Running a committee and being a part of one can be a challenging feat. However, it is necessary to execute certain tasks like organizing an election or a show. What works in committees is the teamwork involved, without which the task won’t be completed successfully. Therefore, the contribution of each member, however small, counts towards the proper execution.
It is natural to want to thank all the committee members as the group is being dispersed or as someone decides to leave. In this article, you will find helpful tips to write an effective thank-you letter and a sample thank you letter for serving on a committee.
What is a thank you letter for serving on a committee? When is it required?
A thank-you letter for serving on a committee is a letter you write to your fellow committee members or the president of the committee to express gratitude. Writing this letter makes the recipient feel validated and appreciated for the work they put in, encouraging them to continue their good work. Therefore, it is necessary to check up on a sample thank you letter for serving on a committee before drafting this letter.
Following are occasions when you should check out a sample thank you letter for serving on a committee and work on drafting this document:
- When the committee is about to be dispersed
- When the committee member is resigning
- While the committee is still working and you want to thank someone for a specific incident
- When a new member has joined the team
Tips to write an effective thank-you letter
Writing a letter is a honed skill. Therefore, referring to a sample thank you letter for serving on a committee always helps. What also helps is following certain guidelines when writing a thank-you letter. Therefore, when writing a thank-you letter for serving on a committee, it is always advisable to follow these tips.
Be specific
Specificity is important when you write a thank-you letter because it shows you have been paying attention to the person. Therefore, add details about exactly how they helped you and what you are grateful for. The more specifics you add, the more you impress the person. So, avoid writing lines like, “thank you for being part of the committee- without you, I would have had to find someone else.”
Be genuine
It can be tricky to express your feelings when writing a letter. However, showing your genuine feelings can make your letter more effective. While you should always maintain a formal tone, you should ensure you are not removing the trace of emotions in the letter. A great idea is to include some memories to personalize the letter. For instance, if you have some funny memory together, include it in your letter to make your recipient smile.
Address properly
A thank-you letter to committee members needs the right address. Unless your recipient has allowed you to be on a first-name basis with them, it is always safe to use a formal salutation with the proper titles like Mr, Ms, Mrs, Dr, etc.
Write from scratch
Writing a letter can be nerve-wracking, especially when writing it for the first time. You may want to make a great impression and thus, refer to a sample thank you letter for serving on a committee. However, make sure you don’t copy off the sample. Your recipient can easily pick on plagiarized letters. Therefore, do yourself a favor and write the letter on your own using your words.
Keep it short
You may have been part of a dissertation committee. However, your letter should not be like a dissertation- it should be kept as small as possible to respect your recipient’s time. The ideal length of a thank-you letter is anywhere between 150 words and 200 words; going beyond that is just overkill. A great way to control your word count is by being concise and eliminating unnecessary words.
Keep the conversation going
More often than not you are writing the letter to ensure your relationship with the recipient goes beyond the committee. A well-written letter helps you do exactly that. However, to get there you need to keep the conversation going. A great way to do that is by asking them a question, for feedback on the committee activities, or a follow-up meeting.
Use the right tone
As mentioned before, a thank-you letter should have a formal way of writing- this means avoiding slang and informal words. Aside from the norm of writing a thank-you letter, what also decides the tone is the kind of relationship you share with the recipient. For instance, you can write with a degree of familiarity when writing to someone you share a cordial relationship with.
Proofread the writeup
Finally, your letter must be proofread for spelling and grammatical errors. It is very common to make such mistakes when writing but eliminating them is important for a convincing letter. Therefore, read the letter and have someone else read it multiple times until the write up is error-free.
Sample thank you letter for serving on a committee
1. Thank you letter for serving on a committee
[Recipient name
Address]
Date
Subject: ********
Dear Ms/Mr/Mrs/Dr___________,
Six months have passed so quickly, and I can’t believe the Vega Festival is about to start tomorrow. The fest is yet to start to call it a success, but from what I can see about our preparation, I think the event will turn out wonderfully tomorrow. Your hard work has helped us greatly during the prep work, and I wanted to write this letter to thank you for being an integral part of this committee.
Since Day 1, you have always been so excited to help us out with different tasks we needed to do to get this show on the road. You joined us as a content specialist for the event and went beyond the role and helped us out. To say that you were one of the most reliable members of the committee would not be an overstatement. So, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your presence in the group.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name,
Address]
2. Thank you letter to the committee president
[Recipient name
Address]
Date
Subject: ********
Dear Ms/Mr/Mrs/Dr___________,
Being a leader is not the easiest task in the world. However, you have led the committee greatly in the last six months. I write this letter to express my gratitude for your great leadership and guidance, which has helped me learn much from the experience.
