Alumni Engagement Guide 2020-21

ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT GUIDE 2020–21

A Year of Success What have you helped MBU accomplish this year?

Whether meeting the needs of our campus community, volunteering for the university, or inspiring current students, your giving paved the way for our success.

ALUMNI EVENTS AND ENGAGEMENT

60+

700+

Class of 2020 put the

alumni

Alumni Association

alumni attended regional

volunteered with the

membership count at

events, including the

Alumni Association in

“An Evening with Mary

the 2020 fiscal year.

over

17,000

.

Baldwin� program series.

The April Alumni Virtual Connections webinar series gained a following of

1,200

views per

episode and featured five alumni expert hosts.

The Summer Cyber Soirees have connected

130+

alumni to one another

and lifelong learning programs throughout the summer months.

FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES Deck the Hills

Inaugural Day of Thanks Engaged

2,523

Over

200

unique messages from

donors through a

alumni and donors welcomed students

multi-channel approach

back to campus for spring term.

Day to Lead the Way

In the midst of a global pandemic, the #MBUfamily showed up to raise over

$312,347

through

346

gifts.

The MBU Empowers Campaign Every gift counts! Join your classmates and make a gift today.

Visit mbuempowers.com to view the campaign video and learn more.

F R O M T H E E N T I R E M B U F A M I LY,

Thank You

Your alma mater continues on a strong trajectory as we begin our historic 179th academic year. With fall in the air, we have welcomed a record number of undergraduate and graduate students with overall enrollment at an all time high of 2,081. In true Mary Baldwin spirit, our community has responded to a challenging season with creativity and courage. It is in that spirit that we bring you this new Alumni Engagement Guide — in recognition that alumni from all generations are foundational to our story and the key to our future.

Last fiscal year brought significant change in the Office of University Advancement. Upon joining the office as the new Vice President for Advancement on August 1, I was tasked with rebuilding the office and responding to the all-alumni survey with new opportunities for meaningful alumni engagement. Our first two hires, Adrienne Teague (Executive Director of Alumni Engagement), and Josh McCoy (Associate VP of University Advancement) hit the ground running. They bring almost 40 years of collective advancement experience to MBU. We immediately began a massive donor database conversion that has already paid tremendous dividends in terms of our ability to organize, analyze, and maintain our records. Key to that effort was our next hire, Ingrid Zepp, an industry database expert.

With the new team members in place alongside our veteran team members, we worked with university leadership and the Board of Trustees to launch the MBU Empowers Campaign. Thanks to the many donors who have contributed since July 2017, the campaign has had a great head start. We are thrilled to announce that despite the pandemic and economic uncertainty of last year, the campaign finished the fiscal year with over $13.4 million towards our $25 million goal.

Yet numbers tell only part of how your gifts transform the lives of young people. I vividly recall watching in awe as a sophomore in the Mary Baldwin College for Women gently took the hand of a donor from the Class of 1967, whose gift of an experiential learning grant had changed that student’s life forever by allowing her to walk the famous Camino de Santiago in Spain. We see the fruits of long relationships with foundations like Lettie Pate Whitehead that continue to provide funds to support student scholarships year upon year. And, of course, there were the many who answered our call at the end of an extraordinary year to make an extra gift to support the annual fund in helping Mary Baldwin respond to student need associated with COVID-19.

We know that successful fundraising is a byproduct of successful alumni engagement. Last year saw the launch of nationally recognized virtual alumni engagement programs highlighting our alumni’s expertise. The team also brought renewed energy and enthusiasm to the Deck the Hills program in winter and Day to Lead the Way in spring. Donors responded with equal enthusiasm, breaking participation and fundraising records for both.

The pandemic brought a shift in our fundraising focus. While the long-term goals of the campaign still remain important, COVID-19 forced us to temporarily transition our focus to unrestricted support through the Baldwin Fund to help ensure the safe transition of our students, faculty, and staff from campus to a virtual learning environment. Initial estimates indicate that the cost of preparing campus for a safe return of our MBU family will exceed $500,000. We are so deeply grateful to the many friends and alumni who have given at a time of uncertainty.

