Alumni Relations Meeting Request...Anybody ever do it?

[Whaaaaaaaany]

I got this email today. Anybody ever get this request and actually do one of these? Was it beneficial in any way?

Hello Mr. XXX,


Greetings from Happy Valley! My name is Loretta and I represent Penn State University in Development and Alumni Relations. My goal is to meet with alumni, parents and friends of the University to learn a little more about them and talk about their Penn State experiences.


I will be traveling to Allegheny County and the surrounding area next month from Monday, December 5th till Friday, December 9th.I would like to have the opportunity to learn about you and your Penn State interests and experiences over coffee/tea or a bite to eat and thank you for your continuous support of Penn State. These meetings serve as a great way for us to discuss all things Penn State and will update you on news around the institution. Please let me know what day works best for you schedule and a time that is most preferable.

You, as a proud Penn State supporter, are important to this institution’s current and future success. I will follow up with you to make sure we connect and look forward to hearing from you soon to talk about Penn State!


WE ARE!


Loretta Zeth Welsh

Assistant Director

Annual Leadership Gifts

The Pennsylvania State University


18 Old Main

University Park, PA 16802

 

[Lionguy32]

Yes. I met a guy representing the Smeal College of Business last year. I thought he would be pressuring me for a larger donation, but that wasn't the case at all. He was just trying to build a relationship and talk about some of the networking programs for alumni. We met at a coffee shop and talked PSU for 45 minutes. I guess you can say talking PSU and getting updates on the school were the benefits.

 

[Art]

I got this email today. Anybody ever get this request and actually do one of these? Was it beneficial in any way?

Hello Mr. XXX,


Greetings from Happy Valley! My name is Loretta and I represent Penn State University in Development and Alumni Relations. My goal is to meet with alumni, parents and friends of the University to learn a little more about them and talk about their Penn State experiences.


I will be traveling to Allegheny County and the surrounding area next month from Monday, December 5th till Friday, December 9th.I would like to have the opportunity to learn about you and your Penn State interests and experiences over coffee/tea or a bite to eat and thank you for your continuous support of Penn State. These meetings serve as a great way for us to discuss all things Penn State and will update you on news around the institution. Please let me know what day works best for you schedule and a time that is most preferable.

You, as a proud Penn State supporter, are important to this institution’s current and future success. I will follow up with you to make sure we connect and look forward to hearing from you soon to talk about Penn State!


WE ARE!


Loretta Zeth Welsh

Assistant Director

Annual Leadership Gifts

The Pennsylvania State University


18 Old Main

University Park, PA 16802

Someone once gave me what I consider to be good advice: assume that people are right-minded until they prove different. Should you have the time and inclination, agree to meet with Ms. Welsh and see what she has to say. Ya' never know.

Understand, of course, that she eventually is going to hit you up for money, that's her job. If you're not inclined to give, politely tell her why. If that sort of scenario plays out enough times, the message eventually gets back (nasty responses tend to get discounted).

That's my three cents worth.

 

[fairgambit]

I got this email today. Anybody ever get this request and actually do one of these? Was it beneficial in any way?
Hello Mr. XXX,.........
These meetings serve as a great way for us to discuss all things Penn State and will update you on news around the institution. Please let me know what day works best for you schedule and a time that is most preferable.

You, as a proud Penn State supporter, are important to this institution’s current and future success. I will follow up with you to make sure we connect and look forward to hearing from you soon to talk about Penn State!


WE ARE!


Loretta Zeth Welsh

Assistant Director

Annual Leadership Gifts

The Pennsylvania State University


18 Old Main

University Park, PA 16802

Oh my. How I wish I could get one of those. I would very much like to "discuss all things Penn State". I fear that the discussion would be a tad one sided, but I do have a lot to say.

 

[Achowalogan]

MY REPLY....

Hi Loretta -
In addition to your email I also received an email from the new Executive Director of Annual Giving, Jenny Benoit.

Loretta, since you are also a PSU grad, you can take comfort in knowing that I am working very hard to remove a very corrupt group of appointed Penn State Trustees. I am working for YOU, to restore integrity to our university.

Loretta, I am sending you a copy of the note I sent to Jenny Benoit (below). Please follow the instruction that I gave to Jenny and meet with the individuals I've mentioned to collect the money they owe Penn State. After you collect all the required funds from these individuals, send me another email and we'll see about a meeting with you.

Hi Jenny - Welcome to Penn State:

Your first job will be collecting 100's of millions of dollars from the likes of Ira Lubert, Mark Dambly, Keith Masser, John Surma, Karen Peetz, Ken Frazier and their gang of cronies....

AFTER you collect all the money due to OUR university from these scoundrel outsiders, you will then, and only then, be able to lead an annual giving program with integrity....Good Luck...we are glad to have you on board and wish you success in collecting the money due our university."

 

[fairgambit]

MY REPLY....

Hi Loretta -
In addition to your email I also received an email from the new Executive Director of Annual Giving, Jenny Benoit.

Loretta, since you are also a PSU grad, you can take comfort in knowing that I am working very hard to remove a very corrupt group of appointed Penn State Trustees. I am working for YOU, to restore integrity to our university.

Loretta, I am sending you a copy of the note I sent to Jenny Benoit (below). Please follow the instruction that I gave to Jenny and meet with the individuals I've mentioned to collect the money they owe Penn State. After you collect all the required funds from these individuals, send me another email and we'll see about a meeting with you.

