Get Involved

Membership is free, there is nothing to sign, and YBAA welcomes alumni from across Yale University who support our mission. If you are a Black alum of Yale College or of Yale’s graduate and professional schools, you are already a member.

Every level of engagement is welcome, including simply reading the newsletter. We encourage every member to help shape what YBAA becomes, in person or virtually, through whichever channels suit them.

More than 1,000 members are spread across 40+ channels organized by city, school, profession, and interest. You can join the community directly.

YBAA is an official Shared Interest Group of the Yale Alumni Association. The YAA advises us on organizational development and long-range planning, helps carry communication between alumni and YBAA, and has partnered with us in coordinating programming.

The Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale, known as The House, is a separate organization and the on-campus cultural home for Black students. We collaborate with The House on ways for alumni to support current students.

Yes. YBAA is an independent 501(c)(3) run entirely by alumni volunteers. Nobody on the board or its committees is paid.

Chapter events, the newsletter, social channels, website content, student mentoring, Yale Day of Service, and fundraising. Some of it is ongoing and some is a single afternoon.

If none of that is quite right, fill out the form and tell us what you enjoy doing. Most volunteers find their way in through a chapter first.

Five: Membership & Chapter Development, Communications, Finance & Fundraising, Programming, and Nominating & Governance. Each is chaired by a member of the board, and every chair is named on the Leadership page.

Committees meet once or twice a month, plus whatever you take on between meetings. Helping at a chapter event can be a single afternoon with no ongoing commitment.

No. Most of the work happens through chapters and committees and needs no title. Board service is one way to contribute, not the way in.

Start by coming to an event and meeting the leads for your city, who are listed on the Chapters page. They can tell you what their chapter needs.

If your city has no chapter yet, fill out the form above or email ybaa@aya.yale.edu.

Seats open once a year. When nominations open, you can nominate yourself, or another alum can nominate you. A nomination is a current resume plus a statement of interest of 500 words or fewer covering the areas you would want to work on. Send it to ybaa@aya.yale.edu.

The Nominating & Governance Committee reviews every nomination and follows up with selected candidates for conversations and interviews.

Alumni of Yale College and of the graduate and professional schools, across all class years, all regions, and any professional background. There is no expectation of prior board experience.

The full board meets twice a month by video. Every director serves on at least one committee, which meets once or twice a month. Expect three to four hours a month in meetings, plus the work you take on between them.

This is a working board rather than an advisory one, so directors are expected to carry projects and not only attend.

Three years, and no director may serve more than two consecutive terms.

Neither. Board service is unpaid, and directors cover their own costs.