In today's ever-evolving workplace, it is crucial to develop effective strategies for managing up to your supervisors and navigating your organization's structure. We will explore the art of managing from your seat, providing you with insights and practical techniques to cultivate strong relationships with supervisors and peers while influencing the decision-making process. We will explore how to effectively communicate your ideas, and results to supervisors, ensuring your contributions are acknowledged and appreciated. Additionally, we will delve into techniques for growing your reputation and credibility and positioning you for success in today’s rapidly changing work environment.

Start the institute with energy, clarity, and connection. Join the Institute faculty for an engaging welcome to SIAR as we introduce the people who will guide your learning throughout the week, share how to make the most of your experience, and offer a big-picture view of the alumni relations profession today. You’ll leave with a clear sense of the institute’s goals, the opportunities ahead, and the community you’ll be learning alongside.

Attendees will meet daily with curated advisory small groups led by expert faculty members to debrief from the day’s learning and problem solve in real time.

Educational institutions face an increasingly complex and fast-changing political environment, where policy decisions, public sentiment, and media attention directly impact funding, reputation, and engagement. This session offers an introduction to the key political forces shaping education and what they mean for advancement professionals, especially those new to the field. We’ll connect policy trends to real-world implications for fundraising, advancement services, alumni relations, and marketing and communications. Participants will gain insight into emerging risks and opportunities, learn how political dynamics influence donor and stakeholder behavior, and explore ways to navigate conversations in a thoughtful, nonpartisan manner. Participants will also leave with a stronger understanding of the current landscape and greater confidence in representing their institution as they navigate their advancement roles.

Strategic and generative conversations are at the heart of our work. Questioning and listening are powerful life skills. First, they will help you create productive donor relationships. What organizations do you support with your philanthropy? Where are we on your list of philanthropies? How do you make your philanthropic decisions? What has been your most meaningful gift? Quality questions elicit amazing information that will guide you in the solicitation process and help you build relationships on campus with your supervisor, peers and faculty members. Learn how to develop questions instead of talking points that will inform your gift strategy, advance relationships, and result in a joyful, generous "Yes" to your request for increased engagement with your institution, a significant gift to one of your priorities or for whatever you were hoping that volunteer or colleague would do to help you achieve your goals.

Effective stewardship is about more than a "thank you." It's about creating a structured, personalized approach that deepens donor relationships over time. Join us to explore how you can design and implement a stewardship matrix to ensure consistent, meaningful engagement with donors at all levels.

Advancement is a relationship business, and some of the most important relationships you'll manage are with colleagues, supervisors, volunteers, and institutional leaders. Whether you're new to the profession or a seasoned practitioner, success often depends on skills that aren't taught in a job description: managing up, collaborating across departments, navigating change, building credibility, and maintaining perspective when priorities compete. In this interactive session, we'll explore the unwritten rules of advancement, share lessons learned from real-world experiences, and discuss practical strategies for building a successful and sustainable career. Participants will leave with actionable insights they can apply immediately to strengthen relationships, increase effectiveness, and thrive in today's advancement workplace.

We've all been to amazing alumni events. Great food, great conversations, great energy. But what happens next? If the answer is "nothing much," you might be throwing parties instead of hosting strategy. The difference between an event and hosting a strategic event is intention. Strategic events have clear purposes—whether that's cultivating alumni volunteers, reconnecting with dormant alumni, developing young professional leaders, or strengthening regional networks. They're designed with specific outcomes in mind, and success is measured by whether those outcomes are achieved. 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.

Prospect development connects discovery, qualification, portfolio management, reporting, and philanthropic outcomes. This session explores the core concepts of prospect development and the operational strategies, structures, and practices that support healthy fundraising pipelines across organizations at different stages of maturity. Attendees will gain practical insight into key components of prospect development, including lead and pipeline development, assignment strategy, portfolio management, reporting, and portfolio review practices. Through two real-world case studies — one from an earlier-stage shop and one from a more mature, evolving program — we’ll explore how organizations move prospects into portfolios efficiently, support discovery activity, and use data and reporting to identify gaps, stagnation, and opportunities without relying on overly rigid processes or metrics.

Join CASE Senior Data Strategist, Emma Sonduck as she explores trends from CASE's philanthropy surveys and breaks down some of the driving factors and ways you can respond.