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My Summer With DAR: Rachel Jordan

by Rachel Jordan

This summer I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work for the Development and Alumni Relations division at the University of Georgia as one of their development interns. As a public relations student at UGA, I’ve worked as one of the board of directors for the Mentor Program, as well as with other student organizations, alumni and staff. Because of my involvement, I was able to find out about the DAR internship. However, before starting this internship I didn’t know what DAR was, nor did I have an understanding of philanthropy within higher education; however, almost eight weeks later, I’ve learned the many ways philanthropy and fundraising advance our academics, scholarships, study abroad programs and more through shadowing the majority of the different segments that make up DAR. Not only that, but I’ve met with development teams from other schools and colleges within UGA. For the past eight weeks, I’ve completed tasks such as: 

  • Completed outreach for Annual Giving at the end of the fiscal year through emails and phone calls for Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Third Pillar donors and the Engagement Center. 
  • Developed briefings for Parent Giving New Parent and Student Welcome Events and also attended two events over the summer.
  • Participated in a research exercise with DARCOMM to understand leveraging different angles for potential stories related to alumni, students and donors at UGA. 
  • Worked in GAIL to mark vacancy plans historical for Research and Prospect Management. 

The internship has been structured through the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), a global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement, where I’ve sat in on various webinars and intern huddles with other professionals and CASE interns across the nation. I also had the privilege to attend the CASE Conference in Washington, D.C. to meet other interns and development professionals from other institutions such as Notre Dame, Georgia Institute of Technology, Yale University, Princeton University, Oregon State University and many more. At the conference, I heard from people who have worked in advancement for years as they shared their experience in development, their career paths and their passion for philanthropy. I also heard from talent recruiters, the Co-Founder of HigherEdJobs, and the CEO of CASE in a panel where they shared their experiences and the future of advancement. 

Concluding the internship, there are some key takeaways I’ve developed during this experience. One takeaway is that alumni will give to causes they care about. Within higher education, this is called affinity. Does an alumni have an affinity to the institution, to the study abroad they participated in, to providing financial help to students, etc.? Another key takeaway is that there’s more that goes on behind the scenes than education in the classroom. There’s around 300 employees in DAR who work to strive to advance the academics, resources and experiences for students on campus. I had no idea how much that goes into philanthropy within UGA until I was able to have an understanding of all the teams within the division, from Advancement IT all the way up to learning about the Office of Business Engagement. My last key takeaway is that a positive work environment is essential in careers. Everyone in the Development and Alumni Relations office has been incredibly welcoming to me and the other development intern, Nikhilesh. We’ve both felt continuous support and encouragement during our time here. It’s made me understand how important it is to have coworkers and bosses who support you and make your job fun! 

Thank you to everyone at the Development and Alumni Relations office at the University of Georgia! Each department has given me a deeper appreciation for philanthropy and development, but also this incredible institution. 

Go Dawgs!

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My Summer With DAR: Nikhilesh Gujjula

by Nikhilesh Gujjula

As a student pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems (MIS), I’ve come to appreciate the intersection of technology, data management and organizational efficiency. Through my academic journey, I was able to obtain valuable theoretical knowledge. I’ve also sought practical experiences which further develop my skills and allow me to apply my theoretical knowledge to the real world. One such enriching experience has been my internship in college fundraising, where I’ve discovered numerous connections between MIS principles and nonprofit development.

Through my MIS classes, we learn the importance of data as an asset. During my internship, I’ve witnessed firsthand how UGA is able to efficiently utilize donor databases such as GAIL to personalize outreach efforts as well as forecast donation trends. From learning about CRM systems to implementing online donation portals, I’ve gained invaluable insights into leveraging technology to achieve strategic fundraising objectives. This experience has deepened my appreciation for data-driven decision-making and sharpened my skills in managing and analyzing information. 

Through my experiences with the Annual Giving team, I worked on researching prospective donors on GAIL and providing personalized outreach with emails and phone calls. This allowed me to further develop my organizational skills and especially cold calling which allowed me to hone my confidence. My time with the Parent Giving team also helped me become familiar with GAIL through adding interactions with prospective donors. During my first week as a development intern, I shadowed Mrs. Courtney Ayers who did an outstanding job showing us how to talk to donors and ways to build strong relationships with them. Through this experience I was able to get my first taste of talking to donors and how important it is to have patience. My experiences with the Office of Business Engagement (OBE), under the guidance of Mrs. Stacy Sanford, led me to understand the integral role that corporations play in enhancing educational opportunities for students. This includes funding for internships, co-op programs, and research projects that integrate academic learning with practical industry experience. Such initiatives help students develop relevant skills, expand their networks, and increase their employability upon graduation.