We thank you for all that you did in this extraordinary 2020, and ask you to join us again in this year, as donors, advocates, and partners in advancing this special place.

Sincerely,

Charles E. “Chuck” Davis III Vice President University Advancement

Participate So many events planned. So many opportunities to take part in what makes Mary Baldwin so special.

From online events like the Women’s Leadership Symposium to cherished events such as Apple Day, you can now enjoy memorable experiences with us right from your living room.

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Participate Our new online alumni community is now live The new online community launched on October 5 and you now have access to a virtual community of classmates and friends from wherever you are.

Discover these amazing new features built specially for Mary Baldwin alumni: •

New Alumni Website — Our new alumni website brings you a modern look with easy viewing access on any device, putting relevant and pertinent alumni news and profiles at the forefront of your experience.

•

Named by You — A website for our alumni should be named by our alumni. Thanks to the Alumni Communications Committee who participated in choosing the title for our new site, which will be called Mary Baldwin Alumni Connections.

•

Searchable Online Directory — Access a new and updated alumni directory! Use the directory to connect with classmates or search for alumni in your area.

•

What’s Going On — With a new calendar for events, you’ll never miss what’s happening virtually, locally, or abroad.

•

Community Pages — Stay connected with fellow alumni from Ida B. Wells, PEG, VWIL, or Murphy Deming, or even those in your class year through the community portal.

•

Class Notes — Keep current with what your classmates are doing every day through the Class Notes section. View submissions from your alumni peers, and let us know about your important milestones by submitting a class note online.

How do you get access to all these resources? Go to the new Mary Baldwin Alumni Connections site at alumni.marybaldwin.edu and create a unique username/password login for the alumni community to access all of the above benefits and more. Make sure to update your information and subscribe to alumni communications so you can join thousands of Mary Baldwin alumni in maintaining the relationships that have defined their lives.

2020–21 Calendar of Events Visit alumni.marybaldwin.edu to learn more about these programs and to register! All dates and events are subject to change due to COVID-19 response.

MISSED OUR SUMMER VIRTUAL PROGRAMS? View recordings of our alumni webinars and Summer Cyber Soiree series at alumni. marybaldwin.edu/VirtualConnections OCTOBER 10/5: Launch of new Alumni Online Community 10/6: Apple Day 10/8: Founders Day 10/13: Virtual Connections: featuring Sally James ‘69 10/23: 50th Reunion of the Class of 1970 and Grafton Society Induction (via Zoom) 10/24: Women’s Leadership Symposium (virtual option for alumni) NOVEMBER All Month: Career/Mentoring Committee Forms (volunteer opportunity) 11/12: Day of Thanks 11/17: A Virtual Evening with the MBU Choir DECEMBER All Month: Deck the Hills Campaign TBA: Virtual Holiday Gatherings (hosted by region) JANUARY All Month: Regional Engagement Committee Forms (volunteer opportunity) MARCH 3/18: Day to Lead the Way (giving day and regional gatherings) JUNE 6/4–6/6: Homecoming Weekend

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Participate Schedule of Events Join one or all three of these virtual sessions (all EDT), including live Q&A with the plenary keynote speakers: 9–10 a.m. Opening Plenary on Mentorship with Dara Beevas ‘02 12–1:20 p.m. Mid-Day Plenary on Healthcare Leadership with Leigh Frame ‘06 4–5 p.m. Closing Plenary: “Mentorship as Leadership” with Wendy Foster, Former President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts The Women’s Leadership Symposium plenary events will be streamed live via Blackboard Collaborate technology.

Registration is required; to learn more and register visit mbu.family/2020WLS

Women’s Leadership Symposium: Mentorship As Leadership O C TO B E R 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 Hosted by the Mary Baldwin College for Women, this second annual program provides a wonderful opportunity for alumni to engage with students from MBCW, hear from prominent keynote speakers, and learn more about how mentorship plays an important role in the lives of students and alumni. Originally scheduled during Homecoming 2020, the Women’s Leadership Symposium is moving to this fall and providing a virtual opportunity for alumni to attend from wherever you are.

