Discover Texas State University's innovative strategic corporate engagement program, a pivotal step towards the coveted R1 status. Join us as we unveil a groundbreaking initiative that unites internal university stakeholders, aligning them with a singular vision and igniting powerful industry relationships. In partnership with UNITE Corporate Engagement, we'll delve into how this program opens doors to enhanced career services for students, support for academic excellence, expanded industry-sponsored research, and a boost for university-wide initiatives. Get ready to explore the future of corporate collaboration at Texas State University.

Embarking on a leadership role in advancement can be both exhilarating and challenging. While many of us began our advancement careers as specialists, (making in-person asks for big gifts, mastering back-office processes, creating marketing materials, etc.), sooner or later, we find ourselves managing teams. While we may be experts at “making the ask” or “mapping appeal code structures,” oftentimes new managers can find ourselves at a loss when required to give effective performance reviews or coach up a new team member. This session is tailored for advancement professionals who have recently taken the step from being practitioners to managing teams. You will hear from three of your colleagues who have made this leap and are now successful industry leaders. Madison, Karl, and Adrian will introduce you to the dynamic world of advancement teams, providing essential insights, strategies, and tools to help you become a more successful team manager and leader.

You’ve heard about A.I., but have you heard about S.I.? Strategic Initiatives (S.I.) is an emerging niche in higher education advancement that is changing the field. The term "strategic initiatives" is not new, of course, but as one advancement leader recently said, "Everyone wants S.I., very few have it, and even fewer are doing it well." Participants in this round table session will: (1) learn about S.I. in higher education fundraising, (2) identify different S.I. models, and (3) discuss the opportunities and barriers of integrating one or more S.I. roles, transformational support for large-scale institutional priorities, and interdisciplinary research initiatives at their institution.

Our students are the future alumni and donors of our institutions; cultivating them and creating a culture of philanthropy is vital to the long-term success of our fundraising efforts. Learn how the Oklahoma State University Foundation Annual Giving Team adjusted student fundraising and engagement strategies following COVID. We will discuss best practices in Student Foundations, crowdfunding, stewardship, and talent acquisition. This session will cover ways to right size or start from scratch for all things student fundraising and engagement!

In this highly competitive talent market, what components of the interview process and resulting offer attract new team members? What keeps high performers with your team? And, what are the distinctive differences in strategy between attracting the best professionals and retaining them? Join this panel of leaders known for building healthy, high-performing teams as they share creative ideas, challenges, and insights in talent acquisition and retention. Come for strategies, ideas, discussion and debate with this panel of CASE IV advancement leaders.

To fully flex your fundraising muscle you need buy-in from both the annual giving and advancement services sides of the house. How do you achieve the alignment necessary to drive meaningful results? The devil is in the data. GiveCampus analyzed aggregate data from 4,532 campaigns and 4,973 giving forms to identify what’s moving the proverbial needle in fundraising and what’s not. Find out from fellow higher education fundraisers how they’re leveraging that data to drive decisions at key stages of the philanthropic lifecycle, and how they got everybody—including advancement services—to back their biggest bets.