RAISE Podcast: Megan Morey, Williams College

On this episode of the RAISE podcast, Brent gets the inside scoop from Megan Morey, VP for College Relations at Williams College. Check out this recap featuring our favorite takeaways from the episode, and how to tune in yourself!


 

 

Here are some highlights from the episode…

For anyone who has ever taken a job, and two weeks in, thought “uh oh. This isn’t the right match,” this episode is for you.

Think of this: when you start working at a new institution, empower and allow your alumni volunteers to sell you on the institution. They’re the experts.

It’s ok to be a boomerang. You can come back with a fresh perspective but a deep love for the place.

It’s possible to have 87% alumni engagement, and 74% giving over the course of a campaign. 

A very important benefit of less gift officer travel will be a huge reduction in the university’s carbon footprint. All institutions have stated commitments to sustainability. This will be a way of walking the walk. 

When opportunity calls, answer the phone. Many paths can lead to the same destination. 

Ask questions and work closely with your prospect research team. If one alum who works in a private equity firm is rated wildly different than several others in similar positions, dig in. 

Williams just kicked off a year-long celebration of acknowledging 200 years of alumni engagement. And it will be awesome. And it will all be virtual. https://alumni.williams.edu/200/

About Megan…

Many folks in the advancement sector hop around from organization to organization to move up in rank. Some folks stay at one institution for their whole careers. Megan Morey, Vice President of College Relations at Williams College, has the unique experience of diving really deep at a number of institutions.The breadth and depth of her advancement knowledge shines on this episode of the RAISE podcast. 

After a ten-year stint at Amherst College, Megan walked the well-worn path to Williams College to become an Eph. (For the second time.) On this episode of the RAISE podcast, Megan explains that it is important to allow ourselves grace and space in our career paths, and to recognize when a career move is just not the right fit, when it’s important to put your head down and stick it out, and when it’s time to answer the phone and explore other opportunities. She discusses her career transitions with transparency and wisdom, and there is a lot that we can learn from her honest insights.

Throughout her career, Megan has experienced some pretty rare, home-run successes. During her time at Amherst, she oversaw a campaign in which 66% of their $100K+ donors were first-time donors to Amherst. How? Discovery, discovery, discovery! (And, she refused to accept the popular opinion that Amherts grads didn’t hold a candle to the wealth of Williams big private equity alumni base. Her noble refusal and perseverance paid off.)

Megan now oversees the beautifully-built development operation at Williams, an institution that has done such an excellent job cultivating a culture of philanthropy that 87% of their alumni are engaged, and 74.3% of them make financial contributions. (Yes, you read those numbers correctly.)

On this episode of the RAISE podcast, Megan reminds us that many paths can lead to the same destination, as long as you follow your gut and trust yourself along the way. She’s also quick to mention the importance of the team of mentors that she gathered along the way, and the ambitious, open-minded, curious colleagues that she learns from every day. (Here’s looking at you, Laura Day!)

Want to get in touch with Megan? She can be reached on LinkedIn, or via email at mmorey@williams.edu

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