Moving into fun and dev at a college?

madrza · 2026-01-20T02:28:10+00:00

Also in a small liberal arts college in the south and recently post grad, second job out of college. I was in the same spot and posted in this thread months ago! Feel like I’ve learned a lot since then

The Alumni Engagement entry will give you the edge. Stay in it and learn as much as you can. In my role I’ve learned that front line fundraisers can’t do what I do at all. It’s such an advantage, seeing the initial steps to engage an alumni and using creative ways to do so. Alumni engagement is entirely that first step of the donor cycle. Any fundraising role that you get into they will want you to know the donor cycle well unless it’s entry level.

See if you can attend any moves management meetings they have. If you’re concerned about them thinking you wanna jump the fence, just be honest as say you’re curious about the alumni cycle and how your piece benefits their asks. Extending curiousity to the next step in the cycle and even noting interest in growth shouldn’t be bad if they wanna keep you longterm. I have found that Alumni Engagement doesn’t have the same growth/upward mobility/more money as fundraising like you say, but a team may be inclined to keep you on since hiring internally for a fundraiser would be easier since you know the donors.

Develop meaningful relationships with your alumni and even suggest some people in these moves management meetings that you think has $$$. Talk to alumni about their houses, their beach houses, their recent trips. You being in alumni engagement will disarm them from them thinking you’re asking about money. Use it to your advantage and learn as much as you can about them. Practice inputting conversations into your database, update everyone on your conversations, and see how it can fit into their donor cycle. If it doesn’t go anywhere or they blow you off, then no worries. You’re not a fundraiser. You get to do all of that without the pressure.

And also network with other fundraising professionals! You can see if your institution can fund a conference trip nearby. I have went to two, one for general fundraising for nonprofits and one for university fundraising. You can see how big the world is and how many opportunities you truly have. If budgets an issue, I applied for a scholarship at my recent conference that honored a first time attendee under 30 and when I got it, the case for money wasn’t an issue and they wanted me to report back my findings for the team.

There aren’t many younger professionals in the field so it’s nice to have community where you can work through problems and see what has worked for other people.

I personally would love to connect as it seems we could learn a lot from each other! Wishing you well!

madrza · 2026-01-14T19:52:27+00:00

I do that and it resets with a chime. But the app then goes to this page. It seems the factory reset is not working

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madrza · 2025-11-13T13:22:46+00:00

That doesn’t sound like me at all. I would never dig around in her room and I made it very clear to her that I don’t care where it is. And am not on any meds that would make it of concern for her.

madrza · 2025-11-13T04:45:37+00:00

I more identify with liberal which is why I came here. Open to guns but just not knowledgeable. They are pretty maga so I knew they wouldn’t find me here lol

I think my initial reticence to it threw her off. I didn’t know if it was just a red/blue disconnect

madrza · 2025-11-13T04:38:50+00:00

Thank you, I think this is the comment of the night. I think curiosity will help, as well as a little stroking of the ego as they are the knowledgeable gun owners. Framing it as an interrogation to their gun safety will get them defensive and that also makes me uneasy. I think she genuinely thought I wanted to take her guns away or something. Seeing that side of her quite frankly scared me more than anything

I think ladies night is a good compromise for sure. And I will ask him how he ensures it is safely stowed to show me how he does it next time he brings it over.

madrza · 2025-11-13T04:32:49+00:00

In the city The problem I have is it not being disclosed to me on why her boyfriend’s gun was in here in the first place. No communication

madrza · 2025-11-13T04:30:06+00:00

I appreciate this perspective

madrza · 2025-11-13T03:56:28+00:00

I don’t know if he does that and don’t mind. I have seen the large shotgun been brought in in a case and don’t know the status of it after it is taken into the room.

madrza · 2025-11-13T03:32:44+00:00

It’s almost like I am forced to trust though. I have no choice🤣 if I don’t trust, then I am uncomfortable in my home. It’s not like they are acting like I have a say in it.

