Ithaca College

Luca Maurer, LGBT Center program director, contributed to a research study conducted by EAB. The project culminated with the publication The Changing Face of the 21st Century Donor: Working With Diverse Alumni Segments, featured in their Advancement Forum.

Maurer served as an adviser to this work, and is quoted in the section regarding the importance of advancement offices in assuring their systems appropriately address transgender alumni. As the report notes, "It is not only embarrassing, but can also be dangerous, to greet alumni by a name that is not their own." In the publication, Maurer illustrates the problem by providing an anecdote with fictionalized names: “Can you imagine getting an email that says ‘hello Griselda’ and you are like…no…’I’m Carl.’” …and “Who wants to be greeted by a name that is not theirs— especially for a solicitation for money?”

Maurer also provided technical assistance with information and terminology used in graphics used to depict this important issue. The publication also highlights IC alumni participation in the annual Rainbow Reception, to connect LGBTQ students and alumni with each other and the institution as they celebrate commencement.

This research studies what institutions are doing to proactively support alumni based around affinity, identifies best practices, and examines three key populations where advancement leaders have the opportunity for focused quick wins that will establish groundwork for future alumni giving and engagement.

EAB helps today's education leaders solve their biggest problems by forging and finding best practices to address education’s top challenges with research forums dedicated to presidents, provosts, and other key academic and administrative leaders. They provide peer-tested research that answers education’s most pressing issues.