A pandemic and a campus shooting would be enough to stop most college programs in their tracks, but students in the health sciences rarely get a moment to rest. With state mandates on the number of clinical and lecture hours, students at the Michigan State University College of Nursing were required to carry on during two traumatic events within the past few years. See how the college community came together to encourage wellness and positivity for its students during some of its most difficult times.

Young alumni engagement is a puzzle that all institutions need to solve, but that's easier said than done. The 10 Under 10 Awards program has proven over the past six years that a simple awards concept can work to engage highly successful emerging leaders within the young alumni community while also creating connection opportunities for Admissions, Career Services, Marketing and Academics to that ultimately elevate the entire institution. Through campus partnerships, we've been able to use the program to not only elevate alumni success stories and engage recipients and their networks, but also create meaningful career networking opportunities for alumni and students alike. We'll spend time reviewing this award program and how it has evolved, provide examples of how it's been used to impact multiple departments, and then challenge attendees to think of ways their own campus could be positively affected by a similar program.

During the COVID pandemic, a group of alumni created a nostalgic environment via Facebook to stay connected to their alma mater. Excitement was apparent, and the CMU Alumni Engagement team worked with a dedicated group of volunteers to produce a fun-filled reunion weekend. We listened to their hopes and dreams, and partnered with the campus and Mt. Pleasant community to implement the three-day long event, all while empowering our volunteers to lead. Our commitment to this dedicated group of volunteers has ultimately led to increased alumni engagement via first-time attendees, donors, and contributed to overall economic growth during a “slow” weekend in Mt. Pleasant. The biggest hit of the weekend was the chance to truly relive their time at CMU and move BACK into the residence halls on campus. This was so successful that our Residence Life department has since opened up a recently retired hall to alumni for special events and occasions to accommodate steadily increasing demand. This new tradition continues to evolve as new ideas for alumni programming converge with growing interest from campus partners.

Getting the attention of donors, alumni and other audiences is essential to meaningful engagement. This includes creating genuine connections to keep audiences engaged. So how to do you maximize these efforts without creating team burn-out?

This presentation will share how the University of Nebraska College of Business team capitalized on key event components to create on-going donor engagement, stewardship opportunities and educate future donors across multiple audiences. Discover more about how you can maximize events and event components to generate new funds, increase existing funds or garner new buy-in while stewarding current relationships and educating future donors. Gain insight about how to strategically capitalize on what you may already be doing to meaningfully impact donors, alumni and other stakeholders.

Reunion celebrations are the culmination of a year's worth of event planning, volunteer engagement, fundraising, and outreach. So why not start the festivities sooner? Join the University of Chicago team to gain insight into additional opportunities for reunion programming and team collaboration to build momentum for Reunion Weekend and class giving. This session will discuss spreading the magic of reunion milestones throughout the year with pre-reunion engagement, collaborating with signature events, and empowering your volunteers to connect the importance of philanthropy with their class milestone to make reunion a success.

This session goes behind the scenes to see how one institution created an alumni recognition program that goes far beyond just recognition and created an intentional pathway for alumni involvement, strategic engagement and philanthropic support. Participants will hear from Advancement staff as well as a recent alumni honoree and a Dean to learn how the positive results of cross campus collaboration pay big dividends down the road.

How do you measure programmatic success? How do you communicate that success with your supervisor, boards, and colleagues? And then how do you use those measurements to make strategic decisions? We will review KPIs for various areas of engagement, including events, volunteer management, board participation, and more, and identify ways you can leverage these metrics to improve the strategic direction of your programmatic mix.

Join us for an engaging conference session that seamlessly combines the essential elements of crafting an annual plan with the power of effective stewardship. In this session, we will dive into the art of developing a robust annual plan while integrating an Engagement Calendar and Stewardship Matrix to ensure long-term sustainability and success. Discover the key elements of stewardship that drive organizational growth and donor satisfaction. Learn from industry experts and real-world examples as we explore successful stewardship practices that have yielded remarkable results. Leave this session armed with the knowledge and tools necessary to revolutionize your approach to annual planning and stewardship, enhancing your organization's impact and donor relationships. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your strategy and secure a prosperous future for your cause.

Do you ever resonate with that meme of the dog sipping coffee amidst chaos, calmly stating, "this is fine"? In our professional spheres where events, initiatives, leadership support, higher education, and fundraising converge, it's not uncommon to feel engulfed in flames, unsure where to begin extinguishing the fires. In the next 60 minutes, we'll delve into this common sentiment, validating its occurrence even among the most seasoned professionals. What may seem like an insurmountable dumpster fire actually presents invaluable opportunities for skill development. Through prioritization, delegation, productivity enhancement, time management, and mindfulness, we can transform crises into catalysts for growth. In navigating crises, we discover not only our resilience but also our capacity for growth. By embracing challenges as learning opportunities and proactively fireproofing our futures, we empower ourselves to thrive amidst chaos. Together, let's harness the flames of adversity to illuminate our path forward.

In a post-#girlboss era, how can alumni relations teams create authentic connection and community for women alumni leaders and increase their likelihood to make a gift? Join staff from UChicago Alumni as we share our successes in breaking down silos between alumni relations and gift officers to launch our first Women’s Leadership Initiative, giving space for alumnae leaders to tell their stories, celebrate their achievements, and mentor young alumnae, all while deepening their connection and engagement with the University. Participants will gain actionable insights on how alumni relations frontliners can be effective and valued partners for gift officers in cultivating their prospects and fostering increased affinity for the institution.