Favorite Parts of Being an Assistant Athletic Director Annual Giving at University of Nebraska Athletic Department
Mattie's favorite aspect of being Assistant Athletic Director is the "energy of being around college students and teams," a feeling amplified by connecting student-athletes with donors, allowing them to share "incredible stories" and demonstrate the impact of philanthropy.
Higher Education, Fundraising, Student Athlete Development, Donor Relations, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mattie Fowler Burkhardt
Assistant Athletic Director - Annual Giving
University of Nebraska Athletic Department
University of Nebraska, 2015
MBA, University of Nebraska
Finance
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking, Sports & Fitness
Sales and Client Management
Scholarship Recipient, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Being on a college campus and around college students and teams is a highlight of the role, especially for someone with a student-athlete background.
2. Connecting student-athletes with donors to showcase the impact of donations and the student-athletes' stories is a rewarding aspect of the job.
3. The opportunity to share the stories of student-athletes beyond their athletic achievements, highlighting their personal qualities and motivations, is a favorite part of the role.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your current role?
What I enjoy the most is being on a college campus. I love the energy of being around college students and the teams. I'm a former student athlete, so I grew up in those competitive environments and thrived being on a team.
In the summer, you feel the energy is gone because classes aren't in session and everyone's home. We're still working in the stadium, but you just don't have the student athletes around.
Even though my role is external, working with constituents and raising money for the athletic department, the best parts of my job are when I can connect student athletes with donors. This allows them to see the impact they're having.
This can be through a scholarship luncheon where the recipient sits next to the donor. They can learn about each other's stories and why giving back is important. The student athlete can then share who they are off the court.
We often just see them in their uniforms, but they are incredible people with amazing stories. They are so motivated and disciplined, and it's really fun to share their stories. I love the energy of being on a college campus; I think it's hard to duplicate.