Effective communication with donors and alumni is essential to proper stewardship and ultimately, the advancement of your institution. Join your colleagues from across the USM for a full-day program to learn about and discuss a topic that is at the heart of what we do: advancement and alumni relations communications.
Click here to download a iCal file to save the date on your calendar!
Registration Fee: $25/person
*Scholarships are available. To apply, forward your supervisor’s written confirmation (email is fine) of financial need and permission to attend the conference to Micaela Cameron, by Wednesday, May 1.
Increasing cost. War on woke. Investigations into antisemitism. Scrutiny of admissions. Each of these issues is a challenge but combined have created an incredibly difficult and perilous political environment for higher education. What can we do to promote the collective value of higher education in Maryland and beyond? This session will dive into the current data on public perception and how communications professionals can help their institutions increase engagement and build external support during these challenging times.
This session will offer a comprehensive overview of AI, emphasizing the power of prompt engineering and exploring real-world use cases relevant to the world of USM advancement. Attendees will gain insights into the intersection of AI and philanthropy, discovering innovative strategies to optimize fundraising efforts. The discussion will cover the fundamentals as well as the crucial aspects of privacy, security, ethics, and policies, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of AI’s potential impact for Maryland fundraising.
There never seems to be enough time in the day to fulfill every content need. The same is true at UMBC, where Jenny O’Grady, assistant vice president for strategic content, has spent much of the last 19 years attempting to fill “content holes” across the realms of recruitment, engagement, and reputation. That’s where “Meet a Retriever,” a user-generated content strategy, comes in. O’Grady will discuss the ways this people-forward project is being employed across a variety of spaces, and what she’s learned in its first full year of implementation.
In March the University of Maryland achieved a record-breaking Giving Day. Our success story is a result of implementing more efficient email practices and engaging new audiences through a variety of advertising mediums. These efforts resulted in a notable increase of over 20% in first-time donors. Join us in this presentation as we unveil the marketing strategies to promote this one-day event that increased reach and impact while eliminating email overload.
If the thought of presenting to an audience fills you with dread, you’re not alone: the National Institutes of Health recently reported that up to 75% of Americans have some form of public speaking anxiety (aka “glossophobia”). Don’t let your fear of the microphone hold you back from advocating for your good ideas to your supervisor, professional colleagues – or even a TEDx audience. In this session, seasoned presenter Ann Kolakowski will look at what’s behind this fear and offer practical suggestions to help you communicate with confidence
Ann Kolakowski spent the first half of her career in nonprofit communications before moving to the “Dark Side” (yes, one of her former co-workers actually called it that) of fundraising. In this session, she’ll offer insights on how these two areas share much in common, how communications professionals can help build trust among current and future donors, and – perhaps most important at this moment in time – why it’s crucial for communications professionals to take seriously their own (albeit unstated) roles as fundraisers.
Discover the power of less is more.
In today’s fast-paced world of information overload, excessive communication often leads to confusion, inefficiency, and wasted time. LeAmber Malcolm, communications specialist in the Office of Alumni Engagement and Stewardship at Bowie State University, will share how you can streamline your communication efforts for greater impact and influence. Through an interactive discussion, learn how to establish guidelines for what should be communicated, when and how often.
Join this interactive discussion where we’ll explore the four pillars of donor relations – stewardship, acknowledgment, recognition, and engagement – all through the art of communications. Discover and share strategies, tools, and best practices for improving and strengthening donor relationships, while also discussing strategies for lifetime retaining and engagement.
9:00 am: Registration
9:30 am – 9:45 am: Welcoming remarks
9:45 am – 11:00 am: Keynote
11:00 am – 11:15 am: Break
11:15 am – 12:30 pm: Plenary session
12:30 pm – 1:15 pm: Lunch and Networking
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm: Breakout sessions
2:15 pm – 3:15: Breakout sessions
3:15: Closing
Questions? Contact Micaela Cameron.
