Donor participation has been decreasing over the previous two decades. Identifying a strategy that reverses this trend has been a challenge for many institutions. This problem is complicated and not easily defined; yet evidence points to root causes such as a decrease in trust of higher education or how communication practices have fundamentally changed over this time, resulting in how institutional information is consumed by alumni. By focusing on deep engagement that is participatory, purposeful, and recurring, Muhlenberg College has developed a model that has improved their donor participation rate, moving them into the top 100 institutions for alumni giving. Join us online to learn the steps you can take to improve your alumni participation rate by focusing on the quality of your communication efforts, the essence of your alumni community, and the systemic changes you can make in your annual fundraising strategy.
Leading as An Assistant/Associate Dean: An Online Bootcamp October 10 – November 14, 2022 Individual session dates: October 10, 17, 24, 31, November 7, 14 Welcome to the course page for your bootcamp! More information will be added as we get closer to your event, so please check back soon. Important Links Contact Moira Killoran to learn more. Welcome! This is your “one-stop shop” for all course materials and instructions you will need to guide you through the bootcamp. A couple important notes to get you started: All course materials can be found in the “Access Course Materials” tab to the left. Any/all course materials you will need to prepare for the live sessions will be made available before the live session. You will also be alerted by email when they are available. Additional materials generated during the live sessions or intended as reflection after the live session will be added after the live session. Your Course Syllabus will be updated and posted weekly as you progress through the program. The Syllabus will contain specific instructions for what needs to be completed before and after each session. Please review the syllabus at the beginning and end of every week to […]
Teams often have members from many different backgrounds, and leaders with empathy and humility are better able to bridge cultural divides and create a shared sense of community. Join us for a 1-hour discussion to strategize how to develop that sense of community on your team, regardless of each team member’s background. You’ll have the opportunity to further explore themes from Building Stronger Teams with Empathy and Humility for Leaders and to connect with leaders across higher education who are facing similar challenges.
Many leaders encounter team members with toxic or narcissistic traits, and those team members can wreck a team dynamic if left unchecked. Join us for a 1-hour discussion to strategize how to address difficult team members from a place of humility and empathy. You’ll have the opportunity to further explore themes from Building Stronger Teams with Empathy and Humility for Leaders and to connect with leaders across higher education who are facing similar challenges.
Leaders with empathy and humility have a better understanding of self and are able to cultivate those traits in others. Join us for a 1-hour discussion session where we will talk about how empathy and humility can help you be a confident leader, and how you can avoid being too empathic or humble as a leader. You’ll have the opportunity to further explore themes from Building Stronger Teams with Empathy and Humility for Leaders and to connect with leaders across higher education who are facing similar challenges.
The Covid-19 pandemic laid bare issues with retention, psychological safety, and a sense of belonging that leaders in higher education must face on their own teams. Faculty and staff thrive on strong teams with a positive, productive culture, and leaders who are empathic and humble create a team culture where it is possible to undo toxic traits, bridge cultural divides, and increase employee retention. Join us for an interactive, 3-hour virtual training to help leaders learn how to build practical skills and better demonstrate humility and empathy toward their team members. During the training, we will cover: What is humility, and how can you use a humble mindset to build empathy? Why should you want to have humility and empathy as a leader? Practical applications of empathetic, humble leadership
We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to show up, keep going, and perform. It’s easy to lose sight of the simple moments of joy and substance in our everyday lives. Through this video course, you will develop a daily mindfulness practice that enables you to pause, connect more deeply with what’s going on around you, and stay grounded in the present moment. Comprised of simple techniques that make use of all your senses—thought, sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, and feeling—you will come away with a variety of mindfulness methods that you can easily integrate into your busy everyday life. Higher ed professionals at all levels who are seeking more intention, purpose, and connection will benefit from this course. This course is valued at $595, but is free for members.
