ERIC Number: EJ927348
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Sep
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0748-478X
EISSN: N/A
Untapped Resources
Lambert, Matthew T.; Foley, Timothy J.
CURRENTS, v35 n7 p36-39 Sep 2009
This article discusses Georgetown University's Discovery Initiative, an advancement program in which students and recent graduates meet with alumni who are not currently involved with the Washington, D.C., university. Currently, the Discovery team consists of 50 students who conduct interviews in the Washington, D.C., area during the school year and in their hometowns during breaks. Some also interview alumni while studying abroad. In addition to the student ambassadors, two recent-graduate ambassadors work full-time for the initiative and complete more than 500 visits each year. All ambassadors meet with alumni who graduated from Georgetown at least five years ago and have a limited record of recent engagement with the university. Some alumni have approached the visit as an opportunity to reconnect with Georgetown, some to voice their opinion on the university's future, and some to simply meet a young person who is in the shoes they once wore. For many alumni, the visit is an emotional and even cathartic experience that begins to alter their perceptions of the university. The Discovery visit is only the first step in what Georgetown hopes is more significant engagement with its alumni. The Discovery team documents each alumnus and alumna's interests, talents, and capacities to help the university and then works with the alumni relations, development, and communications teams--as well as academic departments and university centers--to build prospect pipelines and volunteer support. Some alumni might be able to help the university by increasing their philanthropic support, while others might be able to speak to a class or hire current students for internships.
Descriptors: Alumni, College Students, College Graduates, Interviews, Financial Support, Clubs, Donors, Fund Raising, Private Financial Support
Council for Advancement and Support of Education. 1307 New York Avenue NW Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-328-2273; e-mail: memberservicecenter@case.org; Web site: http://www.case.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: District of Columbia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A