The University of California Merced graduated its inaugural class of undergraduates in 2009. As the newest campus within the UC system, the average age of UC Merced alumni is only 28 years old. By establishing a special “Alumni Scholarship Endowment” giving program, the university has been able to transition its young alumni from supporters and advocates to major gift donors. This giving program also includes a special “signing ceremony” event that not only deepens their commitment to their alma mater, but promotes giving and demonstrates impact to their colleagues, family, and friends. Join this session to learn more about generational giving, how UC Merced engages its young alumni population, and secures transformative gifts.

Celebrating major gifts with a press release is common practice for universities. Using the press release to secure earned media coverage and support donor stewardship can be rewarding and also can pose challenges for the institution and the donor. Learn what works, what doesn't, and how and when to involve comms teams to help make the most of the gift announcement.

We all know that being aligned around a common goal and working in unison is how you achieve success but what does it look like in a complex university environment undergoing a campaign? In this session, we will explore how the University of San Diego structured its advancement staffing, aligned each department within Advancement around campaign goals and processes, built custom strategies for specific schools and projects within the comprehensive campaign, established a campaign budget, and more. Lessons learned and pitfalls to avoid will also be shared.

Explore the exciting resurgence of Parent Engagement on college campuses. Discover the art of providing tailored engagement opportunities for parents and families while effectively showcasing the wealth of resources your institution has to offer. You'll learn the strategic steps to cultivate these partnerships, harnessing their power to engage your parental audience and benefit your campus partners. We'll also dive into how to create boundaries for parent engagement and best practices for online involvement with parent advocates.

Are you curious about emerging leadership trends? Do you want to create a thriving team culture? During this session we will explore key leadership trends and share how they can be leveraged to create an inclusive and prosperous team environment. We will engage in conversations about proactively navigating our ever-changing work landscape. The panelists will share their diverse experience creating a thriving culture that fosters professional growth. This session is designed for the informal and formal leader who wants to be an intentional and effective player-coach.