While women hold the majority of professional staff roles in higher education advancement, their voices are largely absent from the literature describing talent management practices and individual career journeys of professionals in the field. This presentation will describe the findings of a research study that explored the lived experiences of women in fundraising and alumni engagement roles. By centering women’s stories, this research highlights the relationship between gender and advancement work, the factors influencing job-related decisions, and challenges to gender equality in the field. Following a discussion of this study’s findings, participants will have the opportunity to engage in a dialogue about actionable strategies to create a more inclusive and supportive work environment in the field.

Mentorship programming is one of the most sought-after and rewarding volunteer opportunities an alma mater can offer to its alumni. The problem, though, is that it is also an initiative that takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, and resources to run successfully, all while balancing your other duties. However, with proper coordination and open communication (a LOT of communication), it is possible to do it at scale, regardless of the size of your shop. You just have to get everyone on campus involved. Easy, right? Hear how Saint Francis University’s Offices of Alumni Engagement and Career Services partnered together to bring Mentorship Week to campus and expanded its yearly Homecoming tradition. Learn how to pool resources with your colleagues, leverage your relationships to get buy-in from faculty and staff, and implement the timeline and logistics necessary to create your own marquee mentorship program that benefits everyone: current students, alumni, fundraisers, student enrollment, specialized student services, and more.

Can a company’s DEI goals move past checking a box and lead to more meaningful partnerships with diversity programs at your institution? These programs can have an immeasurable impact on students when donors and partners are truly invested in taking these initiatives to the next level. This session will show you how to highlight the powerful work of student diversity programs during important conversations with corporate donors and help them invest in student success beyond their dollars. Additionally, the session will cover strategies for using these initiatives as a starting point for meaningful engagement with individual alumni. Learn about organizations that went beyond the checkbox and discover how to engage diverse alumni both philanthropically and through purposeful volunteer opportunities.

Identify with clear examples and donor success stories, how Princeton Universities has leveraged several initiatives within their current campaign to maximize the philanthropic intent with a focus on identifying future leaders. Of them, giving societies, innovative gift opportunities, targeted volunteer engagement opportunities, and leveraging the influence and expertise of alumni leaders and University professionals.

Talking about money is hard enough. What happens when you add death and religion to the mix? Although, 100% of donors are mortal, fundraisers struggle with legacy giving conversations. Three experienced fundraisers – a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim – explain death and legacy giving in their traditions. Often left out in legacy giving conversations is religiously active donors who - statistics show – give larger charitable gifts compared to other donors. Bekkers, René and Theo Schuyt (2008) and Brown, E. and J. Ferris. (2007) show that people with strong religious convictions often have stronger pro-social and altruistic values, which motivate them to give more of their time and money to others. Also, because they are integrated into networks of congregational members, they would appear to be solicited more often and to feel more social pressure to give and to meet the group's standards.