Career Path Of An Assistant Director Of Development At UC Davis
Ryan, currently an Assistant Director of Development at UC Davis, began a career in nonprofit development with an internship found through a Berkeley club, "Business Careers in Entertainment", doing database administration and gift processing for a theater. The greatest demand at the theater was for fundraisers, which eventually led to major gift fundraising roles at a museum in Los Angeles, a student nonprofit, an executive search firm, and finally back home to Davis where the role involves "$50,000 plus asks" for the endowment.
Nonprofit Development, Fundraising, Higher Education, Major Gifts, Career Path
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
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Traits
Ryan Advincula
Assistant Director of Development
University of California, Davis
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis: MBA
Entertainment, Music & Arts, Political Science, American Studies
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Sales and Client Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, LGBTQ, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Internship Experience: Ryan started in development through an internship found via a club (Business Careers in Entertainment) at Berkeley, working at a nonprofit theater doing database administration and gift processing.
2. Transition to Fundraising: Despite initially wanting to focus on the artistic side of theater (dramaturgy), Ryan recognized the high demand for fundraisers in nonprofits and transitioned into major gifts fundraising.
3. Career Progression: Ryan's career path included roles at a museum in Los Angeles, a student nonprofit, and executive search/recruiting before returning to UC Davis for major gift fundraising, illustrating diverse experiences leading to his current position.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college?
Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
I currently work in nonprofit development, specifically in fundraising for higher education. My focus is on UC Davis, particularly the College of Letters and Science.
I began my career in development through an internship I found while I was a student at Berkeley. I was part of the theater committee for a club called Business Careers in Entertainment. This led to a position at a nonprofit theater near Union Square.
There, I worked part-time in database administration, handling gift entry and processing. While I enjoyed dramaturgy and drama research, the organization's primary need was fundraising.
I studied political science and theater at Berkeley, and I was drawn to the artistic and creative aspects of theater. However, most nonprofits, including the theater, require fundraisers.
From there, I transitioned into major gifts fundraising, which involves direct solicitations. After Berkeley, I worked for a museum in Los Angeles. I also worked for a small student nonprofit focused on executive search and recruiting.
Eventually, this path led me back to my hometown of Sacramento, and then to Davis. Currently, I do major gift fundraising for the endowment at UC Davis, focusing on asks of $50,000 and above.