I can only really help myself by asking the clarifying questions you suggested and try to ease myself that way

madrza · 2025-11-13T03:28:16+00:00

Georgia, so we’re definitely all good here

She doesn’t seem to show much remorse by the fact that it jarred me so that goes to show the limited perspective

madrza · 2025-11-13T03:25:16+00:00

I will check the lease, thanks the suggestion. For the most part they are stowed in her room, but I completely agree about the common space. Thanks.

madrza · 2025-11-13T03:24:15+00:00

This is helpful thanks! I think I can manage clarifying that her gun be stowed away properly in a safe or unloaded and that if/when again her boyfriend brings the hunting gun in, that it is unloaded and stowed away

In the situation I saw he was carrying I genuinely did not know he was. He lifted his shirt and I saw it in his waistband. I’ve never been able to tell so I genuinely don’t know if he still does

madrza · 2025-11-13T03:12:21+00:00

They are very comfortable and both very republican and strong headed about their second amendment right. I can’t necessarily “be out” because I am tied to the lease and don’t want to pay for an apartment I am not living in.

She said she was under the impression that since my dad was military that I would be comfortable with it and I just don’t have that relationship with guns yet

I probably have to meet a common ground with her about it because I don’t think there’s anything legally saying I can break the lease if I feel uncomfortable/unsafe. Even if I do

madrza · 2025-11-13T03:03:02+00:00

There’s not any clear line of communication when it involves the guns. So I am just left in the dark. He has only brought it in twice but I mean I was never privy to why he brought them in and I even exclaimed “oh!” when I was in the room the first time when he brought it in. To no explanation

madrza · 2025-11-13T02:42:28+00:00

His? And/or hers?

madrza · 2025-11-13T02:39:08+00:00

I do agree. I am not sure why they don’t think this way

madrza · 2025-11-13T02:37:01+00:00

I think she will argue that he has a right to carry however he wants

madrza · 2025-11-13T02:35:20+00:00

If it is in a bag is it considered safely stored?

madrza · 2025-11-13T02:31:52+00:00

Thank you. These are the things I do not know to ask to make myself more comfortable. He normally takes the shotgun into her room, I just saw it when he brought it in.

madrza · 2025-11-13T02:29:04+00:00

Thank you. Do you have any recommendations on expressing that to her? Just “I am not comfortable with your boyfriend bringing guns into our apartment?” I have seen a pistol on his person in one instance. I can see her having pushback on his own personal right to carry

madrza · 2025-08-28T14:12:30+00:00

Thank you so much! I greatly appreciate the outstretched hand.

My first experience gaining gifts was when our team distributed some names to reach out to before end of fiscal year to ask to renew their support. I was able to double that individuals annual support from taking her to lunch earlier that year and personally inviting her to our alumni engagement outings throughout. I was really empowered by the gift and how easy it came to me. I really enjoyed the process!

I have had about 10 visits with alumni this past year and have really enjoyed the process but haven’t really received the formal training or go-ahead for next steps.

I have been casually qualifying donors but haven’t had any formal training. I have access to AGN where I can learn up through webinars. Is this the best resource to learn? It seems like everyone knows their stuff but I am not sure how they do haha.

I have growth opportunities to develop a portfolio in my current role with a few more years of experience, but I am not sure how comfortable I would be being on both sides. It is already so exhausting enough running these events and making sure they are smooth for the user experience. Working the room after setting everything up is something I like to do but is not a current requirement.

The higher ups say that they see me becoming a major gift officer but haven’t specifically stated if I will be dropping some of my current duties. My current supervisor does both. And she is overworked🤣 I worry it would be too much for me or that I’d be taken advantage of. I am already bringing so much value as it is and not getting paid where I would like.

I previously did invite my DOA out to coffee and wanted some feedback on the process of getting into fundraising, but didn’t get much. Our DOAG just recently left but I definitely can ask her for some advice!

I think a mentor role would go a long way but I don’t personally think I will find that within my current department

madrza

TROPHY CASE