start small.”
- “Here are a few ways you could show up.”
Tone: when communicating with Champions
We are:
- Invested: we show up for them first.
- Informative: we give specifics and clarity.
- Encouraging: we celebrate small wins and follow-through.
Language pillars (Champions)
- Belonging
- Action
- Accessibility (start small, flexible)
- Celebration (people and everyday wins)
Role shorthand
-
| Community Builder: Belonging |
Hospitality |
-
| Digital Ambassador: Storytelling |
Celebration |
-
| Connection Advisor: Guidance |
Opportunity |
-
| Giving Advocate: Generosity |
Gratitude |
Practical writing rules
- Say the main point first.
- Use short sentences and white space.
- Prefer concrete examples over abstract claims.
- End with a single next step whenever possible.