This event is made possible through the generous support of Donna Dearman Smith ’70.

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Celebrate 25 years of VWIL and 35 years of PEG Throughout its history, Mary Baldwin has been defined by its women-centered mission of empowerment. We are proud to be a university known for women’s programs that are unlike any in the nation. Chief among these are two unique programs celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2020.

The Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership (VWIL) turns 25 this year. Welcoming its first class of 42 students in 1995, VWIL has since graduated 460 students and remains the only all-female corps of cadets.

Begun thanks to a grant by the Jessie Ball duPont Foundation, the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted (PEG) accepted its charter class of 11 students in 1985. Thirty-five years later, PEG welcomes 20-30 incoming students each year.

Among the only 12 schools in the nation with a dedicated program for early-entrance college students, MBU has the only residential all-female program.

Congratulations to our VWIL and PEG programs and alumni! We look forward to celebrating these anniversaries during Homecoming 2021, June 4-6!

“VWIL and PEG are among Mary Baldwin’s most distinctive programs, empowering women to lead and break boundaries. In this anniversary year, we honor their remarkable legacies.”

— President Pamela R. Fox 6

Support A family is only as strong as its system of support — that’s why fostering enduring relationships is the key to our university’s thriving. Whether it’s returning to campus for Homecoming or donating to keep our university strong, your support is vital in all we do in the lives of our students.

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Support Make a Difference in the Lives of Our Students Mark your calendars for these special giving occasions highlighting the many ways our donors join together to help create an MBU experience that forms a springboard for our students.

NOVEMBER 2020: DAY OF THANKS While we are thankful for our MBU family every day, we dedicate a special day to thank our donors and alumni in early November. We will highlight areas of donor impact as well as student and faculty appreciation for your support.

DECEMBER 2020: DECK THE HILLS Stay tuned to learn how you can give to support students while welcoming them back in the new year with words of encouragement.

MARCH 2021: DAY TO LEAD THE WAY Mark your calendars for MBU’s Day of Giving, when we will be asking for your support to help MBU strengthen its legacy of empowering inclusive leaders.

You don’t have to wait for these exciting events. Visit mbuempowers.com and learn more about how you can make an impact on the next generation of empowered leaders today!

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Support Giving Societies Mary Baldwin University is delighted to reintroduce an honor roll to recognize the generous support of our donors.

The honor roll recognizes cumulative lifetime giving, legacy giving, and annual giving. No mechanism of thanks could fully convey our gratitude, but the honor roll hopefully shows that each and every gift is important to MBU. Learn more about stewardship opportunities and giving society member benefits at mbu.family/Societies.

Pardon our dust! We have just updated our donor database. If your name does not appear on the list or does not reflect your personal name preferences, please let us know by contacting giving@marybaldwin.edu.

Mary Gold The Mary Gold distinction is awarded annually to donors who are simultaneously members of a lifetime giving society, the Kiracofe Society, and a named annual giving circle within the previous fiscal year.

Details about Mary Gold and other donor stewardship opportunities can be found at mbu.family/Societies.

LIFETIME GIVING SOCIETIES These societies were established to recognize the remarkable philanthropy of our donors who have supported Mary Baldwin University with extraordinary and transformative generosity throughout their lives.

•

The 1842 Society — Named in honor of the founding of the Augusta Female Seminary, The 1842 Society is our highest level of donor stewardship, recognizing donors with a cumulative lifetime giving total of $5 million or more.

•

The 1895 Society — Known by the year the seminary was renamed in honor of Mary Julia Baldwin, The 1895 Society recognizes donors with a cumulative lifetime giving total of $1 million to $4.99 million.

•

The 1923 Society — Named in honor of the transition from a seminary to the four-year Mary Baldwin College, The 1923 Society recognizes donors with a cumulative lifetime giving total of $500,000 to $999,999.

•

The 1992 Society — Named in honor of the sesquicentennial anniversary of the founding of the Augusta Female Seminary, The 1992 Society recognizes donors with a cumulative lifetime giving total of $250,000 to $499,999.

