We Make Each Other Better
The team surrounding me (virtually or not) motivates me every day. We need each other now more than ever. Innovation and collaboration set us apart from our peers, and I’m so proud of our ability to pivot our programming without losing sight of our bigger goals.
As I said during the recent development meeting, our goal is to maintain our three-year rolling average of raising $200 million. It is attainable. If we work together, I know we can do it.
It’s a privilege to come to work each day with the SIC ´EM principles in mind. We look around at our teammates and we understand the value of being part of something that is bigger than ourselves. We make each other better, and I look forward to seeing you all at the division meeting on Monday (11/16).
As always, thank you for all that you do!
SIC ‘EM,
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the UGA Foundation
Learn from Experts Down the Hall
Continue sending your DAR site blog posts to any DARCOMM communications team member!
Scaling Student Reach Through eLC Modules
To help integrate career development into the classroom, the UGA Career Center provides modules that faculty and instructors can request for eLC courses. Each module presents online resources, informational videos, and potential action items in self-paced checklists on the following topics: Career Center Overview, Resumes and Cover Letters, Be More Than Your Major, Navigating the Job and Internship Search, Interviewing, Career Fair Prep, and Find a UGA Alumni Mentor. So far this semester, 29 faculty members have requested the modules for 50+ course sections in 19 departments. This means ~2,000 students could potentially be learning more about their career development options within the classroom.
New Alumni Chapter Scholarship
Over the last 3.5 years, members of the Regional Team have worked with various alumni chapters to establish Alumni Chapter Scholarships. These efforts seek to foster a culture of philanthropy among local alumni and donors in addition to providing a scholarship to an incoming first-year student. The most recent chapter to pursue an Alumni Chapters Scholarship is St. Simons/Golden Isles. Thanks to Jeremy Ransom and Rob Carrico for identifying an alumnus willing to launch the effort with a leadership gift. Matt Mize will work with other alumni to fully endow the scholarship. Thanks to Sarah Sonenberg and Ally Howard for their partnership in this effort.
UGA Engagement Center Success
The UGA Engagement Center video messaging efforts have been well-received. In October, the 1,872 videos distributed enjoyed an impressive open rate of 45%. 339 individuals watched at least half of the video and 65% of those viewed the entire message. The Atlanta and Athens markets had the most views with 53% watching on a mobile device. Donors shared kind comments like, “That was awesome … thank you. Keep up the good work and best wishes to the Bulldog Nation!”
Student Involvement in Beat Week Led by Student Alumni Council
Last month’s Beat Week would not have been successful without the phenomenal support of the SAC and their in-person and virtual programs to rally school spirit. Monday was the kick-off celebration, followed by Trivia Tuesday on Instagram, a virtual banner competition on Wednesday, Red Out Day on Thursday, and wrapping up with a T-shirt and Chick-fil-A giveaway on Friday. More than 500 donations from students contributed to UGA’s win. It was a great week to beat Auburn on and off the field!
UGA Libraries Event Has Worldwide Appeal
Artist Keith Bennett discussed his home movie collection, housed in the Brown Media Archives. Bennett's collection features several videos of the B-52's performing in the 1970s and 1980s, as he is married to vocalist Cindy Wilson. This well "attended" virtual event had people signing in from across the U.S. as well as Denmark, France, UK, Canada, and Brazil. Per Facebook, (where the event was livestreamed), 14,493 people were reached with 3,300 engagements.
Recap: Fall PLC Night
Over 70 families heard from university representatives, PLC leadership, and PLC grant recipient Briana Hayes during this virtual event. Immediately after the event, attendees were invited to socialize with other families in breakout rooms. Thanks to everyone who made the event a success!
October Commencement
Congrats to all involved, especially the Office of Special Events, for a successful Oct. 16 Commencement ceremony for May 2020 undergraduates. Get a sense of the spirit of this event by watching this short recap video by MARCOMM.
Dawgs in Space
The UGA Spectral Ocean Color Satellite (SPOC) was successfully deployed into orbit on November 5th at 4:05 AM ET. Now the satellite’s research mission begins! Watch the footage.
Upcoming Development and Division Meetings
Division Meeting
November 16 | 10 AM
Register
This meeting will cover Sic 'Em awards, post-campaign messaging and a look ahead to the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Desegregation.
RPM Refreshers – Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
Join us using Zoom to discuss topics like the new RPM Snapshot, FY21 Metrics, quarterly agenda items, contact reports, virtual meetings and more. Questions? Contact Dajana Guerrero.
Collaboration Station
Twice a month, colleagues present 90-second “commercials” to share fundraising priorities and opportunities for collaboration. Watch Grady’s presentation with passcode 5azd%wQ0 and Warnell’s with passcode zY#Ymq7d.
