A long-standing jest among those who work to advance education (through alumni relations, communications / marketing, and fundraising) holds that nobody ever sat on their parent’s knee as a young child and proclaimed: “When I grow up, I want to work in advancement!”

Educational advancement (EA) wasn’t regarded as a profession when those of us over age 40 were toddlers. Most found our way to it through internships, volunteerism, or professions including journalism, finance and government.

What does EA accomplish?

• Alumni relations builds pride and affinity among millions of students and alumni from Canadian educational institutions.
• Fundraising campaigns (a few exceeding $2 billion), gifts from major donors and annual funds (typically alumni-sourced) raise tremendous sums for research, facilities and student financial aid.
• Communications shares the stories of students, faculty and research projects, and covers everything from creating the marketing vehicles for campaigns to crafting direct asks in annual giving solicitations.
• Partnerships with industry, government and peer institutions enhance the quality of education as well as the quality of life in surrounding communities - as noted by a recent article in University Affairs.

Like other areas of fundraising, EA is now a respected profession that builds essential support for educational institutions to help strengthen Canadian society.

2018 marks CCAE’s 25th anniversary as a unifying association for all areas of EA. In the new year, CCAE will also celebrate 20 years of partnership with TD Insurance to provide TD Fellowships in Advancement that have enhanced educational advancement’s professionalism.

Jeff Todd serves as Executive Director of the 325,000-member alumni UBC and as Associate Vice President, Alumni at The University of British Columbia. He was co-director of the dual goal start an evolution campaign that raised over $1.6 billion and more than doubled annual alumni engagement. Jeff currently serves as President of the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE).