97.5% of every institution's donors sit outside of managed portfolios—receiving only direct mail and mass marketing. Over time, this has led to rising lapsed donor rates, weaker pipelines, and increasing pressure on already-stretched advancement teams.
In this panel, leaders from St. Mary's University and Texas State University share how they are using autonomous AI technology to scale one-to-one donor relationships and extend the reach of their advancement strategies—without adding headcount.
Both institutions have deployed Virtual Engagement Officers (VEOs) to engage overlooked donor segments, strengthen retention and reacquisition efforts, and build long-term pipeline momentum. Panelists will discuss what drove their decision to adopt autonomous fundraising, how they've integrated VEOs alongside their existing teams, and what results and lessons they've gathered along the way.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
• Understand how autonomous AI can expand team capacity and extend one-to-one donor outreach.
• Evaluate where AI supports direct revenue-generating activities like retention, reacquisition, and pipeline growth.
• Apply data-driven insights from peer institutions to inform strategy and future adoption.