President's Report - Wentworth Institute of Technology

7 INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
The Office of Institutional Advancement is the driving force behind initiatives related to fundraising, alumni
relations, and strategic communications to internal and external audiences.
FY08 was a record breaking year for Wentworth, with alumni,
students, friends, faculty, and parents contributing a total of
$12,280,000 to the Institute. Vice President for Institutional
Advancement, Brenda Sanchez, reports, “Over the past year,
our team of professionals in Institutional Advancement has
effectively strengthened the core functions of the department
and we are thrilled that our many outreach efforts are working.
It is rewarding to see an increased number of alumni attending
events, and we are excited that our fundraising pieces have
been successful.” In addition, Sanchez notes that “we are
progressing steadily towards refining our brand and building
increased awareness of the many successes and milestones of
the Institute. In order to ensure that Wentworth continues to
provide the quality education it is known for, it is essential that
we continue to move in this positive direction.”
Office of Alumni Relations
Wentworth alumni and friends had thirty-five reasons to attend
a Wentworth event during 2007/2008: that being the number
of functions organized by the office of alumni relations. To
better connect alumni to their alma mater, the alumni relations
team has created innovative programs, increased communications,
and hosted new and improved events that provide
opportunities to network, socialize, and stay informed on
the exciting happenings and milestones at Wentworth.
The Wentworth experience was transported around the nation
through 14 regional alumni events, and through the increasing
popularity of alumni regional chapter meetings, such as the San
Francisco Bay Area Chapter. Plans are underway for alumni chapters
in New York City, Florida, Arizona, and Western Massachusetts.
Attendance at golf tournaments, the Black and Gold 50 th
reunion event, and receptions such as the annual Women at
Wentworth dinner, have more than doubled over the past two
years, reports Erica (Rapp) Wilcoxson, director of alumni relations.
Communication with alumni and friends has become more
consistent through The Wentworth Connection, a monthly
e-newsletter, designed and created with the support and
expertise of the advancement operations team. This communication
tool has sparked interest in several events, particularly
the Wentworth Alumni Association’s (WAA) inaugural leadership
networking event in June. The alumni office has also
established a Facebook page and successfully uses this social
networking tool to communicate with alumni. Due to the
popularity of the primary account, a “Women at Wentworth”
group was also created. Plans are underway to launch an
online community to further facilitate networking, provide
alumni with a permanent Wentworth e-mail account, and
enable them to register online for events.
The inaugural Reunion Weekend Program was held in June
2008 and welcomed guests from many states including
Alabama, South Dakota, Florida, and Maine. Reunion Weekend
is a new initiative that invites alumni back to campus, facilitates
networking among classmates, and provides an opportunity
to interact with Wentworth faculty and view the latest
improvements to the facilities at Wentworth.
Matthew Kane, FMC ’96, who took over as President of WAA in
spring 2007, has overseen the development of committees that
focus on specific areas such as programming, communications,
and regional chapters. Kane plans to increase the number of
regional chapters and continue to sponsor networking events
through FY09, his final year as President.
The alumni office has been strengthening industry relations and
has successfully obtained sponsorship for both the alumni golf
tournament and the President’s Cup, enabling funds raised to
be donated towards the Annual Fund in areas such as athletics
and scholarship/financial aid.
Annual Fund
During the past two years, Wentworth alumni and friends have
exhibited an extraordinary level of generosity that has achieved new
milestones in giving to the Institute. Participation in the Wentworth
Annual Fund increased by more than 30 percent in FY08, with
contributions totaling a record $720,500. Melanie Sheffield, associate
director for institutional advancement, credits this increased participation
to successful appeals, a reinvigorated phone-a-thon, increased
outreach to parents, and the launch of online giving in May 2007.
20