CASE Europe 2012 Award Winners

• Download the 2012 CASE Europe Awards and Scholarships Brochure for more information on the programme of awards and 2012 winners.

CASE Europe would like to commend the following recipients of its awards programme for 2012:

Winner: Becki McKinlay, Annual Giving Manager, University of Reading

Judges comments:

The judges commended Becki's pioneering approach to enhancing the university's annual giving programme. She was particularly commended for increasing the fulfilment of telephone campaigns by 20%, which contributed to a 100% increase in the funds generated by the Annual fund. Becki has also been key to bringing new donors in to the annual fund, with a 50% increase during her time at Reading. Under Becki's leadership an incredible 40% of donors spoken to during phone campaigns make a pledge. Becki also led the university's first ever staff giving campaign, launched in 2009. Her line manager provided a compelling testimonial for Becki's success, including a very supportive letter from an influential member of the university council, and donor.

CASE Europe Distinguished Service Award

Winner: Sue Cunningham, Vice-Principal (Advancement), University of Melbourne

Judges comments:

Sue's leadership among the higher education fundraising community is exemplary. She worked at a number of cultural and higher education institutions, including the University of St Andrew's, before moving to Christ Church College Oxford, and then to the central University. Leading a team in a complex working environment, Sue's expertise in securing major gifts and maintaining engaging relationships with a range of donors has been significant. The launch of the Oxford Thinking fundraising campaign, with its ambitious goal of raising over £1.25bn, now fulfilled, has been influential across the sector.
Sue's personal contribution to her peers, particularly those in the fundraising community, has also helped raise standards. Her service to her profession and education has touched many people in institutions across Europe, and now Asia Pacific. Sue was a faculty member and chair of the CASE Europe Spring Institute in Educational Fundraising, teaching and sharing her knowledge and expertise with many emerging fundraisers. She is now playing a similar role for CASE Asia Pacific and chairs the sister institute in educational fundraising at Mount Eliza, Melbourne.

CASE Europe Leadership Award

Winner: Major General Xavier Michel, Former President, Ecole Polytechnique

Judges comments:

When Xavier took over his position, the Polytechnique had never been involved in an alumni fundraising campaign. To diversify financial resources, Xavier set up a professional alumni fundraising team. He then had to convince to entire community, including professors, researchers and board members of the legitimacy of the project.

His power of conviction and energy won through. Today, 90% of the fundraising campaign's goal (35m Euros) has been reached. Xavier has travelled in France and abroad to meet alumni for this purpose and advocated fundraising amongst his peers, making him a champion of fundraising at every level.

CASE Europe Schools Engagement Award

Winner: Simon Lerwill, Development Director, King Edward's School, Birmingham

Judges comments:

Simon established the school's development office in 2009, more or less from scratch. The school had nothing in place to raise funds and had lost touch with over 75% of its alumni. In the last three years Simon has led his small team to raise over £4.5m for the school, including £2m to increase the number of bursaries on offer to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. He established The King Edward's School Birmingham Trust to ensure that there is a single vehicle for the purpose of alumni giving. The Headmaster of King Edwards, John Claughton, sees Simon's work as the single most significant development in the school's recent history and that it will have a lasting effect on the future life of the school.

CASE Europe Matched Funding Volunteer Award

Winner: Nicholas Bull, Alumnus and Volunteer, University of Exeter

Judges comments:

Nicholas chairs the Fundraising Campaign Board for Exeter's campaign 'Creating a World-Class University Together'. This was the first major campaign, and under Nicholas' leadership the office went on to exceed its fundraising and volunteering targets - one year early. Raising over £25.5m, the campaign also inspired over 1,000 volunteers and 5,000 donors.

Contributing over 440 volunteering hours himself over the life of the campaign, Nicholas helped the University cultivate major gifts.

Nicholas also developed the 'Triple Match Challenge' as part of the HEFCE Matched Funding Scheme for Voluntary Giving, ensuring that Exeter received its full £2.75m allocation from HEFCE, and brought in over £2m for a key infrastructure investment for Exeter's Business School.