Kent State University's legacy of the May 4, 1970 tragedy remains pivotal in its identity. As history recently seemed to repeat itself on American campuses amidst current societal divisions, Kent State has proactively integrated powerful lessons from its past into its brand messaging. This session reveals how the university's half-century journey of embracing its history informs its current marketing strategies. Discover how authenticity and values-driven storytelling can elevate your institution's brand beyond conventional marketing approaches.

This session will focus on strategies for building and sustaining affinity networks that foster community, amplify alumni voices, and increase engagement across diverse demographics. Participants will explore how to align affinity networks with the institution's goals while ensuring they foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Blogging is a low-cost channel to reach your target audience, but many institutions hesitate to invest. Concerns around maintaining a consistent publishing schedule, producing quality content, and managing the necessary technology needs tend to slow or even stop progress toward building owned media platforms. This presentation will explore how the marketing and communications team at the Mitch Daniels School of Business at Purdue University overcame these challenges and successfully launched their blog.

Imposter syndrome is the buzziest of buzzwords. From seasoned professionals with 30+ years in the advancement field to new grads, we often find ourselves struggling to find true confidence and certainty in who we show up to be in the workplace. Targeted towards those new to the field or new to post-grad life, this session will dive into what imposter syndrome is, how it is extraordinarily prevalent AND relevant in the advancement field, and what we can do to navigate the ebbs and flows of feeling "good enough". This session is structured to be a vulnerable conversation about self-worth and value as a professional; while also discussing ways we can find confidence in who we are, even if we don't completely have it figured out.

In this session, you'll hear Board members, alumni volunteers, and professional staff share how they've participated in focused, solutions-based workgroups to take a deep dive into specific opportunities or challenges in alumni engagement. From how alumni can support business strategy development to deepening connections with former Board members — you'll learn how to harness the collective energy and experience of volunteers to advance strategic priorities and initiatives. You'll also gain a better understanding of how alumni/volunteers feel about the sort of "roll-up-your-sleeves" work.

How can you elevate cherished alumni traditions and allow room for fresh experiences? Learn how Denison University reimagined its reunion experience with enhanced technology, fresh programming, and record-breaking participation. Explore how Macalester College brought its 150th anniversary to life, connecting a global alumni base with fresh twists on existing programming, new ways of storytelling, and ample opportunities to celebrate. Join us to learn about the process from concept creation through execution including planning, communication, events, and more. You’ll walk away with actionable insights and ideas to help you transform your own campus events into unforgettable celebrations.

Programmatic initiatives can be enhanced through intentional partnerships across the Advancement division. The Alumni & Family Engagement team at The College of Wooster implemented a "No Hotel Ballrooms" philosophy for is recent presidential welcome series, and it yielded creative opportunities from gift officers in review of their portfolios. Hear about the four-step construct that shaped Wooster on the Move: Framing Our Future.

In this session you'll hear from Kristine Lo, Director of Fundraising Performance Analytics at the University of Chicago, how her team revolutionized fundraising management reporting to ensure managers and staff at all levels had the insights they needed to effectively manage up, down and across. The session will include best practices of effective management reporting, how consistency in management reporting can improve results, and suggestions for how you can audit (or start) your own data-delivery program.

In today's digitally-driven world, effective communication is paramount for higher education institutions to engage with prospective students. Email remains one of the most prevalent forms of communication, but crafting impactful messages and communication requires a strategic approach.
Join us for an insightful speaker session on email communication strategy and planning. This session will delve into the nuances of creating compelling email campaigns and overarching communication strategies tailored for the higher education sector.
Our speaker will share tips in developing your unique audience, creating an email production workflow, practical insights into email flow strategy development, and other best practices to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools needed to elevate their organization’s communication efforts. Whether you're an email marketer, strategist, manager, or administrator, this session promises valuable takeaways to enhance your organization’s communication impact.

In today’s philanthropic landscape, donor expectations are evolving. Traditional institutional giving models—such as scholarships, endowments, and unrestricted contributions—are becoming less effective as donors seek more direct impact and alignment with their personal values. This session will explore the shift from giving to a university to giving through a university, focusing on cause-based fundraising strategies that engage donors in meaningful, mission-driven ways. Attendees will learn how to reframe fundraising appeals to emphasize tangible outcomes, leverage storytelling to build trust, and implement digital engagement strategies tailored to next-generation donors. The session will also provide practical insights on navigating institutional challenges, gaining leadership buy-in, and utilizing technology to enhance donor connections.