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Conference Schedule

Sunday, July 23, 2017 

1:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.     

Complimentary Airport Shuttles

Complimentary shuttles to and from the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) will be provided by the conference. Reserve your seat on the shuttle by emailing big12devconf@wvuf.org. Check out the Hotel and Travel Information page on the website for more details. 

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Early Registration/Badge Pick-Up

Grab your conference badge and registration packet before joining us at the Welcome Reception. 
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.                               

Vendor & Welcome Reception

Welcome to Wild and Wonderful West Virginia! Join us for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres as we prepare to kick off the 2017 Big 12 Development Conference and start “Developing New Perspectives.” 

6:30 p.m.                                    

CEO/VP Dinner

CEOs and Vice Presidents are invited to dinner with fellow leaders from across the Big 12 Conference. A formal invitation will be sent to invited leadership. 
7:00 p.m.                               

Opportunity to Explore Iconic Coopers Rock

Gain a new perspective and explore one of West Virginia’s iconic overlooks, Coopers Rock. Additional information regarding the opportunity to experience breathtaking views along with information on how to reserve your seat on the bus can found on the Morgantown Insights page of the website.

Monday, July 24, 2017 


7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 
Information Desk Open  
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.                             

Registration/Badge Pick-Up

Last chance to grab your conference badge and get ready for two days of “Developing New Perspectives.” 
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 
Vendor Exhibit Area Open
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. 
Breakfast Buffet
8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Opening Welcome

Kick-off two days of “Developing New Perspectives” with  r emarks from West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee and WVU Foundation President Cindi Roth    

8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.     

Opening Keynote Address – Amy Herman

Join Amy Herman as she discusses her innovative program, The Art of Perception. Amy brings her background in art history, law and educational programming together to teach philanthropy professionals how to enhance visual acuity, objectivity and use (and misuse) of assumptions and perceptions -- all of which contribute to success when engaging with donors and clients.
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.                      

Breakout Session #1 

  • CEO/VP Meeting: Open Discussion  
  • AVP/AVC Meeting: Open Discussion
  • Major & Principal Gifts: Mastering the Soft Skills: What they Don't Teach You in Fundraising 101 by featured speaker Gail Perry
  • Presenting Sponsor Session:  The Wealth of Data Your Institution Needs
  • Planned Giving: Making Metrics Work for Gift Planners         
  • Annual Fund: The Future of Telefund- To Call or Not To Call, That is The Question
  • Corporate & Foundation Giving: Corporate/Foundation Fundraising in an Academic Health Sciences Environment – Leadership Coordination and Conflict of Interest

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.                               

Breakout Session #2

  • CEO/VP Meeting: Open Discussion
  • AVP/AVC Meeting: Open Discussion
  • Major/Principal Gifts: In Depth Discussion on   The Art of Perception by featured speaker Amy Herman 
  • Health Sciences: Grateful Patient Fundraising – A Deep Dive into WVU Program Details
  • Annual Fund: Donor Retention Isn’t Speed Dating by featured speaker Lynne Wester 
  • Donor Relations:  Roundtable Discussion on Recognition Events
  • Research & Prospect Management: Who's Who? - Making the Most of Your Leadership's Time

12:15 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.        
Lunch 
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.                               

Keynote Address: Gail Perry, MBA, CFRE

Continue “Developing New Perspectives” as keynote speaker Gail Perry will present on how to fire up your volunteer committees with new energy and enthusiasm for fundraising. You'll discover how to change your volunteers' mindset about fundraising, overcome their fear, and put them to work.   

2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.                                

Breakout Session #3

  • Donor Relations: Strategic Stewardship for Major and Principal Donors by f eatured speaker Lynne Wester
  • Health Sciences : Fundraising in an Academic Health Sciences Environment - Coordination and Collaboration
  • Planned Giving: Let's Talk Planned Giving Conversations Part 1 by featured speaker, Maureen Mahoney Hill
  • Career Development: President/CEO Career Panel 
  • Corporate & Foundation Giving: Valuing and Recording Gifts-in-Kind of Software, Upgrades and Support

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Breakout Session #4

  • Major & Principal Gifts:  Why Do I Give? – A Panel of WVU Donors Provide Feedback to the Fundraisers
  • Planned Giving: Let's Talk Planned Giving Conversations Part 2 by featured speaker Maureen Mahoney Hill
  • Annual Fund: Leadership Annual Giving hosted by Texas Tech University 
  • Corporate & Foundation Giving: Organizing Partnerships with Campus Allies for Corporate Giving Successes
  • Research & Prospect Management: Starting Staff Off on the Right Foot- Onboarding for New Hires

5:00 p.m.                               

Depart for the Reception at Evansdale Crossing  

Conference attendees will be given a mini-campus tour as they are transported to the Evansdale Crossing, a student focused center with restaurants, study spaces, classrooms and a rooftop lounge for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and excellent views of campus and Morgantown.

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. 
Reception at Evansdale Crossing    
6:30 p.m.
School Dinners as planned

Tuesday, July 25, 2017 


8:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. 
Information Desk Open
8:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. 
Vendor Exhibit Area Open  
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. 
Breakfast Buffet
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.    

Keynote Address: Rob McKinnon, MCC 

Join Rob McKinnon as he discusses how you grow and produce better results this year than you produced last year by developing a new perspective.
9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Breakout Session #5

  • CEO/VP Meeting: Open Discussion   
  • AVP/AVC Meeting: Open Discussion 
  • Major & Principal Gifts: The Metrics that Matter
  • Health Sciences:  5 W’s of Event Planning - Who, What, Where, When, Why
  • Planned Giving: Gift Planning Professionals Conference Annual Meeting
  • Annual Fund: Crowdfunding
  • Research & Prospect Management: Working Groups that Work 

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 

Breakout Session #6 

  • Major & Principal Gifts: All Gifts Count, But Some Count More Than Others
  • Planned Giving: Gift Planning Professionals Conference Annual Meeting (continued)
  • Donor Relations: Let's Swap: Donor Relations Collateral Materials and Reporting Practices
  • Career Development: Put Your Heart Into It! with featured speaker Rob McKinnon, MCC
11:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Optional Boxed Lunch

A boxed lunch will be available upon request to enjoy as you depart Morgantown. This request must be indicated on your registration form. 
11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. 

Complimentary Airport Shuttles

Complimentary shuttles to the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) will be provided by the conference. Reserve your seat on the shuttle by emailing big12devconf@wvuf.org. Check out the Hotel and Travel Information page on the website for more details. 
12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m

Vendor Breakout Session

Advancement Resources: An Expert Partnership: Your Guide to Strong Faculty Relationships  

PNC Institutional Asset Management: Strategic Gift Planning –What Your High-Net Worth Donors Expect You to Know