The Development Debrief

As an academic, Kevin Hallock (Dean and Professor of Strategy and Business Economics at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business) has the ability to make complicated concepts relatable to students.

Today’s podcast allows us to be Kevin’s students as we hear him talk about the financial structure of higher ed, why tuition continues to rise, and he explains the uses for endowment. I plan to use some of his answers as responses in conversations with donors as they grapple with higher ed’s financial challenges. IF you're curious about why schools aren't using their endowment right now, or understanding why they are having financial challenges-- keep listening!

Today I talk with two of my peers in our field Thomas Moore, Director of Individual Giving at New York Road Runners and Britani Griffin, Associate Development Director at the Be The Match Foundation. They are rising stars, currently in leadership roles at their institutions. They share their optimism for the future and gratitude for the national conversation and acknowledgement across colors of racial injustice in our country.

To learn more check out: https://www.causeeffective.org/

By now, most if not all of us have gotten an email from our institutions and leadership denouncing the heinous crimes we have seen take place in our country against people of color. But the question is, now what? My conversation with Birgit Smith Burton, (Executive Director of Foundation Relations, Georgia Institute of Technology)only scratches the surface of an issue Birgit has been working on for decades.

I want to start this episode with a disclaimer: Of course there is precedent of conversations with people of color in development, I am not a pioneer—but we all must embrace our personal role in making continuous, systemic, and long-lasting change in the face of racism. It is our responsibility to take the time to listen to what our black colleagues experience on a daily basis. This episode aims to explore the question of what is next, and to inspire our listeners to make their own plan for change.

Birgit's recommended reading:

https://www.aadonetwork.com/

https://afpglobal.org/issue-racism-fundraising-profession

https://www.amazon.com/What-Say-Wrong-Thing-Culturally/dp/1614389713

https://www.amazon.com/Waking-White-Finding-Myself-Story/dp/0991331303

What changes will remain from Covid-19 for Higher Ed development? Dennis Barden (Senior Partner at WittKiefer) and I talk about his predictions regarding June 30th changes, permanent online shifts, and the ethical nature of making a move during quarantine.

The good news is, Dennis says the demand for good fundraisers will only increase as we enter a new "Golden Age of Philanthropy"….listen to learn more! Dennis is a recognized thought leader in higher education search and contributes regularly to such publications as The Chronicle of Higher Education and CASE Currents.

Brilliant minds are fascinating and complex. One of the greatest gifts of our profession is the opportunity to work with highly successful donors and incredibly talented faculty and staff. I have always felt inspired by these individuals. However, working with them is not always easy. In this short bonus episode, Michele Schiele (Senior Associate Vice President for Development at Stanford University) shares her views and even has a name for these individuals. She calls them stallions. Listen further to know why she calls them that, and how best to work with them!

Have you ever wondered how schools pull off large naming gifts or big institutional change? Michele Schiele (Senior Associate Vice President for Development, Stanford University)has been part of several historic development moments and challenging projects throughout her career. She shares with us what goes into this work and how best to lead it. Michele let’s us know that strong female mentors were key, and she has always kept a portfolio. Big scale institutional changes are Michele’s specialty. Afterwards, stay tuned for a special bonus episode with Michele!

What is your purpose? How do you re-energize? In today’s episode, Phil Wilkerson, Industry Advisor at George Mason University, shares a bit about his own work, gives us some advice he gives his students, and then we get philosophical as he talks about the deeper meaning of life and what brings us all here. Phil practices what he preaches. He networked with me via LinkedIn and we connected virtually over the past few months. He reached out to talk about our podcasts and higher ed work during this remote time. This episode will leave you feeling strong and inspired!

Welcome to our special Mother's Day Episode! Whether your mother is with you in person, virtually, or in your heart, we are all marked by our mothers in some way. This conversation helps me realize, our mother’s don’t only help us grow, we push them to grow and better themselves too.

Our guest for this episode talks about her experience of being a mother as a grateful patient, as well juggling a powerful career with parenthood. Leslie Nelson-Berner (President of the UNC Health Foundation and Associate Dean for Development of the UNC School of Medicine) shares the inspiration she feels from her children to do good in people's lives through her development career. Leslie is passionate about her work and she exudes joy as she shares her story with us.

This conversation is an interview, just like my other past episode have been. However, it can also serve as a template to think about your donor meetings moving forward. If you are interested in my thoughts on virtual visits, and take-a-ways from Tara’s comments as donor, keep listening after her remarks and I will share my reflections. Thank you for tuning in and for continuing to do such important work during this unprecedented time. Tara says it herself, our work is important and cannot stop now!

This conversation was recorded pre-covid and I have waited to share it because it didn’t feel as relevant when were all scrambling to transition to remote work several weeks ago. Now, I realize it’s more relevant than ever. Fritz Schroeder (VP for Development and Alumni Relations at Johns Hopkins University)and I start with an unscripted conversation about financial aid and the historic 1.8 Billion gift from Michael Bloomberg. Then, we talk about leadership, in all of it's forms.