New Book from Higher Education Fundraising Experts Gives Hands-On Advice for Raising Funds to Support College Student Success

Washington, DC – Public resources for higher education are continuing to decline, making philanthropic support for colleges and universities even more critical. In the new book Student Affairs Fundraising: Raising Funds to Raise the Bar, higher education fundraising gurus Sophie Penney, Barbara Rose, Glenn Gittings, and their colleagues combine their best strategies and advice for garnering donations that impact college student success.

Published by NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, Student Affairs Fundraising provides readers with history, background, detailed context, and relevant examples of the people, schools, tools, and methods for successful sector-specific fundraising within divisions of student affairs. Each chapter highlights fundraising strategies and resources, as well as hands-on exercises to help readers hone their fundraising skills.

“Student Affairs Fundraising is an excellent book that provides a wonderful explanation of how fundraising works and its importance in student affairs. The topics portray a meaningful path for the reader to learn from the authors while also better understanding the development work that takes place within colleges and universities,” says Black Hills State University President Tom Jackson Jr.

Student affairs professionals of all levels must have a strong understanding of fundraising in order to be good campus partners, avoid fundraising missteps and, most importantly, help divisions of student affairs raise donations for critical programs and services.

“As more foundations become focused on college student success and more colleges and universities seek resources to support their diverse student populations, fundraising in the area of student affairs becomes crucial,” says Marybeth Gasman, director of the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions at the University of Pennsylvania.

The book is available on the NASPA website or by calling 202-265-7500 and retails for $39.95.

About the Authors

Sophie W. Penney spent the first part of her career in student affairs in higher education then transitioned into fundraising. Penney served in various fundraising roles at several colleges and universities then came to The Pennsylvania State University in 2001. After serving for more than eight years at Penn State, Penney joined Foxdale Village Retirement Community in State College, Pennsylvania, where she launched the first development program and successfully completed the firstever capital campaign. Penney is now the senior program coordinator and a lecturer for Penn State’s online Postbaccalaureate Certificate Program in Fundraising Leadership and the Undergraduate Certificate in Fundraising and Advancement. She is also a fundraising consultant as president of i5 Fundraising, the coauthor of Dollars for Dreams: Student Affairs Staff as Fundraisers (NASPA, 2001), and a presenter and active community volunteer.

Barbara B. Rose has more than 30 years of experience in strategic planning, board development, management, feasibility studies, fundraising, facilitating, coaching, and writing. Her development career began at the former Keystone Junior College in northeastern Pennsylvania as director of college relations. She then served on the administrative staff at Georgia Tech for 11 years, including two years as the first development officer for student affairs. Rose also served as vice president of Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia (now Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta). In her consulting role as president of New Generation Partnerships, Rose has worked with diverse clients such as San Diego State University, Georgia Trauma Foundation, Tubman University, the University of California at Sacramento, College of Charleston, and the University of Hawaii. She was a keynote speaker at the 9th Global Businesswomen’s and Leaders Forum in Dubai, is the coauthor of Dollars for Dreams: Student Affairs Staff as Fundraisers (NASPA, 2001), and is the author of two detective novels.

Glenn Gittings has spent the last 15 years in higher education and the nonprofit sector at multiple institutions and organizations. He currently serves as the director of the student activities center and special programs for student affairs at the University of Louisville, where he is charged with fulfilling the role of student union management and external relations for the division. Gittings has worked in admissions, alumni relations, and fundraising in student affairs, with experience in coordinating divisionwide special events, managing divisionwide assessment and accreditation efforts, serving on a divisional leadership team, directing parent and family activities, and coordinating welcome events and activities for first-year students. Gittings developed, operationalized, and implemented systematic strategy, structure, and capacity for divisionwide fundraising for student affairs that resulted in consistent increases in giving at all levels and types of donations. Gittings has served as chair of the NASPA Student Affairs Fundraising and External Relations Knowledge Community. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Louisville in the graduate programs of both College Student Personnel and Higher Education Administration.

NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession. Our work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy, and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries, and 8 U.S. territories.