Like any profession, advancement has its terms of art: "the ask," "prospects," "quiet phase." A relatively new one is "culture of philanthropy." As in, "We need to build a culture of philanthropy at this institution." The general idea is that everyone from the campus CEO to the students understands…

Although many alumni leaders have experience both working for their alma mater and not, most go about it in the opposite order, starting out at their own institutions and then moving on to another as a seasoned veteran. However, unlike in development, where alumni status is much less of an issue, alumni leaders are often asked, "When did you…

Beth Kanter is working hard to get the word out about how best to get the word out. Kanter is CEO of Zoetica, which provides word-of-mouth communication services to nonprofits and socially conscious companies; a decade-long blogger on the topic of social media and nonprofits; and a popular conference speaker and trainer. She is also co-author of…

A few short years ago, as Facebook made the leap from dorm room to, well, every room, some alumni leaders wondered if Facebook's growing popularity would mean the end of reunion. Time has passed, and most alumni professionals have come to know and love Facebook--truly or out of necessity. On the whole, Facebook has proven itself friend not foe,…

At some institutions, it may feel as though faculty live on one island and advancement staff on another. The islands form part of an archipelago, and they exchange ambassadors and send emissaries occasionally, but interactions are limited. It may even seem as though the two groups speak different languages, deal in different currencies, and abide…

Working with alumni volunteers shouldn't create horror and suspense. Following a few key steps can help maintain a smooth relationship between alumni volunteers and the alumni relations office staff. In this article, the author discusses how to manage volunteers and keep the alumni volunteer relationship on track.