<p>My son is a uchicago class of 2017 student. We recently received an email about meeting with a regional development officer to talk about parents’ involvement in the uofc community. Has anyone else received this? What is it?</p>
<p>The person represents the alumni group. Really, no one else received this?</p>
<p>I haven’t received this type of request recently, but have over the past few years (my D is in the class of 2014). I am also an alum, so assumed that was why I was getting the call. I did meet with someone and found the meeting quite interesting - learned what big things were going on there. I wasn’t asked for money and don’t remember being asked to get involved in anything (although as an alum, I am already fairly active).</p>
<p>I think you know what it is :-D</p>
<p>One of my college friends had a parent who served (serves?) on a parent committee and enjoyed it. There were a number of reasons I assume he was asked, front and center were his relevant professional experience, industry connections, and possibly capacity for a major gift.</p>
<p>Major gift fundraising is a lot like dating, to the extent that fundraisers want donors to be involved and emotional where appropriate and are sensitive to cues that suggest asking for a gift may not yield one. The bigger the projected ask, the more behind-the-scenes involvement and cultivation. And that’s basically true across the board at nonprofits. </p>
<p>In other words, I’d be <em>extremely</em> surprised if money came up in a first conversation with a development officer. Rather, the conversation will probably be around your interests and university developments, with an eye towards future “matchmaking” of project in need of funding to person able to fund it.</p>
<p>My son is class of 2016, only emails I have received are to join the new parent community online page.</p>
<p>You are probably considered being a big fish. Small fish like us do not get a personal visit from a development officer. We get mails and calls for donations, but we could not afford much after all these “college costs” :)</p>
<p>BTW, we are almost over, she’s graduating '14.</p>
<p>^artloversplus also consider the power of a zip code. my parents live in a high-powered zip code, they get hit up for high-level stuff from my brother’s alma mater all the time, as it’s assumed they have a capacity to give a big gift. No prompts from Chicago, though. However, Chicago bugs me all the time for a gift, and I always give when bugged, which makes them bug more!</p>
<p>Another development story: Once upon a time I gave a small (two digit) gift to another institution in honor of a professor who helped me out once upon a time and was retiring-- the school set up a fund for him. That same school wouldn’t leave me alone for the longest time, sending me demographically inappropriate things like, “Give a gift of 5,000 or more and see famous person lecture over dinner!” Nothing in my zip code, address, or giving history should have indicated that I even had that kind of money to give!!</p>