![\"Katie](\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/06\/Katie-Turcotte-286x300.jpeg\")
At UMW, she\u2019ll bring all that experience to bear at a time when public universities are coping with changing demographics and shifting priorities in state budgets. At the same time, students are seeking a quality education with minimal debt \u2013 a need the university helps meet with donor-funded scholarships and other institutional aid.<\/p>\n
From a development standpoint, Mary Washington is well-situated given the special bond alumni have with one another and with their alma mater, Turcotte said.<\/p>\n
While modest donations from younger alumni may not have the immediate power of a single high-dollar gift, they are key to fostering a long-term relationship. \u201cIt\u2019s important to provide pathways for alumni to give back in ways that will be impactful both now and in the future,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Donors at every level have become savvier about their philanthropy in recent years, she said. They want feedback that their gifts have an impact, so telling the stories of student achievements, professors\u2019 effectiveness, alumni successes and overall societal improvement can be especially meaningful.<\/p>\n
Turcotte herself is a product of public education, which she considers \u201cone of the greatest socioeconomic change agents.\u201d She knows firsthand the power of a liberal arts and sciences education in fostering academic and personal interests.<\/p>\n
As an undergraduate at Purdue University in Indiana, she focused on math and science courses, thinking she might become a physician. But she also enjoyed challenging herself with upper-level English literature classes, relishing the chance to broaden her reading and improve her writing.<\/p>\n
The fundraising bug bit when, as a member of a student organization serving as hosts for the development office, she told her own academic story to a prospective donor who then made a substantial gift. The experience changed her academic and professional trajectory, as she committed to an extra year of college to major in organizational leadership and supervision. She also holds a master\u2019s degree in organization development from American University.<\/p>\n
UMW President Troy D. Paino said he believes Turcotte will mesh well on Cabinet and beyond.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are fortunate to have someone with Katie\u2019s experience, skill set and passion for Mary Washington\u2019s public liberal arts mission join our leadership team,\u201d Paino said. \u201cShe possesses both the hard and soft skills necessary to effectively lead our advancement and alumni relations teams who do the critically important work of engaging our alumni, donors and supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s work Turcotte is eager to begin, she said. \u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to being able to partner with everyone across the campus and community.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Katie Turcotte becomes UMW\u2019s vice president of advancement later this month, she\u2019ll fill a much-needed role \u2013 helping to bring the university forward from pandemic constraints and bolstering its liberal arts and sciences mission. Who better to lead the University of Mary Washington\u2019s development team than a \u201cnonprofit and philanthropy nerd\u201d? That\u2019s how Turcotte […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":92773,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"umw_cb_additional_links":[[]],"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_advisory_expires_time":"","_advisory_meta_include":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[704],"tags":[922,15059,902],"topics":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-92772","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-stories","8":"tag-advancement","9":"tag-katie-turcotte","10":"tag-tpaino","11":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n