Coming Up …
Friday Mornings | 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Zoom Meeting ID: 979 2321 3764 | Passcode: 929938
- Nov. 20 (90 mins) – PSO and State Botanical Garden of Georgia
- Dec. 4 – Terry College of Business
- Dec. 18 – College of Veterinary Medicine
Registration is not required. The same Zoom Link is used for each meeting. All sessions are recorded for playback.
SPIA Alumni Board Virtual Speaker Series with AJC Political Insiders
Nov. 18 | Noon
Register
A post-election panel with AJC Political Insiders Jim Galloway (ABJ '77), Tia Mitchell, and Greg Bluestein (ABJ '04, AB '04), moderated by Audrey Haynes (ABJ '87, MA '91), Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor and Associate Professor of Political Science. Contact Laura Bayne for info.
Monumental Discussion with Sheffield Hale (AB ’82)
Nov. 18 | 7 p.m.
Register
Join the Atlanta Alumni Chapter for a conversation with Sheffield Hale (BA ’82), president and CEO of the Atlanta History Center. Sheffield will lead an educational discussion on historical facts and context around monuments, historic markers, and the meaning behind them. The virtual event will be moderated by Dr. Bennett-Alexander. Contact Ally Howard for info.
Between Two Hedges
Nov. 19 | 7 p.m.
Register
This interview-style professional development program, presented by the Young Alumni Leadership Council, will feature Mia Jackson (AB ’00), an Atlanta-based comedian who has opened for Amy Schumer, taped specials for EPIX and Comedy Central, and was a semi-finalist on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” Chuck Bryant (AB ’95) will interview this outstanding alumna. Questions? Contact Luke Massee.
Homecoming Activities for Alumni
The Dawgs will take on Miss. State in this year’s Homecoming game. The School of Law is hosting "Homecoming at Home" (contact Alex Perry) and the Black Alumni Leadership Council is taking its annual tailgate virtual with a pre-game program and more (contact Realenn Watters).
Between the Pages with Chuck Bryant (AB ’95)
Dec. 2 | 7 p.m.
Register
The next Between the Pages virtual book club discussion will focus on Stuff You Should Know: An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things by Josh Clark (M '99) and Chuck Bryant (AB '95). Details will be posted to alumni.uga.edu/btp as they are finalized. Qs? Email Sarah Sonenberg.
Cookies & Cocoa with Hairy Dawg
Dec. 6 | 2 p.m.
Register
This annual Women of UGA event is going virtual with kid- and family-focused activities over Zoom. Registration and purchase of a ‘Cookies & Cocoa Kit’ are required, although the kit is not needed to enjoy the event. A portion of each purchase will support the Women of UGA Scholarship Fund. Email Luke Massee for info.
Save the Date: 2021 Alumni Leadership Assembly
Feb. 26
This virtual conference will take place online; details to come. Contact Sarah Sonenberg for info.
John H. "Johnny" Isakson Chair in Parkinson's Research Nears Goal
The final push is on as $4,205,000 has been raised towards the initial goal of $4.5 million for this chair. Learn more about how you and your donors can help.
Engagement Around Football Continues
As the season progresses, new opportunities for alumni to connect are rolled out, including mask sales to benefit the student emergency fund, personal fan cutouts for the UGA-Miss St. game, virtual events with members of the 1980 national championship team, school/college virtual events and more! Sending your target audiences to alumni.uga.edu/football will ensure they're in the know.
New Best Practices for Virtual Engagements Document
Check out this helpful PDF developed by DAR’s Innovation Committee.
UGA to Hold Virtual Fall Commencement
The fall 2020 Commencement ceremonies, previously scheduled for Dec. 18, will be held virtually. A celebratory gift will be mailed to each graduate. Email Lindsey Copus for info.
Professional Development Resources
Budget cuts may have reduced funds for professional development, but that doesn’t mean you are without resources. Most (if not all) TED Talks can be viewed for free on YouTube and free access to LinkedIn Learning is a perk of working at UGA. (Log in with your uga.edu email address, even if you typically use a personal address to login to LinkedIn.)
Next Round of Remote Learning Circles Coming Soon
Registration for Remote Learning Circles will open in early December. Questions? Contact Kathryn Kay.
UGA Mentor Program Continues to Grow
These numbers reflect totals as of late October:
- 2,578 alumni mentors
- 640 first generation alumni
- 352 transfer student alumni
- 2,517 student mentees
- 581 active mentoring relationships (2,008 mentoring relationships since the August 2019 launch)
Mentees and mentors can make quick connections through a new feature on the UGA Mentor Program platform. Students may request brief 15-30-minute Informational Interviews with participating mentors. This provides additional opportunities to connect beyond the standard 16-week mentoring relationship. Questions? Contact Jeremy Daniel.
