10 Questions to Ask Before You Give

Giving to a university can be a gratifying opportunity to improve the lives and learning of students, as well as support the academic mission of an institution you care about. Making a meaningful gift, however, takes time. So, before rushing to write a check, consider asking yourself the following questions to ensure that your gift […]

When Hollywood Helps Higher Education

Hollywood breakups, breakdowns, and breakouts rarely affect the public beyond glances at the tabloids in a grocery store checkout line. A few Hollywood celebrities, however, have found a way to make an enduring public impact. Through their philanthropy, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Oprah Winfrey have helped generations of college students.  In 2007, Academy Award-winning […]

What Are Oases of Excellence?

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni’s (ACTA) Oases of Excellence network identifies over 80 programs housed on college campuses across the United States that share a commitment to educating students for informed citizenship, maintaining high academic standards, teaching American heritage, and ensuring free inquiry into a range of intellectual viewpoints.   To help higher […]

Glossary of Academic Job Titles

When making a gift to higher education, donors may encounter a complex hierarchy of academic job titles. To help navigate the jargon, we defined titles frequently used in the academy. Each university may have its own variations of each position and associated responsibilities.  President: Head of a college or university and chief of ceremonial and executive […]

Americans’ Charitable Grit

The American economy’s current turbulence—8% inflation, supply chain disruptions, high gas prices—is unnerving the nonprofit industry. Looking at the past, however, can hopefully quell some fears.   Today’s financial crisis is hardly the first the nation has faced. In the aftermath of the Great Recession, the United States ranked as the most generous country from 2009 to […]