This study examined characteristics, structure, communication, and donor behavior related to young alumni at top research institutions with a specific focus on young alumni donor behavior at institutions with or without dedicated young alumni programs. The purpose of this study was for institutions to learn from peers and determine if a dedicated…

Higher education institutions are increasingly relying on funding from the private sector (Council for Aid to Education, 2013) as state funding to higher education has decreased in recent years. Bridging the gap between university financial needs and available funding has become a high priority. In the process, higher education institutions have…

The purpose of this mixed method study was to explore the philanthropic giving behaviors of international alumni to a state public university (University of Kansas) once they graduated from the university. The primary data sample consists of degree holders from 2006 to 2015 who attended the University of Kansas as an international student…

Institutions of higher education are partially funded by philanthropic gifts to support various initiatives on campus ranging from student scholarships, specific programmatic needs, construction, and everything in between. As Generation Z becomes the predominant generational cohort graduating from colleges and universities, advancement teams must…

This research study sought to better understand what motivates and influences young alumni to engage with their alma mater. For many development and alumni relations departments, alumni have become a source of private funding to assist in the decreased burden of tuition and the cost of attending college. Frequently, alumni who are reached out to…

Higher education, like most charitable organizations, is dependent on alumni funding as donors pour a tremendous amount of dollars into these organizations. However, the nature of donor involvement in higher education institutions has evolved over the last four centuries. The generational change of the donor base from the Boomers to the…

School-community partnerships enhance school districts' capacity to provide effective educational services to their students. In under-resourced schools - such as small-to-mid-sized urban school districts - these partnerships play a crucial role, as resource limitations often inhibit the availability of services traditionally provided by public…

While Americans gave $471 billion to nonprofits in 2020, according to Giving USA, little is understood about the factors that contribute to the learning of philanthropy. The study's purpose was to examine how donors to institutions of higher education (IHE) acquire a philanthropic disposition, by asking the following research question: How do…

This study sought to find statistical evidence that could assist educational leaders of HBCUs to better understand the motivation of their donors in an effort to better procure resources to advance their historic missions by exploring the alumni-giving decision model (Beamon, 2017; Sun, Hoffman, & Grady, 2007) at a particular southern HBCU.…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the influence of private contributions from education foundations in public education. This study included an analysis of archival data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Texas Education Agency (TEA), and organizational websites from a purposeful sample of 256 Texas school districts…

Previous research has indicated that alumnx of color are more likely to philanthropically support their alma mater through volunteering and advocacy. However, little research has been done to understand philanthropic behaviors among alumnx of color. Using social constructivist theory, impact philanthropy theory, and social exchange theory, this…

Alumni's engagement and contributions are mission-critical to a university. Alumni's role can be both financial as well as engagement in promoting and supporting the university's vision, mission, and operations. In the case of HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), alumni members also play a significant key role in communicating the…

Diversity of cultural expressions is part of the foundation of humanity and bears crucial implications for international stability and development. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines cultural diversity both as the collective ways that cultural heritage is expressed and as the creative productions…

This dissertation examined the influence of the higher education environment and an individual's identity and self-authorship on their decision to engage in charitable activity as a traditional first-year student in a higher education institution. The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivational factors of traditional students who…

Colleges and universities across the nation rely heavily on donations from private individuals, especially with the decline in government funding, to supplement operational budgets and support student financial aid. The purpose of this study is to determine if the (a) age, (b) gender, (c) race/ethnicity, (d) marital status, (e) academic…