Under the guidance of Mr. Jeff Garmon, Mr. Greg Harmelink, and the rest of the Advancement IT Services team, I was able to gain an understanding into how IT plays a crucial role in making sure systems run properly and efficiently, especially with as large a database as GAIL. Their ability to provide security and analyze data using programs such as Tableau and Qlik were inspiring to learn about. Through Research & Prospect Management, under the guidance of Mrs. Nedra Newton-Jones, Mrs. Danielle Free, and their team, I was able to gain a fundamental understanding of how this team collaborates with fundraisers, and makes sure prospects and donors receive the greatest possible experience. They are able to achieve this through extensive data mining, information sharing and optimization of fundraiser activity with donors and prospects. Through DARCOMM, under the guidance of Mrs. Lacey Creech, I was able to learn about the importance of telling a story as well as efficient ways to market to students and donors alike. I genuinely enjoyed working with this team.

Some things that I would want the DAR interns next year to pick up on would be to be intentional and network with all the employees. I believe that building strong and genuine relationships is key to a healthy workplace environment. An example being when the other intern Rachel and I went to Atlanta with Mr. Adam Roell for the 1961 Club, we were able to ask him a lot of questions on the ride there. I don’t think I have ever had such a touching experience with a coworker. He had gone through so much and I was truly inspired by his story. I learned that being smart doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have a work ethic. Adam said something that has been bouncing around in my head ever since, “You can be smarter than me but I bet that I will be the hardest working person there. As long as I can do that, that is all that matters to me.” He is one of the most genuine people I have ever met and I am so grateful to have met him. I think DAR interns should definitely be intentional with work relationships because you have no idea the opportunities and lessons they can teach you. 

In conclusion, this internship as an MIS student has been enriched by practical experiences that connect theory with real-world application. I was able to learn how technology and data management optimize organizational efficiency and strategic fundraising efforts. These experiences deepened my understanding of data-driven decision-making and strengthened my skills in donor outreach as well as data analysis. Moving forward, I look forward to leveraging these insights to contribute effectively in both academic and professional contexts.

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Engaging Students in the Summer

by Drew Flaherty

Summertime is a quiet season for Athens, Georgia. Don’t let the empty streets fool you! Students are still engaged with UGA, and the calmness of campus provides the Student Alumni Council — a group of student volunteers committed to connecting their peers to university traditions, philanthropic opportunities and alumni — the opportunity to reach new students as they begin their journeys at UGA. In this blog, I’ll share our approach to student engagement in the summertime. If you have a resource or story that would resonate with students during the summer, let’s connect!

At any given time, we have roughly 22,000 students to connect with. Most second- and third-year students likely met SAC at Freshman Welcome or one of their subsequent Founders Day celebrations. Each year, roughly 7,500 of those students are preparing for graduation and life after the Arch as alumni.

The incoming class of first-year and transfer students adds over 6,000 new students to our engagement pipeline. Students from across the state, country and globe are all visiting campus for New Student Orientations and counting down the days until move-in. They bring a fresh perspective to campus as they explore what UGA has to offer and what they can gain as a student. The excitement that these students bring allows SAC to capitalize on their potential. In partnership with New Student Orientation, SAC connects with new students several times throughout the summer.

DIGITAL & PHYSICAL MARKETING

UGA’s campus and buildings are beautiful backdrops for engaging signage! Thanks to the creative work of DARCOMM, we’re able to connect with students that are on campus this summer through yard signs, digital screens and more. These marketing materials drive students to the SAC Instagram, where we rotate through first-year resources, DAR education and spirited content.

CAMPUS PRESENTATIONS

You might remember the lecture portion of Orientation, where various campus teams present important information on resources available to UGA students. Large audiences fill Tate Grand Hall for the summer presentation, but SAC members are there to bring the spirit. During this time, our office presents various university traditions. The crowd is educated on UGA icons, like the Arch, as well as a few of the common athletic cheers. All of this prepares students for their first time as a student in Sanford Stadium at Freshman Welcome.

FOURTH QUARTER

SAC finishes the drill during orientation at Fourth Quarter. This is an opportunity for students to attend Ramsey for a night of community building. Organizations greet students with additional resources and games, highlighting that life at the UGA is about learning and getting involved on campus.

There is no replacing the energy of a UGA campus in full swing. However, as we capitalize on the summer months by targeting our newest Bulldogs, there is something magical about focusing on the Dawgs that have made it here for the first time. SAC is proud to represent Development and Alumni Relations and share the incredible opportunities that come with being a Georgia Bulldog.

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