In this screenshot, students sing during a virtual Oglethorpe Day event at Oglethorpe University.
Academics and athletics got most of the press, but the pandemic also interrupted fundraising efforts when it forced colleges and universities to temporarily close their campuses last spring.
Juan McGruder, vice president for advancement at Oglethorpe University, said advancement shops and donors retreated to their respective corners for a moment after employees were asked to work remotely.
“Everybody sort of went to their respective locations and [bore] down to figure out what was next,” he said.
College fundraising officers, who long relied on in-person meetups and events to cultivate relationships with donors and solicit money, were forced to rethink their strategies. Travel was out of the question -- because of the health risks the pandemic posed and because departmental travel budgets were the first to go as colleges tightened their belts last spring. On-campus events where alumni could gather were canceled. Donor meetings had to take place over the phone or via video call.