Alumni Career Services Virtual Bootcamp Has Unprecedented Success
183 alumni signed up to participate in Alumni Job Search Boot Camp this fall. One attendee happily reported gaining a new job, saying, “This course forced me to be proactive in my job search and gave me invaluable tools and templates to grow my network and conduct informational interviews.” The next bootcamp is scheduled for January. Contact Kali Dewald for info.
Fall 2020 Dawgs Suit Up Scholarship Summary
This Career Center initiative supports students who cannot afford to purchase professional business attire. This fall, 347 Suit Up Scholarships were awarded, totaling $69,400.
Career Fair Updates
In the past three months, the UGA Career Center hosted seven virtual career fairs for 2,950 student and alumni attendees and 600 employers. These included the Part-Time Job and Internship Fair, Accounting Career Fair, Fall Career and Internship Fair, Engineering and Computer Science Career and Internship Fair, Food, Agricultural, Environmental and Sciences Career and Internship Fair, Marketing Networking Night, and a Graduate School Information Day. Career fairs and employer engagement opportunities will continue in a virtual capacity through the spring semester.
Introducing the DAR Support Site
A team of DAR staff has launched a new DAR Support website. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the effort and provided documents, including various computer-, printer-, and network-related issues, tips for managing your email client and office telephone, onboarding new staff, how to prepare and send specialized ThankView videos—and the list goes on. Bookmark this site as a resource anytime you need assistance, including times when the offices are closed for weekends, holidays, etc.
FundRaiser On the Go (FROG) Recap
We would like to remind our devoted fundraisers about the GAIL tool called FROG. This handy tool allows you to speak interactions into the system, manage your prospect lists on the go, and much more. View this short video to set up Cisco AnyConnect on your mobile device, basic FROG features, and other helpful information.
Annual Giving Analytics
This new tool allows you to analyze annual giving gift totals and conduct year over year comparisons, directly within GAIL. Watch this video to learn more about using these reports and filters.
Bulldog Masks for a Cause
Annual Giving is partnering with the UGA Bookstore to sell a pair of exclusive UGA face coverings. Each purchase includes a $10 donation to the UGA Student Emergency Fund. Get yours and encourage other Bulldogs to do the same.
2021 Senior Signature Kicks Off
The Class of 2021 Senior Signature campaign kicked off Nov. 12 with a socially distanced event in Tate Plaza. This year, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Senior Signature with graduating students asked to make a gift of $30. All donors are recognized on the Class of 2021 Senior Signature plaque. The campaign ends March 31
Donor Relations and Stewardship
Thanksgiving Stewardship Plans
Later this month, Donor Relations and Stewardship will thank sets of donors with the team’s trademark Thanksgiving video and a card that features Herty Fountain. The video will compile thank-you messages to donors from many recognizable friends of UGA.
Gearing Up for Year’s End
GEP recently mailed its fall solicitation and the supporting digital ad campaign is in full swing with a follow-up email coming soon. Several emails are being sent out for the year end—an IRA rollover solicitation, a final CARES Act email, and a post-election economic impact email. Question? Contact Megan Powell.
PLC Grants Program
The Parent Giving team is busy processing grant applications submitted by student organizations and programs across campus. These applications will be disbursed to the PLC Grants Committee prior to Thanksgiving, and Committee members will have about two months to review and score applications. In February, the Grants Committee will meet virtually to cast final votes for funding. Contact Kate Lovin for info.
Departmental MyID Verification and Cleanup
UGA is conducting annual verification and cleanup of departmental MyID accounts (accounts created for departments, colleges and units to establish a central email address or for running automated processes—like askit@uga.edu or gifts@uga.edu). If you are the owner of such an account and received a request to verify the MyID use, please complete that verification before Nov. 24.
Keeping It Real - How To Be Authentic With Your Video
As much as we would love to produce amazing videos for every need that arises, sometimes the answer is to just keep it simple. Never underestimate the power of authenticity to connect with your audience. Learn more.
Mary Frances Early College of Education
You Win Some; You Lose Some!
The Mary Frances Early College of Education participated in a spirited Beat Week against Florida. Unfortunately, the final score was EduDawgs: 266 and EduGators: 278. We are incredibly thankful to all of our donors! Between the two colleges of education, 544 donors gave nearly $21,000 in support of student scholarships and programming. As you can see, the students are the real winners here!
Public Service and Outreach
New Donor-funded Freezers Expand Campus Kitchen Capacity by 30%
The Office of Service-Learning launched a GeorgiaFunder campaign to raise money to provide Campus Kitchen with resources it needed. It was such a great success, OSL was able to buy two freezers and provide financial support for meals and distribution.
- Shea Landers, Senior Budget Analyst in Finance and Human Resources – After 34+ years of service, Shea is retiring at the end of November. We applaud her contributions and wish her well in this new chapter!
Do you have information that you'd like included in the December or January edition of the Pulse? Send it to Emily Munnell.
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