What does it take to turn a donor’s intent into a clear, actionable, and compliant gift agreement? This session explores the critical collaboration between fundraisers and advancement services in structuring agreements that honor donor goals while protecting institutional integrity. Attendees will learn what makes a strong gift agreement, gain clarity on each team’s role, and hear real-world stories illustrating how shared understanding leads to better outcomes—for donors and the institution.

Elevate your institution's alumni engagement and achieve meaningful returns by joining our session on "Maximizing Alumni Event ROI Through Effective Operational Support." Discover the critical role of operational excellence in driving successful alumni events and learn how advancement services can provide the streamlined support necessary to exceed expectations. We will explore best practices in planning, execution, and post-event analysis, offering practical strategies to maximize event ROI and enhance future success. Gain valuable insights and actionable tools to transform your alumni events into impactful, ROI-driven successes. Don't miss this opportunity to refine your approach to alumni engagement and operational excellence!

Our work uses alumni engagement strategies and frameworks to create a profound sense of belonging and inclusion within our communities. Moving beyond traditional events and solicitations based solely on graduating class year or degree field, we tap into each individual's unique interests and passions. In this session, we will explore the transformative power of the “magic of 3” and how to cultivate meaningful relationships that lead to successful outcomes. We will discuss how to deepen connections, foster a welcoming atmosphere at events, and inspire stronger support for our initiatives. Join us in this journey to make every member feel valued and included, and to achieve remarkable results that resonate with the heart of our community.

Every alumnus shares a common experience, but their engagement needs evolve over time. In this session, we’ll explore key alumni touchpoints, uncover generational trends in communication and engagement, and share creative ways to connect with students and alumni across eras. Join us for fresh insights and actionable strategies to strengthen lifelong engagement!

Looking for a meaningful way to engage alumni? Legislative advocacy programs offer a powerful avenue for alumni to stay connected and make a tangible impact on their alma mater. We'll explore the strategic benefits of alumni advocacy, outline steps to launch or grow your program, and share real-world examples of how advocacy fosters a deeper sense of purpose and connection among alumni volunteers.

Join fellow alumni relations pros for a dynamic small-group discussion on fresh, efficient ways to achieve your goals. We’ll tackle hot topics like affinity programming, communications, volunteer management, and lost alumni—while swapping creative ideas and best practices. This interactive session thrives on your participation, so come ready to share, brainstorm, and be inspired!

To advance in any field, a basic understanding of budgeting is a critical skill. Demonstrating solid budget management can also help you make the case to increase support for your programs. Whether you will be part of strategic budgeting conversations or responsible for managing a budget, knowledge of funding and the basics of financials, variance sheets, and budget planning will give you a head start to success. Attendees will walk away with resources and tools to make them more proficient and efficient with budgeting.

The questions of why/how/when to incorporate affinity-based alumni programming is one every institution addresses. More importantly in this process are the steps taken to resolve those questions before implementation and execution. In this session, you will be able to address those questions, consider ways to inform your decisions, discuss action plans, and hear examples of lessons learned in the process.

Colleges and universities are increasingly reliant upon sustained enrollment growth each year. With demographic and environmental factors wreaking havoc on traditional enrollment models and outcomes, institutions are continually searching for ways to support recruitment efforts that yield more students. Alumni are some of the best ambassadors and should be used throughout the recruitment of prospective students. In the session, you will learn about the importance of strategic partnerships between Alumni Relations and Enrollment Management, how to determine the ROI of investing in recruitment strategies involving alumni and a variety of strategies that have proven successful in enrolling students. No matter the enrollment outlook on your campus, the use of alumni in the recruitment process should be a core strategy.

Discover how artificial intelligence is transforming alumni engagement and how to implement marketing segmentation to meet your audience’s needs. This interactive session will provide a foundational understanding of AI concepts, explore best practices in data-driven engagement, and showcase real-world applications that drive personalized outreach. Participants will engage in a hands-on exercise to explore AI tools and collaboratively design segmentation strategies tailored to their institution’s goals. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your approach, this session will equip you with practical insights and actionable frameworks. Come ready to learn, experiment, and leave with a roadmap for integrating AI into your engagement strategy.