Adapt your fundraising practices to today’s virtual environment without sacrificing authenticity.
VIRTUAL TRAINING
Overview
As a frontline fundraiser, you have likely honed your “fundraising voice” over time. You have learned to embody crucial tenets such as integrity, listening, and humility in ways that feel authentic and purposeful. As you continue adapting to a virtual workflow, have you considered whether your fundraising voice is deeply rooted in handshakes or face-to-face meetings? Have you felt less “yourself” while fundraising virtually?
Join us online for an in-depth virtual training where our experts will help you adapt your fundraising practices to the online environment and become more successful. Our panel will help you determine key tenets of your own unique voice as a frontline fundraiser. Through small group roleplays, you will learn how to leverage these characteristics, and you’ll leave the training with clear next steps for fundraising more authentically in a virtual world.
Who Should Attend
Frontline fundraisers who need more practice in every stage of virtual fundraising (whether they work in leadership annual, major, principal, or planned giving) will benefit most from this training. Leaders within advancement shops who want to train others on becoming more authentic in a virtual environment may also find the content of this training valuable.
The Academic Impressions Online Learning Experience
Intentionally Designed
Online Learning
Our virtual trainings go far beyond just replicating PowerPoint presentations online: these experiences are intentionally designed to give you the kind of robust and dynamic learning experience you’ve come to expect from Academic Impressions. These trainings provide you with an active learning environment and an online space where you can explore ideas, get inspired by what your peers are doing, and understand the range of possibilities around a certain topic. You will leave these sessions with practical solutions that you can take back to your team or task force.
What you will get:
- A dynamic, interactive, and high-touch virtual learning experience designed to engage and set you up for growth
- Seamless online face-time, networking, group work, and Q&A opportunities from the comfort of your own workspace
- Practical takeaways and hands-on knowledge
- Guidance from vetted subject matter experts
- Unlimited access to all recorded online sessions
AGENDA
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Eastern
During this three-hour virtual training, our expert panel will discuss the following considerations:
What does your fundraising voice look and sound like?
How can our authentic selves shine through to our donors and prospects even while working virtually? You will learn how to:
- Discover, qualify, and ask your donors and prospects while working remotely
- Use virtual meeting platforms most effectively
What new styles and approaches can you adopt in virtual meetings with donors and prospects to feel more like yourself and achieve better results?
SPEAKERS

Dhiraj Chand
Sr. Director, Leadership and Principal Gifts, University of Utah
Specializing in higher education and non-profit fundraising/development, Dhiraj lives in Salt Lake City where he is the Sr. Director, Leadership and Principal Gifts at the University of Utah. In this role, he works to generate philanthropic support for academic initiatives, donor relations, student programs, research activities, and institutional goals.

Heather S. Culp, JD
Senior Director of Development, The Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
Heather leads the fundraising team for the Department of Neurology and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins Medicine. As a senior member of the development and alumni relations team, she works closely with the Chair of the Department, overseeing all aspects of fundraising including annual, major and principal gifts, stewardship, communications, event planning and alumni relations.

Zack Smith
Executive Director of Development, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego
Zack leads the efforts of the external relations staff at the Jacobs School which includes major and principal gifts, donor relations, stewardship, and events. He works directly with the Dean of the School to provide strategic direction for a comprehensive major and principal gifts program as the University completes the next comprehensive campaign. Smith is passionate about advancing higher education by developing strategic and meaningful relationships.

Mitchell Spearman
Senior Director, Principal Gifts, University of Texas at Austin
Through thoughtful and aspirational planning, Mitchell has developed significant principal gift prospects and proposals that have funded transformational moments at Drexel, the University of Arkansas, Occidental and now at the University of Texas at Austin as the Senior Director of Principal Gifts.