Many institutions are already using proactive advising to help students in danger of failing or dropping out. But are you effectively communicating with both staff and academically at-risk students to maximize your impact? Proactive advising techniques can help you to increase student retention and completion rates through improving interdepartmental communication and creating a better understanding of which students to prioritize at certain points during the year. Join us for a 90-minute virtual training to learn how advisors of undergraduate students can use proactive advising in order to improve students’ motivation and academic success. Here, industry expert Joseph Connell will share tips around timing and key messages for outreach, and how to get other departments onboard with your communication plan. We’ll also discuss how to empower students to be an active part of the advising process.
Leading and Influencing as a Department Chair Bootcamp September 21 – October 26, 2022 Individual Dates: September 21, 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26, 2022 Welcome to the course page for your bootcamp! More information will be added as we get closer to your event, so please check back soon. Important Links Contact Moira Killoran to learn more. Welcome! This is your “one-stop shop” for all course materials and instructions you will need to guide you through the bootcamp. A couple important notes to get you started: All course materials can be found in the “Access Course Materials” tab to the left. Any course materials you will need to prepare for the live sessions, including copies of slides, assignments and assessments, will be made available before each live session. Additional materials generated during the live sessions will be added by the end of the week. Your Course Syllabus will be updated and posted weekly as you progress through the program. The Syllabus will contain specific instructions for what needs to be completed before and after each session. Please review the syllabus at the beginning and end of every week to ensure you are completing all required work at the right […]
Advanced Title IX Investigator Training and Certification July 11 – 12, 2022 Feel better equipped to effectively investigate complex sexual harassment cases. EVENT INFORMATION ENSURE YOUR TECHNOLOGY IS READY This workshop is intentionally designed to allow for maximum learning, connections, and engagement. We advise the following in order to participate fully: Audio & Visual Needs
As students, faculty, and staff return to campus life, the impromptu conversations that characterize in-person interactions are naturally more likely to resume. Data shows that the rate of students reporting a sense of disconnection from campus, anxiety, and depression has increased during the pandemic. Students returning to campus will need more support than ever. Front-line faculty and staff without a counseling background may feel detached, confused, or anxious interacting with students experiencing these challenges, and they may also have additional trouble setting boundaries with students and practicing their own self-care. Join us for an interactive training to learn and practice six simple ways to support students who are exhibiting signs of a mental health condition. Small shifts in communication can go a long way toward making a difference in the lives of students. Additionally, we will discuss how to care for yourself through those conversations—and how to set appropriate boundaries with students around mental health.
A new generation of frontline fundraisers who have different values and needs, combined with a rapidly changing social environment and labor market, are making the task of selecting, developing, and retaining fundraising teams more difficult than ever. Yet we know that our ability to sustainably raise fundraising revenue year after year depends on having skilled and high-performing fundraising talent. By fostering committed teams as well as supporting the growth and development of individual employees, you can improve overall fundraising performance and create the type of impact that our institutions, donors and employees all aspire to. Join us for this one-day virtual conference that will focus on how you can increase fundraising capacity by focusing on how to build, lead, and retain a high-performing frontline fundraising team. Through a blend of individual and group activities, our expert faculty will share key strategies on how to develop a healthy team culture and establish career paths for your early pipeline fundraisers. Best practices in performance management consulting and how to partner with academic leaders in their fundraising efforts will also be explored and discussed during this live event. For additional training on how you can improve your fundraising capacity by building an effective […]
When prospect and donor values around diversity, equity, and inclusion do not align with your institutional values, tension can develop in the relationship, leading to difficult conversations that can have a negative impact on frontline fundraising goals. Knowing how to effectively communicate and interact with your prospects and donors can lead to deeper relationships with mutually beneficial goals. Join us in this workshop to understand how your frontline fundraising team can navigate conversations that foster inclusion by: Assessing and analyzing your team’s current knowledge and competence when engaging in diversity-related conversations. Adequately preparing your frontline fundraisers for the conversations they’re having with donors, and about their own personal alignment with the values of your institution. Implementing approaches to prospect and donor conversations that can lead to deeper and more sustainable long-term relationships. Build upon these practices for a more effective fundraising team by registering for Building, Leading, and Retaining a High-Performance Frontline Fundraising Team on Tuesday, June 28 from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET.
