Gifts and records work is full of “it depends” moments. Maybe you are trying to interpret a tricky pledge reminder, untangle a data cleansing issue, figure out how to handle international addresses, or respond to a request that feels just a little too close to a policy violation. And then there are gift fees, credit card fees, and all the other curveballs that show up at just the wrong time. This interactive problem-solving session is designed for exactly those moments. Participants are invited to bring their burning questions and real-life challenges and work through them together with faculty and peers. Through open discussion and shared examples, the session will surface practical approaches, decision frameworks, and lessons learned from the field. Attendees will leave with new ideas, greater confidence, and a deeper sense of connection to others navigating the same complex realities of gifts and records work.

Gifts and records work is often perceived as routine, yet it is made up of countless interconnected projects, some small and some transformational. From system changes and policy updates to process improvements and campaign preparation, the ability to manage work as projects is critical to staying organized, communicating progress, and moving change forward. This session will explore how practical project management skills can support day-to-day work and larger organizational change. Participants will gain exposure to core project management concepts and frameworks, including how to think about prioritization and when agile or waterfall approaches may be most effective. The session will focus on applying project management in realistic ways to help professionals regain control of their time, reduce rework, and navigate change with greater clarity and confidence.

Careers in gifts and records processing are often misunderstood as linear or limited, when in reality they can open the door to a wide range of professional opportunities. The skills developed in these roles, including systems knowledge, data fluency, compliance awareness, and cross-functional collaboration, are highly transferable across the advancement ecosystem and beyond. This panel will draw on the lived experiences of practitioners who have built meaningful, evolving careers rooted in gifts and records work. Panelists will share both traditional and non-traditional career pathways, discuss how they expanded their skill sets, and reflect on moments when they had to reimagine what growth could look like. The session will invite participants to think more broadly about their own career possibilities and to identify ways to intentionally develop skills that support a career path aligned with their goals and values.