Bringing Your Best Self to Work: Strategies for Newcomers in Advancement

Geared towards early-career advancement professionals, this pre-conference session promises a vibrant session filled with rich content, collaborative ventures, and interactive problem-solving. The format includes a plenary presentation, small group discussions led by experienced mentors, and peer-led lunch discussions for networking and knowledge-sharing. Participants will delve into crucial CASE competencies such as relationship building and leadership, as well as explore the emotional intelligence essential for thriving in the workplace. Attendees will walk away with valuable skills to successfully navigate the early phases of their careers.

 

Target Audience

• Professionals within their first three years of a career in education advancement, within their first two years working in their specific functional area of advancement, attending one of their first three CASE conferences, and/or attending one of their first three District VII or District VIII conferences
  
   

Goals and Intentions

• Content-rich and informative
• Inspiring with collaborative opportunities to participate
• Engaging with interactive idea-sharing and problem solving
• Provocative by proposing different ways of thinking
  
   

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this pre-conference workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Model the key CASE competencies of relationship building, integrity and professionalism, and leadership.
2. Understand the emotional intelligence required to interact with peers and succeed in the workplace.
3. Leverage internal and external partnerships to add value to their role and team.
   
    

Speakers

• Scott Erickson, Head of School, Phillips Brooks School
• Jennifer Mora, Assistant Dean, Development and Alumni Relations, College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley
• Michael Reza, Associate Vice President, Portland Development and Alumni Engagement, University of Oregon
  
   

Structure and Format

Sunday, March 3, 2024 (Pre-Conference)

8:45–9:30 AM

Pre-conference Registration

9:30–10:30 AM

Plenary Presentation

Bringing Your Best Self to Work: Strategies for Newcomers in Advancement

The advancement office is at its best when there’s a positive, supportive, and engaging workplace culture. This means having a workforce with strong team connections, mentorship, professional development, and a high sense of belonging for colleagues representing all forms of diversity. CASE is committed to supporting newcomers with strategies for navigating the workplace, managing up, and driving an exciting career arc with leadership opportunities. The problem is that these ideals can be experienced differently on different advancement teams, and as a negotiation between individual authenticity and conformity to the group. With that in mind, the purpose of this presentation is to share tools and strategies to effectively and authentically bring your best self to work and be culturally additive to your team. 

The presentation will be content-rich and inspiring, and it will include pause points for “turn and talk” (sharing ideas with a partner) and plenary Q & A. This pre-conference workshop is a launching pad to optimize your investment of time at the conference and build relationships with other conference attendees.

10:30–10:45 AM

Break

10:45–11:45

Small group discussions

These will offer an opportunity to dive into the key CASE competencies that were addressed in the plenary presentation. Each small group will be led by a CASE District VII/VIII Cabinet member or volunteer leader, which offers a mentorship opportunity for participants.

11:45 AM–12:30 PM

Lunch 

Participants will choose a lunch table for discussion with peers from similar institutions. Table discussions will be led by an experienced CASE District VII/VIII Cabinet member or volunteer leader within that same peer institutional group.

12:30 PM

Conclude (so attendees can get to the 1:00 pm conference keynote)