For the past 11 years, Kate McDowell has been teaching storytelling in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois where she's led workshops to show how storytelling can help fundraising professionals connect with alumni and promote their institution. The more we ask alumni, donors, students, staff, and faculty about their experiences and passions, McDowell writes in the September/October issue of Currents, the more stories we will find that carry on connections to our institutions.

Start with listening. Ask:

• What does this person have to tell you?
• What do their stories mean for how they might connect with your institution?
• What can you ask to learn more?

Uncover stories of nostalgia. Knowing what was meaningful to an alumnus opens the door for you to tell stories about campus projects, places, or programs that connect to those positive experiences and might create a mutually rewarding story of giving.

Ask:

• Where did you spend your time on campus?
• How did you met your friends at college?
• What was your favorite course or who was your favorite professor?
• What was your most memorable semester?
• How do you remember your college years?

Uncover stories of future impact, which usually take place after the small talk, when it's time to find out more about supporting the institution. Questions should be broad enough to leave room for any relevant stories or speculations.

Ask:

• How would you want to make an impact at the university today?
• What kinds of student scholarships would you be interested in supporting?
• How would you want to support this program's growth?
• What impact do you want your dollars to have on this campus?

Share staple stories, which tell about an institution's origins, growth, or moments of success.

Types:

• Origin
• Major growth
• Mission-accomplished moments

But you also want to keep your storytelling fresh with surprise stories.

Types:

• Transformations
• Behind the scenes
• Unsung heroes

When advancement professionals are listening deeply, collecting and connecting, and asking questions that let fresh stories emerge, the impact may go beyond what we can tell. Read more in "Tell Me a Story" in the September/October issue of Currents.

This article is from the September 2018 BriefCASE issue.