Focus Group
Richmond, VA – May 8, 2003
Photos from Richmond Event
Attendees
Beverly Barrett Allan (Education 1979)
Alexandra Divine Bowen (Arts & Sciences 1975)
Mary Frances Fulton Bruce (Nursing 1950)
Shannon Sayles Carter (Commerce 1981)
Tamera Cauthorne-Burnette (Nursing 1983)
Jewel Glenn Caven (Arts & Sciences 1990)
Kathryn V. Chernau (Arts & Sciences 1981)
Edith T. Conley (Arts & Sciences 1982)
Susan C. Coogan (Darden 1982)
Jane Spangler Craig (Education 1971, Education 1985)
Dorline Davidson-Harvey (Education 1978)
Elizabeth Leigh Dobbins (Arts & Sciences 1982)
Susan Y. Dorsey (Architecture 1982, Darden 1987)
Barbara H. Dunn, PhD, RN (Nursing 1974)
Katherine Mayo Earls (Commerce 1988)
Patricia K. Epps (Arts & Sciences 1974, GSAS 1979, Law 1983)
Palmer Peebles Garson (Darden 1983)
Linda Custard Gillikin (Nursing 1969)
Sharon J. Glover (Arts & Sciences 1984)
Sally K. Graham (Nursing 1973)
Nancy M. Harrison (Commerce 1976)
Sally Edwards Hawthorne (Commerce 1983)
Anne Stephan Henkel (Darden 1983)
Elizabeth G. Hester (Law 1983)
Rebecca J. Horner (Arts & Sciences 1992, Education 1995)
Penelope W. Kyle (Law 1979)
Melissa R. Levin (Arts & Sciences 1994, Law 1997)
Melinda Lewis (Law 1999)
Mary Leslie Parpart (Arts & Sciences 1995, Education 1995)
Clementine S. Pollok (GSAS 1979)
Elizabeth Roark (Arts & Sciences 1989, GSAS 1993)
Elizabeth W. Robertson (Commerce 1975)
Beth Campbell Spilman (Arts & Sciences 1983, Darden 1988)
Jacquelyn E. Stone (Arts & Sciences 1980)
Janet A. Swisher (Darden 1984)
Cathryn B. Tullidge (Darden 1984)
Lindsay B. Wortham (Education 1974)
Focus Group Notes
Participants were asked to discuss one or both of the following questions:
How can U.Va. build more effective relationships with women friends and alumnae? 1. How do we increase the influence of alumnae and women friends at the University and regionally? (or other questions once we decide)
Responses:
Giving
-Participation is just as important, at this stage, as dollar amount when inspiring women to give. Consistency of giving should also be recognized.
- UVa. should find better ways to recognize gifts of time as well as money.
- Participants wanted to know what their contributions would fund; solicitations will be more effective if a specific dollar contribution can be tied to a specific result.
- There is not just one approach concerning how to involve women and increase their philanthropy – there are a lot of different profiles of women.
- Women tend to give to strong needs that they are interested in – for example, outreach and scholarships to Southwest Virginia high school students. Women want to feel they are filling a strong need with their gifts.
- Involve women first in meaningful projects before asking them to participate financially.
- Women prefer more individual approaches in requests for philanthropy. They also desire a personal touch – e.g., letters specifically addressed to them, not “University of Virginia alumna.”
- The traditional equation is that dollars given equal board membership and influence. For women, we need to look at involvement and overall giving (even when “spread around” to different areas at the University) as more appropriate criteria for influence.
- It will be important to educate current UVa. students about the significance and impact of giving to the University. They must feel there is some obligation for them to give back.
- The key to “repeat” gifts is proper appreciation, and communicating the impact of the gift.
- Women tend to give where they see response to their needs and representation of their interests; they want to see how women are influencing the course of the University’s future.
-“People give to people”; don’t lose sight of face-to-face contact, not just written communications. The University needs to keep requests personal.
Communications
-There was concern that UVa.’s alumni lists are so often out of date. Contact information needs to be updated more frequently (Note from UVa.: The University is, for the most part, reliant on receiving change of address information directly from alumni). Send change of address forms more often.
- Many felt the President’s lengthy annual letter is too long; that while it contains very useful information, important news was missed because the letter was just too long to read all the way through.
- Some participants would like to see more diversity and representation of women in stories in the Alumni News, perhaps even a special focus on alumnae in each issue. It was suggested that the Alumni Association should study organizations that are good at communicating with, and involving, women.
-Some feel that UVa. should use e-mail for short contacts only, and that written materials are preferred. Others felt e-mail is much more cost-effective and informal than written communications.
- Consider the “stage of life” when doing communications; e.g., young mothers probably prefer e-mail communication, while retirees may have more time and would appreciate more personal invitations to alumnae events.
- Some felt that local and regional focus groups like this one do help to create buy-in, and that alumnae welcome more face-to-face contact with the University.
- Provide periodic reports to the focus group women on follow-up and progress.
- Contacts from professional schools, such as Law and Darden, have been perceived to be more direct, frequent and consistent than communications from UVa.’s undergraduate schools.
- Many repeated that contacts with alumnae must begin with informing them about the University and involving them in meaningful projects; only then should communications involve requests for financial support.
Volunteering/Making Connections
-UVa. alumnae can play an important role by acting as role models to current UVa. women students. - Women currently in UVa. volunteer leadership positions should see outreach to, and involvement of, other alumnae and women friends as part of their responsibility. - Participants want to see more women on the high-visibility volunteer committees, such as the Board of Visitors or the Alumni Board of Managers.
- The University tends to overlook non-working women when recruiting alumnae involvement. These women have much to offer.
- Create more meaningful ways to interact, not just cocktail parties or sporting events.
- Focus on times of celebration as occasions to reconvene alumnae, such as reunions or anniversaries in the life of various schools or programs. One idea is to have a special reception focused on women at the Reunions.
- It would be useful to have a website that includes descriptions of available volunteer positions and requirements. The University should also keep CVs or other information on file for women who are interested in volunteering.
- The Virginia Athletics Foundation is very good at involving men in its activities; we need to find an activity or method for involving women that is as effective as VAF’s efforts.
- The University must take the initiative to offer opportunities to women. Women are already very busy in many areas of their lives, and it is unrealistic to think that most will volunteer for UVa. activities without a special invitation. Women want to be asked to participate. Also, it is important to follow up interest from women; they want to see a response to their needs.
- Women tend to be more involved through an emotional connection. Find causes that will respond to their passions.
- Re: a National WLP Committee: such a committee will help alumnae and women friends to have a greater voice at the University and nationally. Staff will need to do the administrative work, but the alumnae can provide valuable contacts and strategy.
- There was interest in more frequent meetings of UVa. women in Richmond, whether networking, programs or project-based. - It was suggested that the University should compile information on the other kinds of volunteer activities UVa. women are involved in (e.g., in their communities) to consider matches with University activities; also ask alumnae directly how they are interested in becoming involved.
- Hold a UVa. Alumnae Conference at the University, to highlight interests and accomplishments of UVa. women; also to provide a forum for sharing experiences. This would also be a good way to reach out to current women students.
- Mentoring/Networking: many suggested inventorying names of women willing to mentor alumnae and students in various fields and industries.
- Don’t overlook women who solely attended graduate school at the University.
Finally, the participants want to see measurable outcomes from this meeting, and suggested that we reconvene in six months or a year to discuss changes.
