KC SPOTLIGHT – Student Affairs Fundraising and External Relations

Fundraising and external relations are progressively more important in our profession. This is driven by increased competition for students and limited resources coupled with escalating expectations from parents, students, boards of trustees and other entities. Simultaneously tax payers are pressing us to reduce tuition costs. This drives many of us to delve into navigating our campuses to garner support from our development offices and embark on fundraising campaigns.

The Student Affairs Fundraising and External Relations KC provides current and aspiring development professionals working in (or connected with) Student Affairs a "home" within NASPA and Region IV West a place to network and connect for the latest fundraising strategies and information. Current discussion topics include developing self-sustaining parent activities; stewardship; preparing people to be effective fundraisers, conducting feasibility studies; engagement efforts in order to get a gift; how to find top development talent; and philanthropic communication and storytelling. For more information regarding the KC, click here.

A significant professional development opportunity in this interest area is the 2016 NASPA Student Affairs Fundraising Conference. This event, sponsored by NASPA and the Student Affairs Fundraising and External Relations KC, will be held July 28-July 30 in Columbus, Ohio at the Ohio State University and the Hyatt Regency Columbus. This will be an excellent forum to exchange strategies, ideas, and resources. Themes will address the fundamentals to catalyzing fundraising initiatives within student affairs; developing and managing volunteers; Identifying target audiences for potential fundraising activities; building collaborative strategies for fundraising success; and external and alumni relations. For more information regarding the conference, click here.

In the meantime I hope to see you in Indianapolis. And I do hope you make plans now to attend the conference in Columbus, OH. Following that, I hope to see you in St. Louis. During the fall conference we will plan a time for those of us in the region to gather as we did in Beaver Creek to network and exchange best practices.

Please contact me, Patricia.Mahon@sdsmt.edu, if you have any questions or if you are interested in submitting a fundraising and external relations topic for the IV W conference.

Sincerely, Patricia “Pat” Mahon
Student Affairs Fundraising and External Relations Representative