We recently caught up with Tyler from Willamette University to talk about his quietly powerful $160M campaign, a complete rethink of alumni communications, and his philosophy of doing the work that matters.
Discover AI Summary
• Consider a less traditional path for your next campaign: Willamette University quietly raised $160M without a public launch by reallocating resources to student support during the pandemic, proving that focusing on genuine impact can resonate deeply with donors. This unique approach highlights how prioritizing mission over fanfare can lead to significant fundraising success.
• Reimagine your alumni magazine as a unified storytelling tool: Discover how Willamette transformed their publication into an award-winning magazine focused on powerful narratives, moving class notes and obituaries online for better timeliness and sensitivity. This strategic shift resulted in a print piece so engaging that even alumni spouses requested subscriptions, boosting alumni engagement.
• Emphasize celebrating impact, not just fundraising numbers: Willamette chose to highlight what donors helped accomplish through compelling stories and videos, rather than traditional "campaign" fanfare, demonstrating a powerful way to engage supporters post-campaign. This approach fostered deeper connections by showcasing real-world outcomes.
• Implement a smart hybrid strategy for alumni communications: Tyler’s team effectively combines real-time digital updates and social content with a rich, print magazine for profound storytelling, catering to diverse alumni preferences. This balanced model ensures wide reach and lasting engagement, meeting alumni where they are.
• Focus on fundamental building blocks for long-term growth: After their campaign, Willamette is investing in alumni surveys, evolving virtual programs, and exploring AI to personalize communications without losing the human touch. This proactive foundation-building ensures sustained engagement and prepares the ground for future fundraising success.
“You don’t need to chase shiny things to make a difference—just do the work, stay grounded, and focus on what truly matters.”
— Tyler Reich, AVP for Advancement and Executive Director of University Relations, Willamette University
We recently caught up with Tyler to talk about his quietly powerful $160M campaign, a complete rethink of alumni communications, and his philosophy of doing the work that matters.
Tyler is the AVP for Advancement/Executive Director of University Relations at Willamette University. With over 18 years of experience, he has successfully closed significant gifts, implemented data-driven programs, and achieved notable results in team expansion, volunteer engagement, and annual fund growth. Tyler's approach combines innovation and data-driven decision-making with the art of relationship-building. He believes in creating joyful philanthropic experiences and meaningful donor engagement.
Willamette wrapped up a seven-year comprehensive campaign in 2023, exceeding its $150M goal with $160M raised - all without ever making a public announcement. When the pandemic hit, Tyler and team made the bold decision to reallocate campaign launch resources to student support instead.
That meant no “campaign” fanfare. No glossy countdowns. Just results.
They later celebrated the impact through storytelling and video, highlighting what the institution accomplished thanks to donors - without ever calling it a campaign. Now that’s impact, minus the noise.
Tyler led an 18-month overhaul of Willamette’s alumni magazine, transitioning from siloed, outdated publications to one unified storytelling vehicle.
The result? A modern, institution-wide magazine that tells the stories of “Willamette characters” solving the world’s wicked problems. Outdated class notes and obituaries were moved online for timeliness and sensitivity.
The printed version now focuses purely on powerful stories and has already won multiple national awards. With 38,000+ households reached annually, it’s become a lasting engagement tool - one that even alumni spouses have requested to receive.
Understanding today’s alumni preferences, Tyler’s team created a hybrid model - class notes, updates, and social content online for real-time engagement; rich storytelling in print for longevity.
When Tyler saw the magazine in a local dentist’s office (a proud alum’s waiting room), it was a full-circle moment: “That’s our work, sitting right there in the wild.”
Now post-campaign, Tyler is focused on foundation-building over trend-chasing. That means:
Tyler believes that thoughtful, strategic tech adoption—done right—can power deeper, more personal alumni engagement. But it must always serve the mission, not replace the people.
Tyler Reich is proof that lasting change doesn’t always need a spotlight. Whether he’s leading a $160M campaign without a big reveal or rebuilding alumni communications from scratch, Tyler stays rooted in impact and relationships.
Want to follow Tyler’s journey? Here’s his LinkedIn.
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“Giving Days are my jawn. If you let me, I’ll turn them into your biggest fundraising flex.”
— Julie Donohue, Director of Annual Giving, Tower Hill School
We recently caught up with Julie to talk about her record-shattering Giving Days, and how she turned three separate traditions into major revenue drivers for the school.
Julie is a talented professional who excels in designing engaging ways for constituents to understand the impact of giving. Her expertise in digital, print, and experiential design has garnered recognition, with designs featured in AGN's "best of" sample library. Notably, she founded the University of Delaware's successful giving day, achieving remarkable growth and fundraising success. Now, Julie continues to make a positive impact on the Annual Fund program at Tower Hill School.
Before Julie joined Tower Hill, their Founders Day Giving campaign brought in $138K at most. Under her leadership, that number climbed to $157K. Hiller Heroes Founders Day allows donors to celebrate faculty and staff through heartfelt shout-outs, giving them a rewarding sense of giving back and gratitude. A more community-driven twist? Yes. More dollars? Also yes.
Tower Hill’s Field Day—a century-old tradition—used to raise around $30K. Julie helped elevate it into the competitive, spirit-fueled giving challenge between Green vs. White teams. This year, they raised a whopping $150K. That’s a 500% increase and proof that legacy can meet innovation and still bring in serious results.
Giving Tuesday was already a fixture, but Julie saw more potential. She optimized the messaging and design strategy to push results further, helping significantly increase returns in just a few short years.
Julie’s next mission? Building out the school’s first-ever Loyalty Society. After noticing multi-decade donors weren’t being meaningfully recognized, she’s determined to design a stewardship program that honors consistency just as much as size of gift. Her vision: “Let’s make loyalty feel legendary.”
Julie’s ability to inject creativity, storytelling, and strategy into everyday fundraising is what makes her a powerhouse in advancement. From leading three giving days to launching a Loyalty Society, she’s turning intention into impact, one initiative at a time.
Want to follow Julie’s work or connect with her? Here’s her LinkedIn.
#TheOG50: The one with Julie Donohue
We recently caught up with Julie Donahue from Tower Hill School to talk about her record-shattering Giving Days, and how she turned three separate traditions into major revenue drivers for the school.
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“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?
#TheOG50: The one with Joe Volin
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.
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