VMAE has developed resources and tools to help your VMA successfully attract and retain new graduates for your association. The goal is to help recent graduates grow and succeed both personally and professionally. By accomplishing this we believe recent graduates will recognize value in your organizations and seek to become members.
Recent Graduate Tools
Conducting Recent Graduate Focus Groups
Guidelines to conducting recent graduate focus groups, a sample invite letter, and sample meeting summary.
- Recent Graduate Focus Group Guidelines (pdf)
Learn why, how, and where to conduct focus groups and what to do with the information gathered.
- PowerPoint Presentation on Focus Groups
Feel free to use this presentation for your VMA leadership
Resource Guide for Student Interaction
Maintaining Contact & Communication with Students & Recent Graduates
Strategies and recommendations on contact with students and recent graduates.
Includes sample letters for pre and post graduation. (Word doc)
Web Resource Guide for VMA Websites
One of the ideas the Recent Graduate Task Force developed is a Web-based resource for recent graduates. The task force identified five key areas of focus: 1) Communication Strategies; 2) Connections and Networking; 3) Financial Planning; 4) The Job Search; and 5) Transitioning to the Practice.
Each of these areas contains articles and/or links to material that will be helpful to recent graduates during the early stage of their careers. It is by no means all inclusive, but rather a starting point for providing recent graduates with good material. You are welcome to choose any of the material here to use for your website and add other information that you believe will be helpful to the graduates in your area. This certainly is a work in progress.
To add the articles to your website just copy and paste each article onto pages on your own website.
Items in red are either for your information only or personalize it to your website.
Explore ways to Elevate Importance of New Graduate Initiative with Your Boards
Membership development plan focused on recent graduates
Guidelines in this article help associations set objectives for recruitment and retention, focus on strategies, and develop time lines and budgets for implementation.
Other Resources
Michigan VMA Student Programs Presentation (pdf)
Illinois VMA Strategies for Connecting with Veterinary Students
Results from the VMA Recent Graduate Survey (pdf)
Karlene Belyea – Karlene offers various presentations including reading body language, generational differences, finding a life balance to how to influence and lead others, among other topics.
Power of Ten Program – This VMAE signature program helps VMAs to engage and develop recent graduates through the broadest possible adoption of a dynamic and evolving leadership program.