January 2019 Member Spotlight: Stacey Schewaga

Name: Stacey Schewaga
Institution: College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan
Position: Leadership Giving & Donor Relations Officer
ADRP member for six months

 How long have you worked in donor relations/stewardship and how did you get involved in this profession?

I have been in my role for five years this coming April 2019. This has been my only position in the non-profit sector.

I worked in the financial industry for over 18 years and, in the last year, was being offered positions that I hadn’t applied for. I thought, “If people are offering me positions, what else might be out there where my skills are transferable and that I might want to apply for?” I knew a few individuals that had left banking to go into non-profit industry and, after a couple discussions, I felt like the non-profit sector was worth pursuing.

I had the luxury of being employed in a position I was happy with, but it was stressful and very time consuming, so I made a list of all the “musts” and began my search within the community.  I pursued a few different opportunities and about six months into my search, I was presented with what felt like a perfect match; I was a Customer Service Manager, and Donor Relations Officer complimented my skills nicely. Everything on my wish list for a new job/career aligned, except for heated underground parking, but the walk every day to and from my car provides some exercise and time to relax, so it’s a worthwhile compromise.

Fun Fact: In all my positions within the bank, I was also the charity representative for whatever charity the bank supported. So I guess I could say I have been a fundraiser for over 20 years!

Could you tell us something about the organization you work for?

I work for the University of Saskatchewan, which is a Canadian public research university founded in 1907. We are part of the U15 group, have over 200 academic programs and over 150,000 living alumni. I specifically work in the College of Dentistry.

What do you like most about being a member of ADRP?

The reason I joined ADRP was to connect with other Canadian professionals across Canada in donor relations roles, like mine. I was also interested in the learning opportunities, including webinars and conferences.

 
This is me leading my first-ever conference...

What is your greatest donor relations/stewardship achievement?

My greatest accomplishment so far has been sharing my love for donors to non-profit professionals in my community. In June 2018, I brought Donor Love (on the prairies) to my community. Some back history: In 2016, a group of like-minded, amazing non-profit professionals from Canada created a conference in Toronto unlike any regular conference all on donor love. I was a scholarship recipient and able to attend that event at little cost to myself or my organization. As a pay-it-forward, and because I felt this event was so amazing and very much needed, I began to create the possibility for this to happen right in my own city. With the help of an amazing group of individuals, we were able to recreate a similar experience and educational event for professionals in Saskatchewan and Alberta this past June.

Tom Ahem and a donor sharing stories	See? Not your average conference! We had fun and learned that putting the donors first is the right and only thing you should do.

What is the most important professional goal you are currently pursuing, i.e., attaining a degree, preparing to give a presentation, launching an initiative at work or in your community, etc.?

The most important professional goal I’m currently working on is continuing to learn and grow in this profession while making those around me – the donors and our alumni – feel special, one-of-a-kind, and the super heroes they are, but who are usually too shy to wear their costumes. I believe that kindness and gratitude are the key ingredients to fundraising success. After the high of the Donor Love conference, I’m practicing what I preach, while developing my future goals in this amazing profession. I am pursuing my CFRE and plan to write in 2019.

How big a role does the use of social media play in your work?

Because I am a one-person shop in my college, social media is limited. The university uses social media, but, for myself, the only social media we have is an Instagram account, through which I try to promote gratitude and student life—unfortunately, it isn’t utilized as well as it could be.

Is there a resource, i.e., book, blog, website, etc., that you would recommend to other ADRP members?

Some of my favorite people to learn from are Lynne Wester, the Donor Guru – need I say more?; Vanessa Chase Lockshin of The Storytelling Non-Profit – great blog posts, courses, and all around amazing resource in many areas, but specializes in storytelling; Agents of Good is dedicated to #DonorLove, with a wonderful blog full of great resources on #DonorLove; and Shanon Doolittle is my inspiration – she shines goodness, has great ideas, and is a gem in her field.

What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?

Oh, that’s a hard one . . . be yourself and listen. There is so much information out there telling us what we should do, say, create, etc. All valuable – so keep that information in your back pocket, you never know when it may come in handy – yet you are the person the donors interact with, so be your authentic self, keep it simple, and listen, because everything you need to know is always in the answers you hear.

Your relationships need to be genuine and they will only grow stronger. Donor relations is simple – make it personalized, thank, acknowledge, recognize, engage, and then hopefully repeat!

Are there any particular stories, insights, etc., from your experiences in donor relations and stewardship that you would like to share with our colleagues?

I think I covered everything above. I truly love my role and am very passionate about donor relations. Building relationships, hearing the stories the donors share, and making everyone feel special, with personalized gratitude, is what lights me up.