In this session, you will learn about practical and data-driven strategies that have been proven effective in promoting collaboration and trust-building between event and development professionals, resulting in tangible outcomes. By sharing ideas, information, and perspectives about alumni, you can create a more effective engagement strategy for current and potential donors, providing them with unique, impactful, and donor-centric special events and experiences. Come learn how alumni relations and special events teams can identify major gift prospects for development. Advanced Track

Do scholarship recipients owe donors their stories? Is it the institution’s or the student’s responsibility to steward donors? What is higher education’s role in ethical storytelling? Questions like these, in concert with this important moment in time for our industry—when admissions policies and the cost of education are creating debate and disruption—signal a necessity to evaluate scholarship recognition practices and reconceptualize scholarship celebrations.

In this session, learn how Harvard University audited and reimagined its annual scholarship event to create an experience that put students and donors on equal footing, allowing them to come as their whole selves, while achieving the goals of the organization and its administration. From discovery, to strategy, to execution, to post-event analysis—learn which adjustments worked, which didn’t, and what Harvard learned in its first year of offering this reimagined event. Intermediate Track

Looking for a fresh way to engage and celebrate top level donors? Donor Appreciation events are ever evolving and moving the needle to make these events impactful while celebrating the philanthropy of donors can pose a challenge. Join colleagues from Clemson University's Office of Central Donor Relations as they share how a rebrand of their cumulative giving society recognition program, the 1889 Societies, prompted a brand new multi-day Celebration of Philanthropy donor experience. Walk through the steps taken to plan the elevated donor weekend experience that included an Alumni Holiday Shopping Fair, Cocktail Hour with college deans and administration, full day of ten donor impact track experiences, celebration gala, and football tailgate. Learn about involving campus partners to assist in executing unique donor impact tracks. Walk through strategy to elevate your celebration gala to be more than just dinner, dancing, and drinks. Take away ideas that will help you to plan and execute a donor experience that is engaging on multiple levels and in various modalities so that donors leave feeling not only appreciated but see a true measure of the impact of their gifts. Advanced Track