Strengthening the Relationship Between Development and Alumni Relations Teams

Development and alumni relations teams make different yet equally important contributions to meeting institutional advancement goals. However, it can be difficult for these teams to focus on their relationships with one another when they are also focused on meeting different metrics and responding to the various needs of donors and alumni. Taking time to establish […]

Using Storytelling to Bolster Unrestricted Giving

Unrestricted funds are an asset to meeting institutional needs, but they are not always easy to acquire based on donor understanding or personal interests. Successfully soliciting unrestricted gifts requires advancement professionals to know how these funds will positively impact the university experience for a variety of constituents and how to tell those stories in ways […]

Effective Supervision in Higher Education

Supervision is much more than informal meetings and annual performance reviews. This online training examines a supervisory model that can help you develop the capacity of your employees. You will learn: Keys to being an effective supervisor Questions to use in creating a meaningful supervisory relationship Methods for establishing trust An effective supervisory structure (when […]

Niecie Washington

Niecie Washington, Senior Meeting Planner, ensures that all our in-person events go off without a hitch. She is our go-to for meeting planning and logistics. Niecie has more than 15 years’ experience in meeting and event planning with organizations ranging from Academic Impressions, Marriott Corporation, and the City and County of Denver. Niece has a […]

Detailed Checklist: A Second Scenario in Planning for Advancement Efforts Overseas

In the companion piece to this checklist, I suggested that it’s critical to plan for international advancement efforts nine months out, for three reasons. This allows you time to plan and manage your resources systematically, plan ahead and confirm your spot on your volunteers’ and donors’ calendars, and identify cost-effective travel options. TWO DETAILED SCENARIOS […]

Alumni Affinity Groups: How One University Formed a Highly Successful Organization

by Kathy Edersheim, President of Impactrics How does an alumni affinity group get started and, perhaps more importantly, what makes it sustainable beyond the initial excitement? There are many right answers and many challenges along the way. The key is to develop some guidelines and learn from other institutions’ successes as well as from their […]

Presidential Transition: 3 Things Chief Advancement Officers Can Do to Help the New President Start Right

A presidential transition can be a challenging time, and those critical first conversations will set the tone for the partnership ahead. by Sasha Egorova, Academic ImpressionsInterviewing Jake Heuser, Bradley University Welcoming a new president can be an unnerving event for the whole campus. It can particularly be a challenging time for the vice president of advancement […]

Laura Donaldson

With nearly 17 years’ experience in higher education, Laura’s passion for and commitment to students remains her primary focus. She believes deeply in meeting students where they are and in supporting them fully so that they can get to where they want to be. At CMU English, Laura developed the Major Buddy Program, which connects […]

7 Powerful Practices Presidents Use to Increase Their Creativity

“Creativity takes courage.” This paper by Patrick Sanaghan of The Sanaghan Group shares 7 tested and proven practices that college and university presidents have used to enhance their creativity: Read the paper. Related Resource: Check Out The Presidential Transition Guide

Nancy Aronson

Nancy has been bringing practical, collaborative methods to organizations and communities facing complex issues since 1980. Nancy has extensive experience in designing and facilitating large group, task-focused, strategic meetings. She has applied this expertise to cases related to strategic planning, organization redesign, critical cross-boundary meetings, and leadership development. Nancy is clinical assistant professor in the […]