Hi Jenny - Welcome to Penn State:

Your first job will be collecting 100's of millions of dollars from the likes of Ira Lubert, Mark Dambly, Keith Masser, John Surma, Karen Peetz, Ken Frazier and their gang of cronies....

AFTER you collect all the money due to OUR university from these scoundrel outsiders, you will then, and only then, be able to lead an annual giving program with integrity....Good Luck...we are glad to have you on board and wish you success in collecting the money due our university."

I like your style Achowalogan.

 

[PSUCRUX11]

I got this email today. Anybody ever get this request and actually do one of these? Was it beneficial in any way?

Hello Mr. XXX,


Greetings from Happy Valley! My name is Loretta and I represent Penn State University in Development and Alumni Relations. My goal is to meet with alumni, parents and friends of the University to learn a little more about them and talk about their Penn State experiences.


I will be traveling to Allegheny County and the surrounding area next month from Monday, December 5th till Friday, December 9th.I would like to have the opportunity to learn about you and your Penn State interests and experiences over coffee/tea or a bite to eat and thank you for your continuous support of Penn State. These meetings serve as a great way for us to discuss all things Penn State and will update you on news around the institution. Please let me know what day works best for you schedule and a time that is most preferable.

You, as a proud Penn State supporter, are important to this institution’s current and future success. I will follow up with you to make sure we connect and look forward to hearing from you soon to talk about Penn State!


WE ARE!


Loretta Zeth Welsh

Assistant Director

Annual Leadership Gifts

The Pennsylvania State University


18 Old Main

University Park, PA 16802

If you haven't already met with Loretta, be prepared to be asked for money. This group's whole purpose is to meet with as many people as possible and ask for a donation of $2500 on their first visit. Once people who have "Development" in their title start calling for meetings, then they will try to establish a relationship with you before asking for money, but that ask is going to be significantly larger (minimum of $25k).

 

[NitNE73]

My Penn State roommate has spent more than 40 years in development at both Ivy schools and private, secondary (prep) schools. He never brings up money when he first approaches alumni. In fact, he has always maintained that he will meet with people several times before that conversation every takes place.

When they make it about the money up front, it is always about the money. Build a relationship first, and the money will follow eventually.

 

[Howie'81]

I got this email today. Anybody ever get this request and actually do one of these? Was it beneficial in any way?

Hello Mr. XXX,


Greetings from Happy Valley! My name is Loretta and I represent Penn State University in Development and Alumni Relations. My goal is to meet with alumni, parents and friends of the University to learn a little more about them and talk about their Penn State experiences.


I will be traveling to Allegheny County and the surrounding area next month from Monday, December 5th till Friday, December 9th.I would like to have the opportunity to learn about you and your Penn State interests and experiences over coffee/tea or a bite to eat and thank you for your continuous support of Penn State. These meetings serve as a great way for us to discuss all things Penn State and will update you on news around the institution. Please let me know what day works best for you schedule and a time that is most preferable.

You, as a proud Penn State supporter, are important to this institution’s current and future success. I will follow up with you to make sure we connect and look forward to hearing from you soon to talk about Penn State!


WE ARE!


Loretta Zeth Welsh

Assistant Director

Annual Leadership Gifts

The Pennsylvania State University


18 Old Main

University Park, PA 16802

I've done it a few times. Nice to chat over a cup of coffee, but it's not really much more than that.

 

[kgilbert78]

I've done it a few times too. Always happy to talk with PSU folks and give them my input. Now if they don't like my input, that's not my problem. But I am always polite. And generally, these are pretty decent folks with a tough job--as a lot of alums are unhappy. But I do think that they don't mind meeting with us as it gives them an opportunity to gauge how the PR efforts at the university are going (or more likely not going). And I like to think as a former alumni chapter leader, my voice might carry some weight--somewhere.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

MY REPLY....

Hi Loretta -
In addition to your email I also received an email from the new Executive Director of Annual Giving, Jenny Benoit.

Loretta, since you are also a PSU grad, you can take comfort in knowing that I am working very hard to remove a very corrupt group of appointed Penn State Trustees. I am working for YOU, to restore integrity to our university.

Loretta, I am sending you a copy of the note I sent to Jenny Benoit (below). Please follow the instruction that I gave to Jenny and meet with the individuals I've mentioned to collect the money they owe Penn State. After you collect all the required funds from these individuals, send me another email and we'll see about a meeting with you.

Hi Jenny - Welcome to Penn State:

Your first job will be collecting 100's of millions of dollars from the likes of Ira Lubert, Mark Dambly, Keith Masser, John Surma, Karen Peetz, Ken Frazier and their gang of cronies....

AFTER you collect all the money due to OUR university from these scoundrel outsiders, you will then, and only then, be able to lead an annual giving program with integrity....Good Luck...we are glad to have you on board and wish you success in collecting the money due our university."

Well played Sir!

 

[PSUCRUX11]

Leadership Annual Giving at Penn State is tasked very differently than the rest of Development. They are Annual Giving, not Major Gifts. Annual Giving means they ask annually and move on. It's done via paper, email, phone, social media, etc. For the "higher" level annual gifts, Penn State and some other universities now send people out to meet with donors. These employees are young and new to the field, it's how they cut their teeth on the whole fundraising thing. At Penn State, these people are required to ask for $2500 during their first meeting. Whether or not it happens, is another thing, but this is the job requirement. Once you are able to give $25k or more, then people will take their time with you.