Leadership has many dimensions and can be defined in a range of ways, but what does it mean to be a leader? Many books have been written about how to turn yourself into a leader: stand taller, be more confident, be decisive, be collaborative, talk more, talk less. But at some point, can’t you just be yourself and also be an effective leader? This session will be a dynamic conversation about how you develop your own personal brand of leadership, adapt it to your team and environment, and remain authentic to who you are and your life experiences.

Your institution engages a wide variety of students and alumni, all linked by one common experience. Identifying critical alumni touch points based on life stage can help us better understand the journey and maximize engagement. We will share themes on the student and alumni experiences from different generations; their preferences for communication and engagement; and innovative ways that you can connect with students and alumni from different eras.

Colleges and universities are increasingly reliant upon sustained enrollment growth each year. With demographic and environmental factors wreaking havoc on traditional enrollment models and outcomes, institutions are continually searching for ways to support recruitment efforts that yield more students. Alumni are some of the best ambassadors and should be used throughout the recruitment of prospective students. In the session, you will learn about the importance of strategic partnerships between Alumni Relations and Enrollment Management, how to determine the ROI of investing in recruitment strategies involving alumni and a variety of strategies that have proven successful in enrolling students. No matter the enrollment outlook on your campus, the use of alumni in the recruitment process should be a core strategy.

Dive into small groups with your fellow alumni relations pros to uncover new and efficient ways to reach your goals. We'll be chatting about hot topics like affinity programming, communications, volunteer management, lost alumni and more. Get ready to jump in and share your brilliant ideas, because this session is all about audience participation. Let's make it a fun and productive brainstorming session!

To advance in any field, a basic understanding of budgeting is a critical skill. Demonstrating solid budget management can also help you make the case to increase support for your programs. Whether you will be part of strategic budgeting conversations or responsible for managing a budget, knowledge of funding and the basics of financials, variance sheets, and budget planning will give you a head start to success. Attendees will walk away with resources and tools to make them more proficient and efficient with budgeting.

The questions of why/how/when to incorporate affinity-based alumni programming is one every institution addresses. More importantly in this process are the steps taken to resolve those questions before implementation and execution. In this session, you will be able to address those questions, consider ways to inform your decisions, discuss action plans, and hear examples of lessons learned in the process.

Alumni relations work encourages alumni to engage with their alma mater for a lifetime. By creating meaningful engagement, alumni professionals can drive increased giving and participation rates. In this session, we will explore the role of alumni relations within institutional advancement and its overall impact. Join our discussion to learn how alumni relations professionals can effectively support fundraising and understand the crucial role they play in the giving cycle.

Events are at the heart of alumni engagement, and understanding the “art of gathering”, how to strategically approach events based on your intended outcomes and next steps, and the core elements of successfully planning and executing are critical. This session is designed to provide you with a tactical approach to events, as well as a modern approach to evaluating the outcomes and success of your events.

In today's ever-evolving workplace, it is crucial to develop effective strategies for managing up to your supervisors and navigating your organization's structure. We will explore the art of managing from your seat, providing you with insights and practical techniques to cultivate strong relationships with supervisors and peers while influencing the decision-making process. We will explore how to effectively communicate your ideas, and results to supervisors, ensuring your contributions are acknowledged and appreciated. Additionally, we will delve into techniques for growing your reputation and credibility and positioning you for success in today’s rapidly changing work environment.

As a leadership annual fund or major gift professional, you can become a detective or anthropologist, uncovering clues to your donor's philanthropic interests, motivations and values. And, like a good detective or anthropologist, you have many different tools for gaining the information you need. In this session, we will identify some of the critical skills needed to be a strategic listener and observer and an active participant in relationship building.