Affinity and Identity-based alumni engagement is a powerful strategy framework designed to foster stronger connections with our communities. Rather than solely organizing events and solicitations on graduating class identity, this framework leverages an individual's interest and identity to engage more effectively. In this session, we will discuss the “magic of 3” and how to optimize relationship building using affinity and identity to achieve successful outcomes including deeper connections, better event attendance, and stronger fundraising.

Over the past decade, higher education has shifted from having our faculty experts comment during election years to candidates using our work and missions as polarizing talking points. Regardless of your role in marketing or communications, grasping the interconnected nature of higher education and politics will empower you to be more effective in your role. Teresa will provide vital tools for proactive, strategic, and thoughtful action. In addition, this session will provide data and national trends from the current election year to frame how we can help our leaders look around corners and return to strategically communicating with our internal and external stakeholders to remain true to our strategic foci and key messages. Teresa will share what works in a polarizing environment, what we need to plan for in the coming months, and how we should position our expertise for different stakeholders so we can have a leadership role in shaping our own narratives and our institutions’ reputations.

As your opportunities and career advance, you will face ups, downs and everything in between. Ideally, you will learn how to choreograph your energy through conscious and effective management techniques. This interactive session will focus on managing up, down, diagonally and sideways using skills of collaboration, compromise, influence and change management.

What is our purpose in doing good stewardship and building meaningful relationships with our donors? How do we retain donors and inspire them to keep giving? Our best future donors are our current philanthropic partners already invested in our mission and our future. Explore the why and how of stewardship that results in substantive relationships with donors who are inspired, generous, joyous and invested in our institutions.

One of the joys of fundraising for any organization is the relationships developed with our volunteers – those people who care so deeply about your institution that they are willing to commit their time, energy, ideas, connections, and financial support to your school. We will discuss the value of involving volunteers with your institution, volunteer recruitment strategies, how to engage and partner with volunteers, and how to maintain the post-volunteer relationship.

A Giving Day is a 24-hour (or longer) fundraising event aimed at bringing communities together to raise awareness for a specific cause, increase engagement, and drive donations. For many, a successful Giving Day lies in its time-sensitive nature: donors have just one day—24 hours—to support a cause and reach goals. This time-boxed theme creates urgency and excitement and can provide a jolt of adrenaline to any campaign. In this session we’ll talk about how to showcase personal donor testimonials, examples of great Giving Day storytelling, big ideas, things that didn’t work just right, and how to engage donors, faculty, staff, and more to spread the word and motivate individuals to get involved, raise awareness, and ultimately make a gift, or two.

It is more than a meeting: it is ensuring success in every stage of a significant solicitation. We often think of a solicitation as a singular event, the moment when we "ask for the order." In this session, we will look at personal solicitation in a broader context, by discussing the five stages of the solicitation process, beginning with the call to request an appointment and concluding with post-solicitation follow-up. Our goal will be to understand how a thoughtful and rigorous approach to each stage can help ensure the best possible outcome in your solicitation of a high-potential prospect.

Your leadership annual giving program represents a dedicated group of donors who provide vital unrestricted support year after year. But have you maximized the full potential of this engaged constituency? This session will explore strategies for leveraging your leadership annual giving society to elevate your overall fundraising efforts.

Yes, you will spend many an hour at various events representing and serving your institution. You are also likely to quickly discover that some events result in better outcomes than others. In this session we will consider what can make or break an event in terms of both institutional planning and personal participation--as both are key to success!

Turn up the heat on your cold calls and keep the door open after your first visit. Learn how to get the appointment, how to start the conversation and keep it on track, and most important, how to end the visit ensuring a productive next step. Have to solicit on that first call? We'll cover that as well. The development professional who masters and enjoys cold calls and first visits is destined for success.