COMMITTEES
JOIN OUR COMMITTEES
Being a part of a VOLthon committee is an incredibly rewarding experience! It is one of the most direct ways to impact our cause and see the impact we're making up close. All committees are led by a director and overseen by one of our VPs. Each committee serves a specific function that helps VOLthon run as a cohesive unit. Each committee is crucial to the success of our organization Our committee applications open in the fall once we return to campus, but you can learn more about each committee below!
Participant Relations
Alumni Relations
The Alumni Relations team works to develop relationships between VOLthon and university Alumni. As the Alumni Relations committee, you can expect to build newsletters to keep Alumni up to date, develop engagement and stewardship plans specifically for Alumni, and innovate new and engaging ways to connect this group to VOLthon's mission. Furthermore, the Alumni Relations committee will connect with current VOLthon seniors to easily transition them into alumni status. This individual is recommended to foster networking relationships and events between our current and past members to create a sense of belonging on all levels of the organization. A strong passion for networking and developing relationships will be a plus on this team.
VOL Year One
The VOLthon Year One Leader committees is responsible for leading a team of first year VOLthon members, selected in the fall. VOL Year One is a special program designed to transition first year students into VOLthon and help them determine where they fit best amongst our organization. The expected outcome of this program is for the Year One Leader committees to transition all first year students into different committees within our organization and be their liaison and guide within the organization.
Staff Relations
The Staff Relations committee is tasked with developing the ideal staff experience for VOLthon's staff members. This committee will coordinate events centered around professional development, leadership development, and social and volunteer opportunities for staff. Additionally, this committee will be tasked with collecting staff feedback and reporting it back to the Executive Board so that the staff experience is always improving. This committee will also collect staff shoutouts, and take time to recognize and steward members who are hitting their goals and going above and beyond. It is recommended that you should be passionate about the experience of being on staff for VOLthon, and a year of experience on staff is a plus!
Miracle Maker Relations
The Miracle Maker Relations team is tasked with engaging and stewarding all registered Miracle Makers for VOLthon. As the Miracle Maker Relations committee, you can expect to create and send out emails to newly registered Miracle Makers, personally text individuals during fundraising campaigns, and ensure all necessary information is consistently communicated to Miracle Makers. The Miracle Maker Relations committee should be knowledgeable about the roots of Dance Marathon and VOLthon in order to effectively educate new members of the organization. This individual will serve as the first point of contact for all Miracle Makers and their main responsibility will be to make sure all Miracle Makers feel connected to the organization and our cause. This individual is recommended to have strong communication and networking skills.
Finance
Account Management
The Account Management committee will work to keep all accounting documents updated throughout the year. As the Account Management committee, you can expect to learn to use our fundraising database, Donor Drive, to pull reports, input donations, and keep all of VOLthon's financial spreadsheets up to date. This individual will also be in charge of keeping up with the organization's budget and reporting our progress back to the Executive Board. Additionally, the committee will be in charge of keeping up with all staff dues and staff dues expenses. It is necessary that you should have strong Excel or Google Sheets skills, and a major or experience in finance would be a plus on this team.
Data Tracking & Analysis
The Data Tracking committee will work to analyze and evaluate VOLthon's existing data in order to report out information that will help other committees set goals and work strategically throughout the year. This team is highly collaborative, connecting with nearly every area of VOLthon to ensure each team can make informed decisions when planning. As the committee, you can expect to become an expert at our fundraising database, Donor Drive, to pull reports and analyze data. You will be tasked with developing regular data reports within your specified area that will support other teams throughout the year. This individual should have strong capabilities in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, and they should be comfortable innovating and self starting.
Fundraising
The Fundraising committee is responsible for planning fundraising campaigns throughout the year, as well as developing strategies for engaging individuals and teams in fundraising year-round. This individual can expect to spend time brainstorming new fundraising ideas and initiatives, as well as planning fundraising events, campaigns, incentives, and stewardship plans throughout the year. This individual will collaborate with the Creative Split in order to ensure all aspects of a fundraising campaign are designed and communicated effectively to the public. As the committee, you will work very closely with the Data Tracking committee to forecast weekly tracking goals and fundraising campaign goals throughout the year, and ensure we use data to create long-term growth throughout the year. This committee should be highly driven, creative, and passionate about the cause.
Operations
Mini Marathons
The Mini Marathons team works to establish and develop our high school Dance Marathon feeder programs throughout the Knoxville community. As the Mini Marathon committee, you are responsible for mentoring the leaders of that program and helping them with fundraising, recruitment, and event planning best practices. This committee should be comfortable with working with students as a mentor and assist them in hitting their goals. Furthermore, the Mini Marathons committee should work closely with the Finance Split to ensure all funds raised through the school are accounted for and tracked accordingly. Travelling to all schools will likely be required 2-3 times over the course of the year - other meetings with the school can be held via phone or Zoom if needed!
Entertainment
The Entertainment team is responsible for coordinating entertainment acts and activities at events throughout the year, with a specific focus on entertainment for the main event in February. The Entertainment committee can expect to develop a vision for entertainment at events, as well as to spend time connecting with potential entertainers and coordinating performances. As a member of this team, you should be comfortable reaching out to potential entertainers via phone, email, and in person. This committee must work collaboratively with the entirety of the Operations split as well as the Finance split to ensure all hours of Main Event are engaging. Customer service experience is a plus, as is creativity and innovation.
Facilities
The Facilities team is responsible for coordinating event logistics, with a specific focus on the main event in February. As the Facilities committee, you can expect to work with various committees within VOLthon to coordinate room bookings and reservations, permits, and policies on campus. Team members can also expect to coordinate logistics such as parking, load in and load out, event layouts, sound and lighting, setup procedures, and staffing assignments for events throughout the year. As a member of this team, you should be highly organized, with a willingness to learn about campus policies and permits. Event planning experience is not required, but is a plus!