Students of color, first-generation students, and low-income students are typically the most at risk of falling through the cracks in college. In addition to academic barriers, these students often lack financial resources to make it through emergencies or breaks in the academic year. As institutions look to increase retention and completion rates for students from minoritized groups, it is important to focus on what student support partnerships look like both on and off campus. Thinking creatively about who to partner with can extend an institution’s resources to many more students. Join us for a one hour facilitated discussion on creating connections both on and off campus to help support students through emergencies and times of need. Here, our expert Kristin Daiber will share an example of a creative student support partnership on her campus. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to network with other professionals providing support for students in times of need and to also share useful resources with one another.
Institutions offer myriad giving opportunities that donors might choose to support. From the unrestricted gift to the gift supporting a scholarship or program, many institutions offer dozens or even hundreds of ways donors can allocate their gifts. Unfortunately, with decentralized institutions, a multitude of giving options can lead to inconsistencies in the ways that units, programs, divisions, and schools acknowledge their gifts. For instance, some units or programs may have the resources to acknowledge their donors’ generosity promptly, while others may struggle to acknowledge them even within the recommended two-week time period. In still other instances, a gift may languish in a forgotten fund and be overlooked for months—or even forever! These kinds of delays or inconsistencies with gift acknowledgements can diminish the experiences of your donors and negatively impact your retention rate, causing you to lose contact with even your most loyal and generous donors. Join us in this online training to help you prepare to conduct a gift acknowledgement audit at your institution by learning the steps that the University of Chicago took toward ensuring that their donors receive the thanks they deserve.
The internal barriers new leaders face when starting a new role or project can hold them back from being successful. Negative self-talk, the inability to accept praise, and feedback that is based on your identity rather than your actions can all hinder your ability to make decisions and lead others. Join us for a one-hour discussion where we’ll strategize ways to work through your fears and difficulties with leadership.
The internal barriers new leaders face when starting a new role or project can hold them back from being successful. Negative self-talk, the inability to accept praise, and feedback that is based on your identity rather than your actions can all hinder your ability to make decisions and lead others. Join us for a one-hour discussion where we’ll strategize ways to work through your fears and difficulties with leadership.
A Cohort-Based Series for Academic Leaders: Faculty Affairs Roundtable Session 1: June 24, 2022 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET Session 2: July 1, 2022 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET Session 3: July 8, 2022 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET Session 4: July 15, 2022 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET Session 5: July 22, 2022 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET Session 6: July 29, 2022 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET Session 7: August 5, 2022 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET Login Starting On: June 24, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. ET JOIN ZOOM MEETING Full Event Information VIEW EVENT PAGE Including: Agenda Overview Speaker Bios Prepare for the Roundtable This workshop is intentionally designed to allow for maximum learning, connections, and engagement. We advise the following in order to participate fully:
Interim President Roundtable July 22 – Oct 28, 2022 Important Links Welcome! To facilitate community and trust-building among the cohort from the get-go, the roundtable will kick off with a half-day in-person strategy session in Denver, Colorado on Friday, July 22. Seven weekly, hour-long virtual sessions will follow, running from early August to late October. Session 1 (In-person): Friday, July 22, 2022 | 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. MT (local time in Denver, CO) 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. MT: Lunch 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. MT: Roundtable session 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. MT: Networking hour Session 2 (Virtual): Friday August 5 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET Session 3 (Virtual): Friday August 12 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET Session 4 (Virtual): Friday September 2 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET Session 5 (Virtual): Friday September 16 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET Session 6 (Virtual): Friday September 30 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET Session 7 (Virtual): Friday October 14 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET Session 8 (Virtual): Friday October 28 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET Ensure Your Technology is Ready This workshop is intentionally designed to allow for maximum learning, connections, and engagement. We advise the following in order to […]
