This qualitative study investigated advancement staff perspectives on how donor communication impacts philanthropic giving at higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to identify the communication practices that are most influential for philanthropic donor giving. While prior research has examined university marketing efforts, why alumni give back, and how affinity for a university compels donors to give, there is a research gap in how strategic communication impacts donor behavior at public universities. Eight university advancement staff members (N=8) from public universities across the Southeast United States were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed via semi-structured interviews. After interviews, thematic analysis generated four major themes: (1) the cautionary use of artificial intelligence, (2) the importance of timing and maintaining consistency, (3) creating a sense of belonging, and (4) the need for interpersonal communication over mass communication. This research affirms the relationship management theory as a way to explain strategic communication and offers practical suggestions and recommendations for strengthening donor giving and fundraising efforts in higher education.
","abstract_html":"<p>This qualitative study investigated advancement staff perspectives on how donor communication impacts philanthropic giving at higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to identify the communication practices that are most influential for philanthropic donor giving. While prior research has examined university marketing efforts, why alumni give back, and how affinity for a university compels donors to give, there is a research gap in how strategic communication impacts donor behavior at public universities. Eight university advancement staff members (N=8) from public universities across the Southeast United States were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed via semi-structured interviews. After interviews, thematic analysis generated four major themes: (1) the cautionary use of artificial intelligence, (2) the importance of timing and maintaining consistency, (3) creating a sense of belonging, and (4) the need for interpersonal communication over mass communication. This research affirms the relationship management theory as a way to explain strategic communication and offers practical suggestions and recommendations for strengthening donor giving and fundraising efforts in higher education.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hodges, Miranda"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Communication - Communication Studies Track","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Communication Department","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Tiffany Mcbride","Dr. Benjamin Baker","Dr. Mariko Izumi"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2025-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:45:18Z","subjects":["Donor Communication","Donor Engagement","Fundraising","Messaging Strategy","Donor Motivator","Communication","Organizational Communication","Public Relations and Advertising"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/749","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Tiffany Mcbride","Dr. Benjamin Baker","Dr. Mariko Izumi"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Hodges, Miranda"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication Department"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Communication - Communication Studies Track"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Donor Communication","Donor Engagement","Fundraising","Messaging Strategy","Donor Motivator","Communication","Organizational Communication","Public Relations and Advertising"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/749"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This qualitative study investigated advancement staff perspectives on how donor communication impacts philanthropic giving at higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to identify the communication practices that are most influential for philanthropic donor giving. While prior research has examined university marketing efforts, why alumni give back, and how affinity for a university compels donors to give, there is a research gap in how strategic communication impacts donor behavior at public universities. Eight university advancement staff members (N=8) from public universities across the Southeast United States were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed via semi-structured interviews. After interviews, thematic analysis generated four major themes: (1) the cautionary use of artificial intelligence, (2) the importance of timing and maintaining consistency, (3) creating a sense of belonging, and (4) the need for interpersonal communication over mass communication. This research affirms the relationship management theory as a way to explain strategic communication and offers practical suggestions and recommendations for strengthening donor giving and fundraising efforts in higher education.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Exploring Advancement Department Staff Perspectives on Strategic Communication and Philanthropic Donor Giving at Public Universities"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Tiffany Mcbride","Dr. Benjamin Baker","Dr. Mariko Izumi"],"dc:creator":["Hodges, Miranda"],"dc:description.abstract":["This qualitative study investigated advancement staff perspectives on how donor communication impacts philanthropic giving at higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to identify the communication practices that are most influential for philanthropic donor giving. While prior research has examined university marketing efforts, why alumni give back, and how affinity for a university compels donors to give, there is a research gap in how strategic communication impacts donor behavior at public universities. Eight university advancement staff members (N=8) from public universities across the Southeast United States were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed via semi-structured interviews. After interviews, thematic analysis generated four major themes: (1) the cautionary use of artificial intelligence, (2) the importance of timing and maintaining consistency, (3) creating a sense of belonging, and (4) the need for interpersonal communication over mass communication. This research affirms the relationship management theory as a way to explain strategic communication and offers practical suggestions and recommendations for strengthening donor giving and fundraising efforts in higher education.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/749"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:subject":["Donor Communication","Donor Engagement","Fundraising","Messaging Strategy","Donor Motivator","Communication","Organizational Communication","Public Relations and Advertising"],"dc:title":["Exploring Advancement Department Staff Perspectives on Strategic Communication and Philanthropic Donor Giving at Public Universities"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication Department"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Communication - Communication Studies Track"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:45:18Z"}