We recently caught up with Joe Volin from Illinois Institute of Technology to talk about his work on alumni engagement, how he's using AI to scale relationships, and why sometimes, the best strategy is just listening.
Summary
• To significantly boost alumni engagement, consider integrating your alumni platform directly with your database and adding features like mentoring. Illinois Tech saw their active users almost double by reimagining how alumni connect, offering a practical model for your own institution.
• Illinois Tech tackled the challenge of growing alumni engagement by making their platform a central hub, proving that a user-focused approach can transform static CRM data into a vibrant community.
• They’re leveraging AI to manage a portfolio of 1,000 alumni, showing how technology can help scale relationships and outreach efforts when staff resources are stretched thin.
• A crucial insight came from their alumni survey: most active volunteers are from the 90s and 2000s, while most generous donors are from the 70s and 80s. This data helps tailor personalized fundraising campaigns and engagement strategies.
• By understanding the demographics of their volunteers versus their donors, Illinois Tech can refine their outreach to ensure every alum feels seen and valued, no matter their generation or involvement level.
• Joe Volin emphasizes the power of a strong, passionate team and a data-led approach to deepen engagement across all alumni decades, offering a glimpse into a successful long-term advancement strategy.
“I work with great people. That’s what makes this job easier.”
— Joe Volin, Associate Vice President for Constituent Engagement, Illinois Tech
We recently caught up with Joe to talk about his work on alumni engagement, how he's using AI to scale relationships, and why sometimes, the best strategy is just listening.
When we first recognized Joe as part of the original 50 Under 50 list, he was already making waves at Illinois Tech. Today, as Associate VP for Constituent Engagement, he continues to build meaningful connections between the university and its alumni - but with a much bigger toolbox.
Joe now leads a team of nine and oversees alumni engagement, annual giving, boards of advisors, and the Mies van der Rohe Society. But beyond the titles and org charts, what really drives Joe? “I work with great people who are passionate about what they do. That’s what keeps me going,” he says.
Joe led the transition from their previous alumni platform to Illinois Tech Connect, powered by Almabase. The change wasn’t just a software swap - it was a total reimagining of how alumni connect with their alma mater.
With a sharp focus on user experience, Joe’s team merged the engagement platform with their alumni database and even extended it to support mentoring. The result? An increase from ~2,000 active users to nearly 4,000 engaged alumni - and a new way to define and measure engagement meaningfully.
Ahead of the curve, Illinois Tech became one of the first to adopt Givzey’s virtual engagement officer, Scarlet. The adoption of Scarlet was led by Susan Lewers. Since October, Scarlett has been managing a portfolio of 1,000 alumni - digesting emails, tracking interactions, and driving outreach. Joe credits Scarlet with helping do more with the same resources and sees AI as a core part of future advancement strategy.
Joe’s not just about gut feel - he’s got the reports to back it up. Following an all-alumni survey, Illinois Tech now knows their most active volunteers are from the 90s and 2000s, while their most generous donors are from the 70s and 80s. These insights have helped refine engagement strategies and personalize outreach based on where alumni are in their life journey.
With a strong, cross-functional team and data-led strategies, Joe’s eyes are set on deepening engagement across decades, expanding mentorship, and unlocking more ways for alumni to feel seen and valued - even as the world shifts toward AI and automation.
Want to connect with Joe?
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“Anybody can do data entry. But that doesn’t mean anyone will do it correctly.”
— Amelia Ketzle, Director of Records & Data Management, Southern Illinois University Foundation
We recently caught up with Amelia to talk about her mission to restore data quality and how she’s advocating for the unsung heroes in advancement operations.
Amelia has been with SIU for the last two decades. From gift processing to data analytics, her well-rounded experience enables her to comprehend the IT needs of colleagues in higher education fundraising and alumni relations. Amelia excels in delivering exceptional reports and software solutions to drive their success.
When Amelia stepped into her current role, she inherited a database where data integrity functions had not had the attention they deserved for some time. While not the flashiest of projects, she rolled up her sleeves and worked to restore confidence in the quality, consistency, and integrity of the Foundation’s data for the past two years. Today, thanks to her persistence, the database is on its way to once again being a trusted source powering outreach, fundraising, and engagement.
Amelia’s biggest goal? Ensuring her team gets the recognition (and compensation) they deserve. Many of her colleagues work in roles that are essential but often overlooked - data entry, backend management, and admin operations. Amelia has added her voice to advocate for upgrades, working with SIU Foundation's leadership team to successfully upgrade pay for some of SIU’s lowest-paid team members. She’s on a mission to make sure good people don’t have to leave just to grow.
SIU Foundation is actively exploring AI, and Amelia's team is right in the thick of it. From experimenting with Microsoft Copilot to streamlining tedious data tasks, she and her team are pushing themselves to find everyday efficiencies. The approach is pragmatic: AI isn’t a threat - it’s a tool, and the key is learning how to use it well.
Amelia’s vision is simple but powerful: make data work more visible, valued, and fairly rewarded. As the Foundation embraces AI and digital tools, she’s focused on helping her team grow with it - and making sure no one gets left behind.
Want to connect with Amelia?
#TheOG50: The one with Amelia Ketzle
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“We put the service in Advancement Services — that’s what drives me every day.”
— Dan Snyder, Director of Advancement Services, Bennington College
We recently caught up with Dan to talk about the unsung heroics of advancement operations, and how his data-first mindset has streamlined systems, empowered teams, and sparked momentum at Bennington.
Daniel Snyder is the Director of Advancement Services at Bennington College with 12 years of expertise in advancement services. As a director, he has implemented Evertrue, Power BI, and Power Automate, enhancing the team's operations. He led the upgrade to RENXT and the integration of GiveCampus. Daniel is an expert in advancement technology. He received the inaugural Microsoft Power Platform Community award for his contributions to the Blackbaud Community, sharing knowledge and providing valuable support.
Over the last few years, Dan has taken a sharp aim at the tedious — from gift entry to data clean-up — and built smart automations to simplify daily processes. By removing inefficiencies and creating auto-triggered alerts (like thank-you reminders), he’s allowed his team to focus more on what truly matters: relationship-building. The result? Faster answers, less manual work, and a team that spends more time with people than with spreadsheets.
Dan’s proudest ongoing goal is to make data more accessible and actionable across departments. His vision includes empowering non-technical users to engage with reports and insights independently — a push that not only improves internal decision-making, but also strengthens alumni engagement. “It’s been missing,” he says, “but we’ve got great momentum.”
While the AI wave has touched every corner of higher ed, Dan’s approach remains practical and people-first. Whether it’s generating formulas in Power Automate or drafting seating charts, he sees AI as a useful companion — but not a silver bullet. “You still need human judgment,” he says. “It’s not going back in the box, but it’s got to be used responsibly.”
Dan’s big bet for the future: a more data-literate team and better-integrated systems that support genuine alumni connection. As Bennington evolves, Dan envisions operations that are nimble, collaborative, and always a few steps ahead of the next reporting request.
Dan’s achievements in the Alumni Relations and Advancement have been immortalized with their very own AB50C Trading Card.
Want to connect with Dan or learn more about how he’s reshaping advancement operations?
#TheOG50: The One with Dan Snyder
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