Focus Group
Greenwich, CT – April 29, 2003

Attendees
Lynn Abramson (Arts & Sciences 1981)
Judith Lund Biggs (GSAS 1966)
Elizabeth Ann Boutry (Arts & Sciences 1992)
Elizabeth Lee Darling (Arts & Sciences 1991)
Stephanie Spoto Dayton (Architecture 1984)
Cathleen S. Donnelly (Arts & Sciences 1977)
Mary Shaw Halsey Marks (Architecture 1977)
Christa E. Hartch (Nursing 1997)
Barbara Connolly Keady (Commerce 1984)
Lauren McGill Kelley (Arts & Sciences 1987)
Claudia L. Kelly (Arts & Sciences 1974)
Mary Katherine S. Kienzle (Arts & Sciences 1988)
Elizabeth B. King (Arts & Sciences 1981)
Deborah Balch LaCivita (Arts & Sciences 1980, Law 1983)
Terry Jasperson Lockhart (Arts & Sciences 1974)
Annesley R. MacFarlane (Arts & Sciences 1984)
Dudley Macfarlane (Parent)
Raya L. Papp (Engineering 1996)
Karen K. Phillips (Darden 1982)
Jacqueline Bowe Scott (Arts & Sciences 1980)
Amy Atwell Williams (Parent)

Focus Group Notes

-Women want to be involved differently than men – tend to make more emotional connections – e.g., connections to favorite professors, departments, their schools. Women’s giving not so much tied to prestige as is men’s giving.
-Make staying connected easier – hold affinity group meetings for women, but send professors or others from the University to update alumni and alumnae in the regions.
-We should encourage women to designate their gifts – direct them to areas that they care deeply about. These gifts should also be acknowledged by the University in such a way that the designation is confirmed. Women will have more impact with their giving if specifying support to particular projects.
-Many felt that the letters coming from the University are great, but too long.
-The University should make use of more direct methods of communication, like e-mail.
-Interest in reinvigorating the Fairfield/Westchester County alumni club – alumni want to know more about local opportunities to get involved.
-There is interest in knowing what the volunteer opportunities are at the University – what are the volunteer boards, what kinds of commitment do they require, job descriptions, etc. Post this information on a website so it’s easily accessible. Most alumnae just don’t know what’s out there.
-Include alumnae from the graduate schools in local events.
-It will be important to continue to publicize the statistics concerning the involvement and giving of alumnae.
-We need a stronger connection between the local clubs and the University, especially in terms of sharing contact lists and information for local alums.
-Consider doing a local mother/daughter or mother/children event. It would also be nice to know more about opportunities for children at UVa. Consider adding more program elements for children during Reunions.
-UVa. should put a button on the University home page for reconnecting “missing alumni” – make it easier to get back in touch.
-The University should communicate the names of “famous” or influential UVa. women and their contributions more widely.
-We need more targeted mailings or communications with women.
-In marriages where both spouses are UVa. alumni, we need to be careful to highlight the women in these couples too, not just the men.
-The WLP initiative should look at women’s colleges as a model and borrow techniques from them.
-The Universal Gift Card should have a check-off box so that donors can indicate they do NOT want to receive gifts from the University (e.g., photos of University, pens, etc.) in exchange for their donations.
-There were mixed feelings regarding professors calling to thank donors for their gifts. Some felt it was very effective and caused them to think about increasing their gift; others felt it was not the best use of a professor’s time, especially considering their relatively low salaries.
-It was suggested UVa. borrow an idea from Cornell by scheduling an event in the local area on the same day every year; alumni would put the date on their calendars and more easily remember it.
-There was a discussion about the issue of couples in which UVa. women are not currently working; these women feel some discomfort in designating household income to UVa. gifts; the University should be sensitive to this issue, and try to involve both members of the couple (whether or not the husband is a UVa. alum).
-An on-going theme was that local alumnae would like to reconnect to the University. Some were more involved when they were younger, but haven’t reconnected much since then. Women would like more face-to-face opportunities with University representatives, particularly faculty and senior administrators, not just written communications. The University should help support the local clubs and assist them with programming.
- Explore women’s affinity groups locally – women enjoy meeting together.