Morale
The Morale team is tasked with planning the majority of the games and activities at the main event, including the line dance, theme hours, color wars, and various other activities. As the Morale committee, you can expect to spend time brainstorming theme hours, games to engage miracle makers, planning the line dance, and developing innovative new ways to make the main event better than before. The Morale committee should work collaboratively with the Finance Split to ensure there are fundraising times scheduled out throughout the 12 hours. This individual will also be tasked with Emceeing (hosting) Main Event and shouldn’t be afraid of public speaking. They will be expected to think on their toes and keep all Main Event attendees engaged. These individuals are typically outgoing, social, and are strong leaders. No event planning or dance experience is required in any way.
Community Outreach
Family Relations
The Family Relations committee is responsible for developing relationships and working with our Miracle families. This individual will oversee the partnerships and interaction of their committee members and their assigned Miracle Family with whom they will connect with throughout the year. Additionally, you will help plan events and opportunities for Miracle Families to interact with VOLthon members and Miracle Makers. You will work as a liaison between the organization and our Miracle Families to foster relationships and create a cause connection between the two groups. As the Family Relations committee, you should have a passion for working with kids.
Partnerships
The Partnerships committee will work to develop partnerships with local businesses in order to gain monetary donations, in-kind gifts (items), and food donations for our events. As the Partnership committee, you will find yourself overseeing all partnership plans including but not limited to applying to online grants, calling or visiting local businesses to secure donations, and working to develop stewardship plans for our existing partners. It is up to this committee to assist their committee in developing partnership pitch plans and materials based off of the business that is being targeted. Additionally, you will work with the Recruitment committee and Fundraising committee to plan and provide incentives for recruitment and fundraising pushes. A strong passion for developing relationships, sales, and self starting will be a plus on this team.
Recruitment
The Recruitment committee is tasked with creating and sending out recruitment emails, presenting in classes and meetings about VOLthon, planning recruitment pushes, and developing new and innovative ways to recruit Miracle Makers. It is recommended this individual has strong public speaking skills and is an engaging communicator that has a strong knowledge of VOLthon as an organization. The Recruitment committee will be in charge of onboarding new organizations as teams and ensuring all corners of campus know what VOLthon is. Note that this individual will work closely with the Miracle Maker Relations committee in the Participant Relations Split to ensure all newly registered Miracle Makers are properly introduced and communicated to about VOLthon.
Special Events
The Special Events committee is responsible for planning and coordinating events throughout the year that will raise money and awareness for the organization. These events include but are not limited to percentage nights, joint events with other student organizations, virtual events and VOLthon specific events. This committee will be tasked with brainstorming new events, planning event logistics, coordinating with other committees within VOLthon, and assisting with setup, execution, and tear down for events. You will be asked to coordinate with the Entertainment committee in the Operations Split to plan entertainment acts for these events throughout the year. This individual should be well organized, innovative, and comfortable reaching out to and meeting with businesses. Experience in event planning is a plus, but not required. Please note that this committee does not lead planning for the main event in February, though they may assist with various aspects of the event.
Marketing
Digital Marketing
The Marketing team is responsible for managing all of VOLthon’s social media accounts, including but not limited to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn. This individual will be in charge of creating all social media timelines and adhering to the specific needs of the organization whether it be a fundraising campaign or awareness push. Additionally, they are responsible for all written communications produced by VOLthon, including the VOLthon website, blog, press releases, and newsletters. This person will be in charge of creating awareness for the organization virtually and through written materials to our campus and all outside community partners. It is essential that this individual collaborates constantly with the Social Media Creative committee to ensure all social media timeline materials are created when needed. As the Marketing committee, you will gain experience managing social media accounts and working with brand standards for VOLthon, East Tennessee Children's Hospital, and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
Merchandise Creative
The Merchandise Creative team works to develop all of our Merchandise designs throughout the year, including but not limited to apparel, buttons, and specialty items. As the Merchandise Creative committee, you will be tasked with creating designs throughout the year that adhere to VOLthon's brand standards. As a designer, you will design on computer softwares such as Illustrator, Procreate, and/or Canva. You will also get to work strategically with the Merchandise committee located under the Finance split to ensure profits are made. You will have the opportunity to develop many materials for your creative portfolio, and work with the brands of companies including East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, the University of Tennessee, and our corporate partners.
Photography and Videography
The Photography and Videography team is responsible for collecting and editing all VOLthon media throughout the year, as well as producing and editing photos and videos to be utilized for various campaigns throughout the year. As the Photography & Videography committee, you should expect to spend time taking and editing photos/videos at events throughout the year. Additionally, basic video editing and photo editing skills are recommended through software such as Lightroom and Davinci Resolve. You can expect to develop work for their portfolio and will have the opportunity to work with major brands, including Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, East Tennessee Children's Hospital, the University of Tennessee, and our corporate partners.
Social Media Creative
The Social Media Creative team works to develop all of our creative materials that will be printed and posted on our social media throughout the year, including but not limited to graphics, flyers, partnership materials, and impact reports. As the Social Media Creative committee, you will be tasked with creating designs throughout the year that adhere to VOLthon's brand standards, work to capture the attention of our audience and collaborate with all splits of VOLthon to ensure information is conveyed effectively to the public. You will develop many materials for your creative portfolio, and will have the opportunity to work with the brands of companies including East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, the University of Tennessee, and our corporate partners. We recommend that this individual ideally have experience working with Adobe Creative Suite, though design experience in other programs is welcomed as well.