When I joined the Medicine for All committee six months ago, I didn’t have many expectations in terms of the overall experience. Sure, I knew I would learn something new but I never expected to form lifelong friendships and networks. But due to your expert guidance, I was able to get more out of this committee than I collectively got out of other committees I have served over the years.
You would be happy to know I have secured a lucrative job at a Medical Institution and you have played a pivotal role in this development. Without your introduction, I may have never gotten the opportunity. I’m grateful for all that you have done for me and would like to take you out for a meal to celebrate my achievement. Please let me know if that’s something you would be interested in. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name,
Address]
3. Thank you letter to a resigning member
[Recipient name
Address]
Date
Subject: ********
Dear Ms/Mr/Mrs/Dr___________,
I just heard the news of you resigning from the committee, and I wanted to let you know how grateful I am for all that you have done for us. Since the day you joined a few months ago, you brought in a great change in the workings of the committee. Due to your structured approach, we were able to finish some of the toughest tasks of organizing a national-level debate competition.
It is sad to see you leave us before the event is held but I’m also happy to see you work towards achieving your dreams. I’m grateful for all your contribution to the event prep and hope to see you at the event next month. All the best for your future. Keep in touch!
Yours sincerely,
[Your name,
Address]
4. Thank you letter for a dissertation committee member
[Recipient name
Address]
Date
Subject: ********
Dear Ms/Mr/Mrs/Dr___________,
Dissertation seemed like Mt. Everest when we started our committee six months ago. However, you have made it all seem like a cakewalk with your leadership and approach. So, I wanted to take the opportunity to write this letter and thank you for having served the committee with so much dedication.
You have always been there for me whenever I needed to clear some basic-level doubts and always did so without any judgement. You were truly someone I could rely on in the committee, and I am grateful for your presence on the committee. Now that the dissertation is about to be completed, I hope our relationship doesn’t end here, and we can meet up sometime and catch up. Let me know what you think about it. Looking forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name,
Address]
5. Thank you letter to a new member
[Recipient name
Address]
Date
Subject: ********
Dear Ms/Mr/Mrs/Dr___________,
Hope you are well. I am [your name], the president of the Go Women Championship Event Committee. We are yet to introduce ourselves but I wanted to write this letter to thank you for joining us and volunteering to help promote the event.
With this championship, we aim to encourage more women to take up sports without any fear of judgement or discrimination. So, every person who joins us counts towards creating the impact we want to create with the Go Women Championship. I hope the next six months give you the experience you are looking for with us and inspire you to continue your good work.
I would like to establish a great relationship with you as it would allow all of us to work well together. Could you tell me what you expect from this committee? We can continue from there. Once again, thank you for joining our team. I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name,
Address]
6. Thank you letter to a temporary member
[Recipient name
Address]
Date
Subject: ********
Dear Ms/Mr/Mrs/Dr___________,
I can’t believe one month has already passed, and it is time for you to take your leave. Despite being a temporary member, replacing Cody, you have been invaluable to the committee. I would like to take this opportunity to express just how grateful I am for all your work on the committee.
Setting up a music festival during these times we live in is no small feat and requires a lot of coordination and teamwork. You have been pivotal in establishing open communication across the committee, which has increased our efficiency. Since day 1, you have been working hard to solve our communication gaps by setting up meetups and team chilling times.
In just a month, you have become an integral part of the team, and I would like to see you stay. I realize you have prior commitments, but I was wondering if you would just stay as an ancillary member of the committee? We can grab a coffee to discuss the terms if you are interested.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name,
Address]
7. Thank you letter to a committee
[Recipient name
Address]
Date
Subject: ********
Dear Ms/Mr/Mrs/Dr___________,
Being a part of a committee to set up a library in the town is not something I envisioned for myself. So, when I joined six months ago due to my parents and teachers’ suggestion, I didn’t know what to expect. Today, I don’t regret that decision because my experience with this committee has taught me so many things.
From learning to approach investors to negotiate sales, I have upskilled in a lot of ways. I am grateful for all the opportunities that the Highlands Library Committee has offered me. I look forward to keeping being a part of the team and working towards creating a library that the community can benefit from.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name,
Address]
