Perspectives

In her video blog on donor relations and stewardship, Cynthia Woolbright uses an example involving a coffee mug to illustrate “best practices” when it comes to donor relations.

This article was first published July 8, 2014. The Woolbright Group invited Lisa Maizite to share her thoughts with our readers on the subject of forecasting major trends in securing major gifts over the next five to ten years.   "More than ever, the decision to make a philanthropic gift is not just made by an individual, or even a couple, but in many cases, the entire family is involved…

This article was first published January 3, 2015. A conversation with Linda Durant, Senior Vice President, University Advancement, Widener University   A Board of Trustees is the most important group of leaders on any campus. So how do we, as the Advancement team, most effectively engage them, encourage them, and bring them on board prepared to be confident and proactive fundraisers? We asked…

Trish Jackson, Interim Senior Vice President for Development & Alumni Engagement at The New School, introduces a collection of advice from some of the top advancement leaders in the country.

Cynthia Woolbright discusses the Board's role in the development of a successful campaign.

This article was first published December 12, 2012. Dave Nuscher, 
Chief Communications Officer, American Academy of Arts, Cambridge, MA In our day-to-day work, our most notable successes do not come from spending our energy finding more clever ways to solicit our alumni and parents. We are most successful when we are focused on sharing information that our constituents really care about. The…

Cynthia Woolbright discusses the role of the board in the development of the Governance Committee.

This article was first published December 4, 2013. Allyson Goodwin (Northfield Mount Hermon School) spoke with us about best practices for working with Board advancement committees. Interview Transcript Cynthia Woolbright: I want to thank you again for your willingness to talk with us about best practices for the board of trustees and the advancement committee that you have there at Northfield…

This article was first published July 13, 2013 We spoke with Kassandra Gove, Assistant Director of Student and Recent Graduate Programs at BU, and Stephanie McBride who serves on the BU Alumni Council and volunteers with the Recent Graduate Network on the subject of engaging recent grads in alumni programs. Knowing what a challenge this is for almost every alumni program in the country,…

This article was first published July 8, 2014 Our interview with Sandra Butters (Northeastern University) and Kim Gerighty (Groton School) reveals the strategically complex nature of educating parents on the importance of supporting the institution their child has chosen to attend. Interview Transcript Cynthia Woolbright: Thank you very much, Sandy and Kim, for joining us today about parent…

This article was first published January 3, 2015. Interview with Matthew Eynon, Vice President for College Advancement, Franklin & Marshall College   Measuring staff effectiveness may have traditionally been a one-size-fits-all process, but that is beginning to change due to proactive thinking by advancement professionals like Matthew Eynon. Before joining the Advancement team at Franklin &…

By Ivonne Ambrozkiewicz, Director, Human Resources, Neighbor Works America The Woolbright Group asked Ivonne Ambrozkiewicz to speak about talent management, hiring and retention, and the challenges HR managers might face in today’s competitive employment environment. We started the conversation by quoting the Human Resource department at John’s Hopkins University definition of “talent…

To insure adequate resources for an institution, Board members must embrace a variety of responsibilities, from making personal gifts to identifying, cultivating and soliciting private support.

This article was first published January 3, 2015. Thoughts from Sarah McMaster, Director of Marketing & New Media and Brett Moulton, Web & New Media Specialist, Mount Wachusett Community College about incorporating successful social medial strategies into your communications toolbox. Social media is no longer the buzz word du jour. It has successfully transitioned from the shiny new thing into a…

Phil Brach, Assistant Dean, School of Business and Economics, The Catholic University of America, July 2015 While it is understood that American universities and colleges are governed by Boards of Trustees, the purpose and role of the Board of Visitors may not be as well understood. The Woolbright Group spoke with Phil Brach at The Catholic University of America to learn more about the specific…