•

The 2016 Society — Named in honor of the name change from Mary Baldwin College to Mary Baldwin University reflecting the school’s range of bachelors, masters, and PhD programs, The 2016 Society recognizes donors with a cumulative lifetime giving total of $100,000 to $249,999.

KIRACOFE SOCIETY Established to recognize donors who have made and documented provisions in their estate plans for the benefit of Mary Baldwin University. The Kiracofe Society is named in honor of the first donor to document an estate gift for Mary Baldwin College.

More information about the benefits of the Kiracofe Society, as well as details on how you can also make a legacy gift to support MBU, can be found at mbu.family/Societies.

ANNUAL GIVING CIRCLES Annual support is the lifeblood of Mary Baldwin. It allows the university to meet obstacles and opportunities head-on and in real-time. The annual giving circles recognize donors who make restricted and unrestricted annual gifts to Mary Baldwin University during a fiscal year. Each circle has its own corresponding benefits. Details can be found at mbu.family/Societies.

•

The President’s Circle — Recognizes donors who have given $20,000 or more during the previous fiscal year.

•

The Provost’s Circle — Recognizes donors who have given $10,000 to $19,999 during the previous fiscal year.

•

The Deans’ Circle — Recognizes donors who have given $5,000 to $9,999 during the previous fiscal year.

•

The Oak Leaf Circle — Recognizes donors who have given $2,500 to $4,999 during the previous fiscal year.

•

The Acorn Circle — Recognizes donors who have given $1,000 to $2,499 during the previous fiscal year.

*All other gifts that fall below the named annual giving circle amounts will be listed by gift amount.

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Engage Every great endeavor begins with a choice to become part of something larger than ourselves. Engaging with Mary Baldwin means more than

Save the Date for Homecoming 2021: June 4–6 We look forward to hosting alumni in June 2021 to celebrate Homecoming Weekend and class reunions.** All alumni are invited to participate in Homecoming 2021.

Congratulations to these classes celebrating a milestone reunion: 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016.

We look forward to seeing PEG and VWIL alumni as we celebrate these program anniversaries during Homecoming 2021.

We will also welcome back those who missed the 2020 Reunion due to COVID-19. This combined Reunion Weekend will mark a special occasion in our history to also honor the following classes: 1970*, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015.

keeping up-to-date with university news.

It means deepening the bonds forged yesterday, reconnecting with friends today, and helping to provide every change for success to the alumni of tomorrow.

*The class of 1970 will be celebrating their 50th Reunion virtually during an evening mini-program on October 23, 2020. During this celebration, the class will be officially inducted into The Grafton Society, an honorary membership society for graduates of 50 years or more. For more information, please visit alumni.marybaldwin.edu **The dates for Homecoming and Reunion 2021 are tentative due to the ongoing uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office of Alumni Engagement will closely monitor the situation and determine if it is safe to host these events in June 2021. Announcements related to the schedule and/or shift to a Virtual Homecoming experience will be communicated as plans progress.

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Don’t miss out!

The new alumni online community is officially live. Register now to access exciting new resources and connect with classmates, friends, and fellow alumni.

alumni.marybaldwin.edu

Visit the new Mary Baldwin Alumni Connections website today to register for the online alumni community!

Registering to access all of your benefits is convenient in just three easy steps: 1. Create a username and password with the new alumni website.

2. You’ll receive a confirmation email when your account is approved. This will allow you to update your profile and determine what information is visible in the directory.

3. Access all of the behindlogin features just for alumni at any time: • Connect with alumni and friends through the online alumni directory.

• Update your info when you move or change jobs.

• Submit a class note and let us know about your life milestone moments.

• Access to future alumni discounts (coming soon)!

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Engage Celebrate Apple Day 2020 First celebrated in 1940 as a picnic at a nearby college-owned orchard and given its official name on October 1, 1946, Apple Day is one of the most popular and unique traditions at Mary Baldwin University.

