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Expert Breakfasts

The Expert Breakfast programme is one of the things that makes this College unique. By meeting interesting University lecturers or people from the wider community, Members can broaden their minds and learn new things.

The following list should help you:

  • At the start of the year College Leaders should get together and form a list of people you would like to invite. The Expert Breakfasts Co-ordinator will initiate this. Try to get people from a range of departments and professions. Try to not use those who attended an Expert Breakfast the year before. Be audacious. Invite people that inspire you even if you think there is little chance of them coming. You will never know until you try.
  • Once you have the list, start inviting. A template email invitation is in Appendix 14 for you to use (amend where necessary).
  • See the College calendar on the website for the dates when the Breakfasts occur. Do not leave the invitation too late; try and work about four weeks in advance. When the person has accepted your invitation, ask for their mobile number “in case anything changes”. It’s handy to have their number in case they don’t arrive on the day and you need to contact them.
  • On the Friday before you will need to have written up a brief blurb about the person and printed a sign-up poster (template available in [Appendix 15][appendices/expert-breakfast-poster.md]. At Friday dinner, you should announce the person coming, then put the sign-up poster on the noticeboard. It is difficult to encourage students to get up at 7:30 am, so make sure you really sell it. You should check this list before dinner over the coming nights. If it is not full, you will need to make another announcement.
  • Email the College Librarian, John Cross (crossjohn7@gmail.com) to let him know that your are arranging the Expert Breakfast and who your invited guest is going to be.
  • On Tuesday morning you should send a confirmation email to your guest ostensibly to double-check that they are still able to make it, but really it serves as a reminder. It is very important to do this! Also, mention to them that they are welcome to use one of our car parks at the top of the drive should they require one and not to park in front of the College on Leith Street as they will get towed (this has happened before).
  • On Tuesday you should also remind the kitchen that the Atrium should be set up for breakfast.
  • On Tuesday evening after dinner check the sign-up poster. If it isn’t full, then put the sheet on the TV in the foyer and ask the College Leader on duty to ask people to sign up.
  • Early on Wednesday morning you should check that the Atrium has been set up, make sure you have a gift (ask the Gift Co-ordinator to get one for you), nicely wrapped, ready to give to your guest, then be in the foyer by 7:20 am ready for your guest to arrive.
  • Once your guest has finished their breakfast (students can continue eating during the conversation so do not wait for them) you should introduce the guest, then ask the students to introduce themselves with the standard “I’m [name], from [town], studying [subject].”
  • At 8:30 am sharp you should finish the conversation, thank the guest, and give them the gift as a token of appreciation.
  • Later that day you should write a follow-up email thanking the guest for their time and inspirational thoughts. This is very important. The Expert Breakfasts Co-ordinator will provide you with a template thank you email.