Reply To: Fundraising for Graduate Education: Wed, May 28, Ask An Expert w/ Michele Siegal

Thanks for your question. A volunteer board can be a great way to engage alumni and prospects. Before launching a board, consider the following: 1) Do you and your staff have time to manage and host 1-2 robust meetings each year? 2) What role will the members play, and how can you demonstrate the impact of their participation? Often, volunteers want to provide insights on curriculum, admissions, etc., which are likely areas where involving them will be problematic. 3) If you want to raise money by establishing a board, could you do it without engaging a prospect on a board?
Rackham has gone through a few iterations of volunteer boards. We have landed on the “Professional Alumni Council,” which brings together alumni with doctorates and research-based master’s degrees who work outside of academia. These alumni tend to have better giving capacity than those who work in higher Education. The purpose is to provide outside insights to the graduate school that cannot be learned from the campus community. It is future-focused and taps into the expertise of the alumni.
I recommend creating a “job description,” including membership requirements (one is giving) and setting term limits. We invited campus colleagues to nominate alumni to join, which also helps build relationships. I am happy to provide more information and details.