Historically, the actual date was held as a surprise and announced the night before, with a meal and dance celebration followed by a day off from classes. Many of the Apple Day traditions are still celebrated today, including apple gleaning and special apple-themed meals at Hunt Dining Hall. Apple Day is about giving back to the community: all of the apples gleaned during the day are donated to a local food bank.

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While some things remain uncertain, one thing remains true — we will celebrate Apple Day virtually this year! We invite you to take a fun photo with this Mary Baldwin Squirrel to show your Mary Baldwin pride and love of this time-honored tradition!

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SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS! • Decorate your squirrel and get her ready for #AppleDay2020 or keep her plain and simple • Cut her out or just hold up the page • Take a fun photo and submit it to alumni@marybaldwin.edu and/or on social media @marybaldwinuniversity (and make sure you’re following MBU!) • Check out your fellow squirrels’ Apple Day fun at alumni.marybaldwin.edu/AppleDay

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Share Share in our milestones. Share in our successes.

And share yourself. With a growing campus and cherished affinity groups celebrating special anniversaries, there has never been a better time to connect with the university you love.

And with a new online community, your friends will be so close that you’ll feel like you never left Mary Baldwin.

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Share Spread the word on social There are a lot of good things happening at Mary Baldwin with and for her alumni. You can help us spread the word and keep your friends and classmates connected by following these easy steps: 1. Follow MBU on social media 2. Like, comment, and share any of the great news 3. Post personally and encourage others to stay in the know by tagging us in your post.

Share your accomplishments and life milestones Mary Baldwin alumni are doing great things in the world! Let us know what’s happening in your life, whether that’s a marriage, birth announcement, anniversary, career advancement, published works, research, etc. Share the good news with the Office of Alumni Engagement today by visiting: alumni.marybaldwin.edu/ClassNotes

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Donate Consider how your passions and values align with MBU’s goals and aspirations, and how your ongoing support will ensure that Mary Baldwin continues to empower leaders to pursue lives of purpose in a changing world.

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Donate Because of you …

The Campaign for Mary Baldwin We are more than a university. We are the springboard that launches potential. This unflagging promise continues to develop on both the residential and Murphy Deming campuses and as part of our online learning programs. With its ambitious goal of $25 million, the MBU Empowers campaign will create energy, leverage momentum, and continue to launch generations of Mary Baldwin graduates for years to come.

Annual Fund The Baldwin Fund is the lifeblood of Mary Baldwin University and the MBU Empowers Campaign. Annual gifts allow the university to rise to meet the challenges and opportunities of the day like sending students to a conference or providing bridge funding for research faculty. During last fiscal year, and continuing today, the Baldwin Fund has enabled the safe transition of students, faculty, and staff to and from campus during a pandemic by providing critical resources needed to create a safe campus environment. Your annual gifts helped to ensure that our students are empowered by, rather than defined by their environment.

Planned Giving Many donors find that giving through their estates or through qualified retirement accounts (required minimum distribution of an IRA account) is an easy and meaningful way to support Mary Baldwin University. Legacy estate gifts like bequests, charitable trusts, and other life-income gifts often provide both the donor and the recipient with benefits. The recipient is able to make informed decisions about future revenue streams based on documented gifts. The donor is able to fulfill their philanthropic passion in a way that may not have been possible during their lifetime, as well as potentially offsetting estate taxes, and providing a reliable income stream.

Join forces with thousands of other alumni who are making a difference in the lives of MBU students by making your gift today.

For more information about how you can support Mary Baldwin, please contact the Office of University Advancement at giving@marybaldwin.edu or 540-887-7011.

Mary Baldwin’s generous alumni and friends proved yet again that even in a pandemic crisis where there is a will to help others, there will always be a way to make a true impact in our students’ lives.

Thank you for your continued support. Because of you, our university remains strong.

25M GOAL

536K

RESTRICTED PLEDGES

1.3M

UNRESTRICTED PLEDGES

1.7M

UNRESTRICTED GIFTS

13.6M

FY20

3.8M TOTAL NEW GIFTS AND PLEDGES

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Offices of University Advancement and Alumni Engagement PO Box 1500 Staunton VA 24401