Leadership | The University Advancement Blog

2 Jan

12 great TED Talks

We started something new in 2012 in our department. Each month we had a brown bag lunch to watch a TED Talk together. I assigned a month to each staff member, who would pick the video and lead the conversation...
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6 Jul

Being president versus doing president

Last month I attended the inaugural Ohio Student Affairs Conference at Wright State University in Dayton. As part of the conference, Rebeckah Hester (Indiana University East director of campus life) and I gave a presentation on breaking down silos to...
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4 Mar

Book review: The Story Factor

In 2010 Chas Grundy, a marketing and fundraising professional at the University of Notre Dame, told me about the book The Story Factor. Chas is a great colleague; he shares excellent content via Non-Profit Chas and grundyhome.com, and we both serve on...
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17 Jan

5 questions with Seth Godin

Seth Godin offered some provocative words for higher ed in 2010 with “The coming melt-down in higher education (as seen by a marketer).” I have always valued his perspective on leadership (Tribes book review) and challenging the status quo. Seth kindly...
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12 Jan

2012 resolution: fewer meetings, fewer bad meetings

I don’t recall the who, what, when, or where. I just remember the response. Someone a few months ago asked me what I do at the university, and my eight-year-old daughter quickly piped up, “He just goes to meetings all...
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31 Oct

5 questions with Elizabeth Scarborough

I have the pleasure of serving on the CASE Indiana board (CASE Indiana is one of only a few state chapters of CASE in the country), and I am very excited about our upcoming fall conference on November 11, at...
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22 Sep

5 questions with E. Gordon Gee

Whether it’s the signature bow tie or comments about the BCS (Bowl Championship Series), E. Gordon Gee is one of the most recognized figures in higher education. Dr. Gee, now in his second stint as president of Ohio State University,...
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30 Jun

Send them on a cruise: How to deal with your predecessor

I recently attended a retirement dinner for Doug Bennett, who steps down this week as president of Earlham College after 14 years of exemplary leadership. (President Bennett has one of the most eclectic and insightful blogs, The Observatory, of any...
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8 Apr

Indiana Public Relations Leadership Summit recap

Last week I attended the annual Indiana Public Relations Leadership Summit in Indianapolis. This year’s theme was Creating, Building, and Defending Brands. William Whitman Jr., Vice President of Communications at McDonald’s USA gave an excellent keynote. The audience was enthralled...
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7 Feb

Book review: The First 120 Days: What a College President Must Do To Succeed

If you’re in development, then you’re likely familiar with Dr. Jerold Panas. Two of his books – Asking and Mega Gifts – should be on any fundraiser’s short list. His latest book, The First 120 Days: What a New College...
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Rob Zinkan's thoughts and recommended readings on university advancement

Category Archives: Leadership