Institutional Advancement Graduate Assistant

PeopleAdmin • Naperville, IL

8d

About The Position

The Graduate Assistant for Institutional Advancement supports the College’s fundraising and external relations efforts. This position plays an active role in sponsorship solicitation, annual giving donor cultivation, and athletics fundraising initiatives. The Graduate Assistant will work closely with advancement staff to strengthen donor relationships, enhance the visibility of the institution, and contribute to securing resources that support student success and institutional priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; must be enrolled in a graduate program at the College.
• Strong interpersonal skills and comfort interacting with alumni, donors, and external partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience with CRM or fundraising databases preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Interest in fundraising, nonprofit management, higher education, or athletics administration is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Sponsorship Solicitation
• Assist in identifying, researching, and qualifying potential corporate and community sponsors.
• Draft sponsorship proposals, presentations, and customized partnership materials.
• Support outreach to prospective sponsors through email, phone calls, in-person meetings, and event participation.
• Maintain accurate records of sponsorship activity, agreements, and stewardship actions.
• Collaborate with campus departments and event organizers to fulfill sponsorship benefits.
• Annual Giving – Donor Cultivation and Solicitation
• Support planning and execution of annual giving initiatives, including digital outreach, ThankView videos, Day of Giving planning, and GiveCampus pages
• Engage with alumni, parents, friends, and community members to build relationships and encourage philanthropic support.
• Conduct donor thank-you calls, follow-up communications, and stewardship touches.
• Assist with segmentation, donor research, and prospect strategy development.
• Help manage giving data, track results, and prepare reports for internal stakeholders.
• Athletics Giving
• Partner with athletics staff to engage donors, fans, and alumni in supporting athletic programs.
• Assist in organizing athletics fundraising events (e.g., golf outings, booster events, alumni games).
• Help solicit gifts for athletics priorities, including team funds, facilities, and scholarships.
• Maintain strong communication with coaches and athletics leadership to align fundraising needs and messaging.
• General Advancement Support
• Provide event coordination support for donor receptions, alumni gatherings, and institutional celebrations.
• Assist with database entry, gift processing support, and overall data integrity.
• Participate in strategic meetings, training sessions, and professional development activities.
• Represent the Institutional Advancement office in a positive and professional manner at events and meetings.

Benefits

• Graduate tuition benefits and stipend provided according to institutional assistantship policies.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees