The Enrollment Cliff. Rising costs. Soaring student debt. High-paying jobs that don’t require a degree. Political inference. Declining public trust and value perception. It’s easy to list the many challenges facing higher education, but what role do we as advancement professionals play in overcoming them? Join us to hear about and share examples of how advancement teams have leveraged their alumni, donors, communication platforms, and philanthropic resources to help their institutions meet today’s challenges head-on.

Colleges know that building partnerships with employers is important for student success, as well as for our institutions, but what does it mean and why do some partnerships flourish while others fail or stagnate? Join this interactive session and discover how to chart a course with business and industry partners that will lead to new and strong programs, major gifts and lifelong friendships.

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.

Has your phonathon or telefund program lost momentum over the last decade? Are you alienating more of your constituents rather than engaging with them? If so, you do not have to hang it up. In this session, learn how Kent State University took their struggling phonathon program and transformed it into a multichannel engagement center that will have long term, positive impacts on Kent State’s pipeline health.