Engage in these 15-minute mini-presentations by the Faculty, followed by Q&A.

Making the Ask & Pivot Techniques is a practical, scenario‑based workshop focused on confidently making major gift asks and skillfully pivoting when conversations don’t go as planned. Participants will explore how to align the right project, amount, and timing, recognize donor readiness, and use donor‑centered language to make clear, respectful asks. Through real‑world scenarios, this session helps to build the mindset and techniques needed to adapt in the moment, preserve trust, and strengthen long‑term donor relationships.

In a time when institutions are relying on larger gifts from a shrinking number of donors, it is more important than ever to locate, inspire, and retain our best philanthropic supporters.  These donors – at all levels – are increasingly seeking mission-driven giving opportunities that allow them to make the impacts that are most significant for them, and it is the shared expertise of development officers and their academic & leadership colleagues that ultimately generates the big ideas and big gifts that are so critical for higher education today.

The most important factor in success (or lack thereof) as major gift officer is YOU. With the right attitude, hard work and by forming the right habits you can dramatically increase your chances for success. How you approach, plan, execute and track your work matters. This session will help you identify the characteristics, competencies, and habits of highly successful gift officers - but it all starts with having the right mindset, outlook and approach.

In this engaging all-faculty panel discussion, you'll hear firsthand from our faculty about their professional journeys—how they chose the right institution to serve, recognized when it was time to make a career move, and decided between a management track or a pure fundraising path. Most importantly, they’ll share how they developed the self-awareness needed to make these critical decisions. We'll close out our time together by putting you in the drivers' seat. We'll ask you to share your newfound insights with each other and questions to highlight what we might have missed. This is your final chance to shape the conversation and ensure your specific needs are addressed.