What Development Means to Me by Rhen Hoehn
By Rhen Hoehn, St. Albert the Great University Parish Development Director, Houghton, Michigan
I grew up in a Catholic family that practiced the faith. While I was preparing for confirmation, I went on a NET (National Evangelization Team) retreat. This retreat plus the grace of the sacrament energized me even more to be a better Catholic.
After I started college at Michigan Technological University, I became very involved with St. Albert the Great University Parish. I attended Mass, and Catholics in my dorm invited me to parish activities and events. For three year I was a “chapel rat,” one of a group of six students who, in exchange for an apartment, did maintenance chores around the parish. Houghton is in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. With an annual average snowfall of more than 200 inches, that involved a lot of shoveling!
My first development experience was a job to help raise money to fix the church’s leaking roof. I took the job because I needed...
Don’t wait for a Class Gift, Start with Stewardship
By Mary Hernandez, Petrus Blog Contributor
Three Cheers for the Class Gift
The class gift tradition is widely recognized in educational circles. Schools have received benches, statues, fountains, trees, and other commemorative items from grateful grads. Many Catholic ministries have invited their graduates to consider participating in a monetary Class Gift. This type of Class Gift is one of the most significant ways for a graduate to leave a legacy, support future students who will find their home at the Catholic Center on campus, and participate in its mission. This initiative builds an automatic connection between the ministry and its alumni, leaves room for flexibility and growth, and naturally provides many opportunities for stewardship and alumni celebrations as giving milestones are reached. There is no downside to implementing a Class Gift in your ministry.
Teach Students to Give Early and Often
But why wait...
Engaging Parents in Campus Ministry
By Mary Hernandez, Petrus Blog Contributor
Engaging Parents in Campus Ministry
College campus ministries across the country are working feverishly to welcome their flock of new and returning students. If we haven't thought of extending our hospitality to good ‘ole mom and dad, we should.
Once engaged with your mission, parents can become your ministry's biggest fan and promote it in their hometown and community. They can serve as dedicated prayer warriors, storming heaven for the students and ministry team. Parents can also provide vital financial support by supporting your mission with a monthly gift or funding a particular initiative.
First, a Proper Introduction
You may have an opportunity to meet new parents during a campus visit or by hosting an open house during move-in weekend, but by and large, you will introduce your ministry through mail or email.
Each semester should begin with a student registration process so that your Catholic center can acquire...
A Campaign Story, Part 1 - An Interview with Sarah Du Preez on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Sarah Du Preez, Director of Development for the St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish at University of Arkansas. Sarah started in her role last summer, which happened to be the same week that the ministry kicked off a feasibility study for a $12.5 million dollar capital campaign. They discuss Sarah's experience in development and her track record of success working on big projects, as well as being nervous and a bit apprehensive about her new role because of the enormity of the project they are in the midst of.
Today, they are sitting down together at the official launch of the campaign and next year, they will sit down again for a part 2 conversation about what she has learned through the process. And we are pleased to be here for the journey!
Show Notes:
Sarah Du Preez, Director of Development for the St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish at University of Arkansas.
This is part 1 of A Campaign Story
Background
Grew up in...
One Hundred Percent - An Interview with Bryan Wilburn on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Bryan Wilburn, the Director of Development at the St. Paul Catholic Newman Center at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. They discuss how Bryan got his start in development and what they are doing to advance Catholic evangelism on the plains of North Dakota. As well as how being a great development officer can make you a better spouse. We hope that you enjoy the conversation and be sure to stick around for Andrew's three takeaways.
Show Notes:
Background
Bryan is from Montana and went to college in North Dakota. His time there depended his faith. After college, he devoted four years to FOCUS. As for development, he started in development during a college internship. And fundraising for himself for his time in FOCUS.
He has been back in North Dakota for six years. Fr. Cheney brought him on as a Sustained Giving Officer, helping to build monthly giving partners for the Newman Center. After one year, he became involved...
Making the Transition - An Interview with JoAnn Shull on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with JoAnn Shull, Director of Development at St. Thomas More Newman Center at the University of Missouri. In this episode, Andrew and JoAnn discuss making the transition from campus minister to director of development, fundraising and the importance of communication and design work. They also discuss the challenges you can face when you combine family life with working in development, as well as, how to create a tribe that supports you.
Show Notes:
Background
JoAnn Shull worked as the Campus Minister at St. Thomas More Newman Center at University of Missouri for 8 years before transitioning to the role of Director of Development, which she has held for the last 5 years.
Bringing FOCUS to the campus is what jump started the need for a devoted development position. FOCUS was fantastic, but what comes with the program is more students. More students meant more retreats, more transportation needs, more food...
Worthy of Profound Generosity - Interview with Michelle Sutton on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Michelle Sutton, Director of Development at the Duke Catholic Center. They discuss a variety of strategies in fundraising within campus ministries. Talking about interacting and building relationships with their students, parents and community. And how to build a sustainable annual fund by creating long-term strategy.
Show Notes:
Michelle is a graduate of Duke University with a political science major. She spent her college summers working in Washington, D.C. and realized that a career in politics is not what she wanted. While at college she was very involved in student ministry and two months before graduation, was offered the Director of Development job at Duke Catholic Center. The first thing she did once accepting the job was to attend the Petrus Development Conference in 2012.
Duke Catholic Center
When Michelle became Director of Development in 2012, the center had 5 staff members and was...
"Just Don't Let Me Look Like an Idiot, Lord" : Interview with Andrew Robison on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, we flip the mic and interview the host, Andrew Robison. Andrew shares about his background, some of the successes and failures that he has experienced after 15 years in this business and that time that he was in a plane crash and nearly died (spoiler...he lived but missed his catering job the next day).
Show Notes:
- Andrew grew up in Texas. After his sophomore year of college, he decided to take a year off of school. He spent a year and a half living and working in Colorado - summer camp, waiting tables, moved back to Texas in 2002 to finish his degree in History at Texas A&M University.
- Faith was important but attending Mass had stalled. Invitation to girl in CO reignited passion for church.
- Attended Aggie Awakening and built community. Met Cheryl.
- Worked at St Marys doing a lot of jobs under Greg Gorman.
- Earned MA in Philanthropy and Development from St Marys University in Minnesota. Left to work at St Thomas More Newman Center at Ohio...
Live Big, Love Bigger: Interview with Kathryn Whitaker on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Kathryn Whitaker: Catholic wife and mother of six, Business Owner, Graphic Designer, Blogger, and Author of Live Big, Love Bigger. Andrew and Kathryn discuss her professional background and her work in graphic design, especially with Catholic non-profits, with great tips, including the importance of cohesiveness in your brand and telling your ministry's story. They also discuss Kathryn's book, an extension of her blog, which sprung from the traumatic birth experience of her fifth child, and led to a more intentional, Christ-centered family life.
Show Notes:
Lessons From Online Consumer Behavior: Interview with Chris Hanzeli on The Petrus Development Show
In this episode Andrew visits with Chris Hanzeli about two of his different roles in development and his masters research. Executive Director of Institutional Advancement for the Western Dominican Province, Chris Hanzeli has a Masters of Philanthropy and Development through St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. His masters research, entitled, Lessons from online consumer behavior: How non profit organizations can enhance trust-building strategies for online donors, explores how non-profits can utilize the example of online retailers to establish trust with potential online donors.
Show Notes:
Graduate of University of Washington in Seattle. Bachelors in Speech Communications. Didn’t know what development/fundraising was. After graduation, worked in politics, then in a start up company, but that wasn’t successful. Unemployed and his wife was expecting. Dominicans called and asked if he wanted to be the development director at the campus ministry at...
