Breakout Sessions

Sessions from each track will be offered concurrently and are open to all conference participants. Presenters and sessions will be updated on an ongoing basis.

• General Interest for All Participants
• Advancement Services / Philanthropy
• Communications
• Media Relations and Social Media

GENERAL INTEREST

Capitol to Campus: Legislative Strategies to Apply During the Session and Throughout the Year 

What happens during the legislative session and throughout the year requires timely communication with the public, campus community, alumni and donors. Gain insights to help communications and fundraising professionals prepare for the often complex and sometimes delicate messages required.

Tell and Show Me a Story

Discover a tech-forward approach to creating compelling stories that engage students, faculty, staff, alumni, athletics enthusiasts, donors, and sponsors. This session will offer tools for impactful storytelling and innovative recognition designs that keep your audience connected.

The Most Important AI Trends for UT

Hear about key AI trends that are reshaping how higher education and healthcare communicate. This session will explore insights compiled from 190+ countries, experiences from AI investors and entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley to Singapore, and practical knowledge of what is happening in the private and public sector to highlight trends and explore potential applications.

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ADVANCEMENT SERVICES / PHILANTHROPY

Passing the Torch: Realizing the Potential of a New Generation of Philanthropists

With over 80% of philanthropic dollars coming from individuals born before 1965, it's crucial to engage younger donors. This session will provide strategies to engage the next generation to cultivate major gifts for the future.

Good News, Bad News: We’re Raising More Money but Have Fewer Donors

Over the last four years, overall giving to UT institutions increased nearly 24%, setting new records. But consistent with national trends, the number of donors has declined. Learn new approaches and insights to fundraisers and communicators on increasing both donors and giving.

You Received a Gift—Now What?

An effective donor stewardship program energizes and recognizes donors, laying the path for ongoing engagement and subsequent gifts. Explore strategies and ideas to help you retain and elevate the involvement of donors and volunteers.

Advancing the Future of Fundraising through AI

Data analytics plays a crucial role in enhancing fundraising performance, and AI can significantly help in optimizing time and resource allocation. Explore how AI can improve efficiency, shape the future of philanthropic programs and enhance donor engagement. Risk management strategies and considerations for those uncertain about AI's impact on fundraising will also be discussed.

Modern Advancements in Prospect Development

Prospect development is essential to building lasting philanthropic relationships with donors and volunteers. What are the most effective emerging prospect development trends? This session will provide recommendations for implementing new tools and practices for building lasting donor relationships.

The Foundation(s) of Giving

Nearly half of UT’s cash gifts come from personal, family and independent foundations. What can frontline gift officers and campus advancement leaders do to maintain or increase this important giving source? Learn how to strengthen this critical source of support and align your strategies with national trends.

Leading Through Change

The ability to lead through change effectively is essential for you, your team and colleagues. We don’t always know what changes are coming and they arrive in many forms, including ending a long-held program, beginning new ones, new hires, new leaders, a new work process, or new goals.  There is a proven process for understanding and managing change that builds successful teams.  This interactive session provides those insights and tools and equips you to better manage change in the advancement and communication office.

It’s a Talent: Attracting and Keeping the Best Development Officers

In today’s job market, the competition for high performing development talent is fierce. And turnover can be disruptive and costly. What can you do to recruit and keep top talent at your institution?

High Tides Raise All Ships – Creating a High Tide of Engagement

Engaged constituents represent more than a fundraising opportunity. Through their enthusiasm, grassroots advocacy and potential for generating momentum, UT alumni, parents, patients and supporters have the collective power to equip a robust pipeline of support. Explore current trends and strategies to foster meaningful engagement across these diverse groups.

Campaign Readiness and Capacity Building

Before embarking on a campaign, assess your team’s readiness and build the necessary infrastructure for success. Learn key steps for effective planning and execution. This session is designed for fundraisers and individuals responsible for campaign planning, execution and communications.

Experts from CCS Fundraising: 

Meghan Davison, Senior Vice President
Elizabeth Hormann, Senior Vice President
Mary DeLay, Vice President

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COMMUNICATIONS

Don’t Bring Me Down: Protecting Your Institution’s Good Reputation

New issues that require nimble and strategic communications emerge every day. Preemptively plan for these inevitable issues by developing and deploying strategies to protect and enhance your institution’s reputation in the face of emerging challenges.

Make Your Boss Shine

From event speeches and social media posts to employee communications and media interviews, the messages that come from an institution’s leader drive the success of the brand. Learn proven strategies and approaches to keep your institution’s executive leadership ahead of the communications curve in today’s ever-changing and never-ending news cycle.

Creating Impact through Integrated Multimedia Content

In today's fragmented media landscape, a siloed approach to content creation won't cut it. Discover how to develop strategic content that supports institutional goals, from recruitment to patient engagement, using compelling videos, images and interactive experiences.

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MEDIA RELATIONS & SOCIAL MEDIA

Digital Communications Strategies that Win Friends and Influence People 

Strong digital strategies are crucial for successful public relations. Learn about research and technology that can help you develop and deploy digital communications strategies that impact the opinions of your audiences.

Social Norms: Strategies for Success

Almost everyone is on social media. But what platform they’re on varies widely in usage and impact. Gain tips for selecting the social media platforms that are most appropriate to the content you want to share and the audiences you want to engage.

Pay to Play: Using Digital Advertising to Get Your Message Out

Paid digital advertising ensures precise and timely message delivery. Learn tips for developing digital campaigns that fit any budget using social media platforms as well as other online applications like Spotify and YouTube.

Pitch Perfect: Broadening Your Media Coverage

You’ve got an idea for a story you think deserves broad coverage. Now what? Hear from national media representatives about what often does—and doesn’t work—when vying for coverage, along with strategies for placing op-eds.